Eduard Auer
Head of Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan

The overall objective of the Human Development Support Programme is to contribute to the improvement of health and social protection status of the population, especially the poor and most vulnerable groups.

The programme will contribute to:

1. advancing reforms in service delivery, with a priority on strengthening Primary Health Care, improving governance and health financing,
2. a more effective pension policy framework and pension administration,
3. an improved efficiency of the public spending in the here-above mentioned sectors through a better financial management, accountability and transparency and
4. a structured Private-Public Partnership with the active participation of civil society organisations in delivering social care services.

The HDSP will also support gender equality in the country by promoting gender equality agenda in Social welfare and Health sectors. The promotion of human rights will be reflected in the focus on equitable access to social protection and health services especially for the poor and disadvantaged population groups. Good governance will not only be mainstreamed in the programme but integral part of the programme design as expressed by the Public Finance Management (PFM) related results.

The programme will be implemented via three instruments:

• Budget support (€18 mln);
• Technical assistance to support implementation of reforms (€5.5 mln);
• Grants to Civil Society Organisations (€2.2 mln).

The Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Tajikistan are responsible for the implementation of the Human Development Support Programme during a 3-years implementation period.

The European Union, composed of 27 Member States, is the world’s biggest aid donor. Tajikistan gets the main share of bilateral assistance in the Central Asian region (€66 million for 2007-2010 and 62 million for 2011-2013) in support to sector programmes, technical assistance and grants. It focuses on social protection, health and private sector development, underpinned by public finance management. Tajikistan also receives regional and thematic assistance in areas like border management and drug control (BOMCA/CADAP), education (TEMPUS, Erasmus Mundus), water/environment, migration, human rights and democracy (EIDHR), non-State actors (NSA) and SME development (CA-Invest). The total value of EU assistance disbursed to Tajikistan since 1992 is over €500 mln.

For further information you may contact Ms. Mahbuba Abdullaeva in the Delegation of the European Union in Tajikistan at tel: +992 (37) 2217407 or e-mail.

Republic of Tajikistan & the EU

The European Union is pursuing a closer relationship with Tajikistan, targeting its co-operation, to facilitate Tajikistan economic transition, promoting inclusive, sustainable human and economic development. Tajikistan is becoming an increasing priority partner country within the Central Asia cooperation programme.

The Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) signed in 2004, entered into force in the beginning of 2010. It provides a comprehensive and ambitious framework for joint work with Tajikistan, in all key areas of reform. Tajikistan society is undergoing a profound transformation and the EU is assisting the Government in its structural reform process as well as enhancing civil society capacity, working in partnership with local and international NGOs.

At the regional level, political relations with Tajikistan come under the European Union and Central Asia: Strategy for a New Partnership, adopted by the European Council in June 2007. The first progress report followed in June 2008.