The European Commission announced on Wednesday 22 July an EU grant of €112.2 million to strengthen health, education and social services in Tajikistan and to support the country in its response to the coronavirus.
The package comprises three interrelated programmes. A health development programme (€52.2 million) will improve the accessibility and quality of health care with a focus on primary health care.
A quality education support programme (€50 million) will promote access to better quality education for young Tajiks and improve their employability. Actions facilitating access to water, sanitation and hygiene in schools or developing distance learning will be carried out.
The third support programme for the reform of the civil status register (€10 million) aims to make basic public services more accessible, particularly online.
The first two programmes include measures that will help Tajikistan cope with the Covid-19 pandemic and mitigate its negative socio-economic consequences, for a total amount of €46.2 million. In particular, the effectiveness of infection prevention and control systems (e.g. the purchase of respirators) will be improved.
EU bilateral development assistance to Tajikistan currently amounts to €33 million per year. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)