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Khujand Water Supply Improvement Project, Tajikistan
USD 1,2 million loan is first under EBRD’s Early Transition Country initiative
The EBRD is lending US$ 1.2 million to improve the water-supply infrastructure
and distribution network in Khujand, Tajikistan’s second-largest city.
It will be EBRD’s first municipal loan ever in Tajikistan, and the first
anywhere under the Bank’s new “Early Transition Country” initiative, put
forward to tackle poverty in Tajikistan and six other countries of the region.
The loan, backed by a sovereign guarantee, will improve Khujand’s drinking
water by installing new pumps and other equipment that should reduce water
leakages and generally make the water supply more reliable.
Key elements of the project, whose total cost is estimated at US$ 5 million,
are being supported by a grant from the Swiss government for capital
investments and the provision of a “stakeholder-participation programme” to
encourage greater public participation and ensure that poverty and subsistence
issues are reflected in tariff reforms. The Government of Norway will also
fund a performance improvement programme for the Khujand Water Company.
Signing of the Loan Agreement on the Khujand Water Supply Improvement Project
took place on July 13, 2004 at 1:30 p.m. with participation of Mr. Kosimov
K.R., Chairman of the Sogd province of the Republic of Tajikistan and Mr.
Gavin Anderson, Director of Business Group for infrastructure of the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development with presence of Mr. Fernand Pillonel,
Head of EBRD Resident Office in Dushanbe, Mr. Daniel Zuest, Head of Swiss
Cooperation Office and also other representatives of the European Bank,
Hukumat of the City of Khujand and authorities of Sogd province.
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