Urban water supply in Tajikistan is generally in bad condition due to the lack of investments and maintenance since the break-up of the Soviet Union as well as to the insufficient institutional, financial and technical capacities. Deteriorated assets for water supply and wastewater collection and very limited wastewater treatment and high operations and maintenance costs due to the poor state of the assets are the main problems in water sector and citizens do not have reliable access to safe drinking water and people especially children, are frequently the ill with infections water-borne diseases.  

Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) intends to contribute to this second phase of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) programme by co-financing projects in 3 cities in the North of Tajikistan and in Khorog. The overall objective of the Tajik Water Phase II is to further improve living conditions and economic opportunities of 21 cities through an improved water supply and sanitation. This includes safe and inclusive access to water and waste water treatment respectively as well as better hygiene.

“More than 70 million of USD has been contributed by the Swiss Government in water sector of Tajikistan and I am pleased that this agreement is another significant step in our long cooperation with the Government of Tajikistan. As water is the source of life and is very important for human being we are happy to improve the sector”- mentioned Mr. Peter Mikula.

“With the signing of this agreement, Switzerland makes a significant contribution to the development of the national economy and we hope that our close cooperation will continue."- said the Minister.

Switzerland has been active in Tajikistan since 1993, when it delivered humanitarian aid during the civil war. Since opening its diplomatic representation in 1999, the Government of Switzerland has provided more than US$200 million in programs that support Tajikistan’s development and is one of the major donors in the country.

The two-day training was organized by the Copyright Division of the Ministry of Culture within the framework of the Tajik-Swiss Intellectual Property Project (TSIP). It brought together local authorities, law enforcement workers, judges, authors, media companies, publishing houses, hardware and software developers and distributors.

In Tajikistan, there is a strong need for public awareness of copyright and neighboring rights so that professionals gain the correct benefits and acknowledgement from their work. The aim of the event was to enhance participants’ knowledge on national and international copyright and neighboring rights legislation, and to share experiences on methods of protecting authors’ rights against piracy.

During the training participants learnt about the rights that are attached to the products developed by artists and companies. Copyright covers areas such as literature, music, photography, sculptures, films, operas, ballets, pantomimes, and computer programmes. Neighboring rights cover the performances of musicians and actors, the right of producers to their products such as CDs and DVDs, and radio and television broadcasts.

In 2015, the Copyright Division of the Ministry of Culture will also deliver this training in Sughd and Pamirs in order to share this crucial information across the country.

The Tajik-Swiss Intellectual Property Project is a three-year project funded by the Government of Switzerland and implemented by IPI since 2013. It aims to strengthen the Tajik intellectual property rights system in order to lead to higher competitiveness, more value added to Tajik products, and a positive impact on Tajikistan’s social and economic development following the country’s recent accession to the World Trade Organization.