EU to allocate 97 mln euros to Tajik agriculture in 2015-2016
DUSHANBE. Dec 8 (Interfax) - The European Union is willing to allocate 97 million euros in financial aid for the agriculture industry in Tajikistan over the next two years, the Tajik Agriculture Ministry reported, commenting on the results of a meeting between Agriculture Minister Kosim Rokhbar and chief of the EU office in Tajikistan, Nidajet Biscevic.
"EU grants for agriculture projects in 2015 will amount to 51 million euros and in 2016 they will be 46 million euros," the ministry cited Biscevic as saying.
The ministry did not give any additional information about the future projects.
"The EU plan of financial aid for the agrarian sector in Tajikistan to 2020 was discussed at the meeting," the ministry said.
The EU plans to allocate 251 million euros to Tajikistan in 2014-2020 to support economic growth and social stability, including 110 million euros to develop rural areas, 62 million euros for healthcare and 75 million euros for education and professional training.
The World Bank reported that 47.2% of the eight million people living in Tajikistan are below the poverty line, and GDP per capita in 2013 was $1,050, the lowest of all the former Soviet countries.
The EU has provided over 600 million euros in humanitarian aid, technical support and grants to Tajikistan since 1992.
