DUSHANBE, April 12, 2013, Asia-Plus -- On Wednesday April 10, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan hosted a reception to thank the government, and the diplomatic and donor communities for their support in undertaking various domestic and regional programmatic initiatives.

According to the AKDN Office in Tajikistan, the reception comes at the end of an annual AKDN internal review workshop.  The two-day workshop held at the Ismaili Center Dushanbe brought together senior institutional leadership from within the Network who came from across North America, Europe, Tajikistan and Afghanistan to discuss regional stability and enhancing programmatic capacity.  The overarching theme of the workshop was to respond to the ever-changing development needs of the populations served by the Network, to identify and mitigate programmatic shortfalls, to better programmatic reach, and enhance institutional efficacy and efficiency, and ultimately to create enabling conditions that result in improved livelihoods and a better quality of life.

Attending the reception were members of the government, the diplomatic and international community including the Ambassadors of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, USA, Japan, Iran, and the Kyrgyz Republic, representatives from the donor community including, JICA, KfW, and USAID and senior leadership from within the Network including the AKDN Resident Representative for Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan, Ms. Nurjehan Mawani.

In her remarks the German Ambassador, Ms. Doris Hertrampf, noted the strong partnership that Germany has with the AKDN in Tajikistan, citing the projects funded through the Pakistan Afghanistan Tajikistan Regional Integration Program (PATRIP) Foundation, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the work of the German development organization, KfW.

The reception presented the Network and its leadership an opportunity to meet with and thank the government and the donor community, as well as to provide an opportunity to foster dialogue on issues surrounding regional stability, and institutional cross-collaboration.

In welcoming the receptions guests the Resident Representative of the AKDN in Tajikistan, Mr. Akbar Ali Pesnani, began by discussing the two-day workshop held in Dushanbe and noted the importance of cross-border work between Tajikistan and Afghanistan especially in terms of the potential for economic growth, commerce and trade.  Mr. Pesnani continued his welcoming remarks by emphasizing the goal of the Network in Tajikistan and the support of the government and donor community, noting that “the AKDN recognizes that its efforts towards improving the living condition, and facilitating the social and economic development of all peoples of Tajikistan, irrespective of the regions or area they live, would not be possible without the ongoing and strong support and cooperation of the government and our donors.”

The Aga Khan Development Network is a group of institutions working to improve living conditions and opportunities in specific regions of the developing world. The Network''s institutions have mandates that range from the fields of health and education to rural development and the promotion of private-sector enterprise. The three main areas of activity in the Network are social development, economic development, and culture.