OSCE contributes to improved inter-state connection and capacity building of Tajik officials and representatives of free economic zones

A study visit to Belarus for Tajik state officials and representatives of free economic zones was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe from 18 to 24 June 2018.

A group of five  representatives from the Executive Office of the President of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the free economic zones of Dangara, Pyanj and Ishkashim took part in the visit, whose purpose was to learn and share  best practices of the free economic zones of Belarus and Tajikistan and to extend and deepen mutual interaction and bilateral trade relations for further economic growth.

The study visit began with a meeting of the Tajik delegation with the representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Belarus. The sides have shared their expectations of the visit and agreed to raise the existed co-operation into a new level which would be necessary for building strong ties between the free economic zones of Tajikistan and Belarus.

The officials emphasized the importance of free economic zones for improving the competitive advantages of their countries in the process of their further integration into the regional and global economy.

The Tajik delegation visited several free economic zones in Minsk, Mogilev and Grodnoinvest as well as the industrial park Velikiy Kamen and the Belarus High Technologies Park. As a result, two Memorandums of Co-operation were signed between the free economic zones of Pyanj and Mogilev, and the free economic zones of Ishkashim and Grodnoinvest.

“Learning from foreign experiences is always beneficial for free economic zones and the government entities regulating them,” noted Edward Safaryan, Economic Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe. “Free economic zones can encourage dynamic firms to be internationally competitive and, if properly managed, may help to reduce regional economic inequalities.”

The visit became a good opportunity to renew the bilateral economic relations between Tajikistan and Belarus. By visiting Belarussian Free Economic Zones, the industrial park Velikiy Kamen and Belarussian High Technologies Park, the members of Tajik delegation have had an opportunity to learn about the new marketing tools on attracting the potential investors as well as about the comprehensive approaches in building and expanding the infrastructure and modernization of the existing technologies utilized by the Free Economic Zones, industrial and technoparks in Belarus for improved quality of the goods produced and services provided.