Tajikistan

GIZ local staff

National employees: 102
International employees: 16
Development workers: 1
Integrated experts: 1

_{(as at: 31.12.2023)}

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been working in Tajikistan since 1995. It has offices in the capital, Dushanbe, and three other locations.

Tajikistan is one of the poorest countries in Asia, with almost half the population living below the poverty line. Young people in particular find training and career prospects hard to come by. At the same time, Tajikistan’s economy is in need of skilled workers. To create job prospects, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) needs to be improved, giving more people the opportunity to obtain qualifications.

Agriculture is the country’s largest economic sector. However, it is heavily affected by the impacts of climate change. Periods of drought are reducing yields and, in turn, economic output. At the same time, low water levels are affecting the hydropower-based energy system.

In addition to its economic challenges, Tajikistan also has a fragile health system. Health care is not always available, and health care institutions do not have sufficient resources. Maternal and infant mortality rates are particularly high.

In Tajikistan, GIZ is working on behalf of the German Government and the European Union (EU), amongst others. The priority areas of cooperation are:

• Economic development and employment
• Environment and climate change
• Health

In the pursuit of green economic development, GIZ provides support to conserve natural resources in rural areas. It also promotes the expansion of value chains for the production and export of organic cotton. Through continuing vocational education and training, it helps people to gain qualifications and improve their income and employment situation.

In addition, GIZ supports the agricultural sector in adapting to the impacts of climate change. This involves, for instance, using modern technology and geodata to make it easier to plan when to sow the fields.

Another focus of work is on stabilising the health care system, especially in the field of maternal and child health. In cooperation with Tajikistan’s Ministry of Health and the EU, GIZ is helping to improve primary health care through training, database development and procurement.

GIZ is also implementing regional programmes in Central Asia in the fields of justice, climate change and water, trade, TVET and the prevention of extremism.