OSCE Office supports expert discussions on investment in hydropower

DUSHANBE, 16 March 2011 - A two-day seminar, supported by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, on the standardization of investment mechanisms and procedures for small hydropower stations concluded today in Dushanbe.
The seminar was the second meeting of an Inter-ministerial Working Group in the framework of the Tajik-Norwegian Small-scale Hydropower (SHP) Initiative. More than 30 officials and experts on water energy took part. The participants identified and discussed essential requirements for the standardization of investment procedures for small hydropower stations in Tajikistan, concrete steps for their improvement and defined guidelines for the Inter-ministerial Working Group. Based on prior consultations with representatives of the government, the private sector, civil society and international organizations, as well as the discussions of the seminar, experts presented a set of recommendations.
“The standardization of investment procedures remains an important pre-condition for the establishment of a predictable, well-regulated business environment for investments in small hydropower stations,” said Emmanuel Huntzinger, Economic Officer in charge of the programme at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.
The SHP Initiative was established on 27 April 2010 by a bilateral memorandum of understanding between the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway and the Ministry of Energy and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The enhancement of Tajikistan’s energy security, including in the water-energy nexus, is one of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan’s mandated activities. The Office supports this initiative by providing a platform for dialogue and expert assistance.