Welcome to the United Nations
VNR Tajikistan - 2023
GREEN DEVELOPMENT FOR SHARED PROSPERITY
Background. This is Tajikistan’s second Voluntary National Review (VNR) to assess the progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following the guidelines for VNR preparation data collection was accompanied by consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, to make this report as in-depth and data-driven as possible.
Building on the first VNR, SDGs had been further integrated into the legal framework and mainstreamed in the National Development Strategy 2030. There is greater cooperation to ensure goals are linked to the local action, investment plans and budgetary processes. A National SDGs Tracker Platform was developed to assess progress on 127 indicators for which data is available.
Green Development for Shared Prosperity. Tajikistan is a source of more than 70% of water resources of Central Asia. Currently, 98% of electricity in Tajikistan is generated by hydropower plants. The country ranks sixth in the world in terms of «green energy» and would be upgraded to the fourth position upon completion of the Roghun HPP. Tajikistan is also among the countries with almost zero contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Leader of the Nation, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon is a leader on promoting the global water and climate change issues. Recently on December 14, 2022 the UN General Assembly with the initiative of Tajikistan declared 2025 as «International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation» and March 21 as the «World Day of Glaciers». This is the 5 th global initiative of Tajikistan implemented on a global scale, enabling the international community to undertake joint actions on sustainable use of water resources and mitigating climate change.
Key Achievements.Through ongoing reforms, Tajikistan made remarkable progress across most of SDGs. Despite the negative impacts of external shocks, namely geopolitical tensions and sanctions, trade conflicts, spread of COVID-19 and consequences of global climate change the effective implementation of economic reforms, policies and programs and anti-crisis measures over the last five years, enabled to maintain the economic growth of Tajikistan at the average rate of 7.3 percent annually and the GDP per capita by 1.5 times.
The Global G.A.P. Standards were introduced to ensure climate-smart and environmentally friendly agricultural growth.
The average annual growth rate of the housing stock is 2.4% higher than the country's population growth rate (2%). Access to basic drinking water services increased from 76% up to 82% over this period.
More than 70% of country’s population are young people. Taking into account demographic trends, 3420 education facilities for 1,5 mln. students and 2827 medical facilities were constructed that significantly improved access to qualitive education and health.
During the last five years, maternal and infant mortality rate reduced by 70% and about 36% accordingly. Also a number of newly diagnosed tuberculosis and HIV infection registered cases dropped by 26% and 19,5% accordingly.
Population’s well-being had gradually improved and people’s income grew by 2.1 times in the last five years. The average salary raised by 1,5 times and pension by 1.3 times.
To develop a robust social protection system, a program of targeted social assistance as well as a Unified National Information Register of low-income families and persons with disabilities have been launched.
Over this period, more than TJS 19 bln. was allocated to support socially vulnerable groups.
During the Independence period more than 2000 MWt of additional electric capacity were installed that improved access to electricity in rural areas up to 98% in 2022 and reduced the energy poverty. According to the World Energy Trilemma Index ranking Tajikistan ranked top 10 countries on energy security.
Also over the Independence period 2,400 km of roads, 326 bridges, 6 automobile tunnels, 219 km of railway were built to ensure rapid industrialization and infrastructure development of the country.
The above-mentioned actions enabled the country to reduce the poverty rate from 31% in 2015 to 22.5% in 2022.
Challenges.Tajikistan has conducted the current VNR at a time of the global economic turbulence, food security crisis, energy crisis, aftermath of COVID-19 and climate change that pose great risks towards achieving SDGs.
Under these circumstances maintaining macroeconomic stability, food security, social security, border security and coping with unprecedented consequences of the global climate change become key challenges in coming years.
Tajikistan remains committed to implementing the Development Agenda 2030 with the emphasize on sustainable development and shared prosperity based on inclusiveness, LNOB and innovation. Adequate financial and technical support of development partners across the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development is crucial to achieve SDGs.
