The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and the Ministry of Finance of Tajikistan have signed an agreement to finance the construction of the first section of the Labijar–Kalai-Khumb highway. The project is of strategic importance for the development of the country’s transport infrastructure; it will strengthen transport links between the districts of republican subordination and the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region.
Under the agreement, the EDB will provide Tajikistan with concessional financing totalling US $18.5 million, including a US $17 million loan and a US $1.5 million targeted grant.
The funds will be used for the construction and renovation of a 10-kilometer section of the highway, as well as the construction of three bridges. The project will improve the safety of freight transport, enhance transport accessibility in mountainous areas, and create additional conditions for the development of trade, entrepreneurship, and investment in the republic’s regions.
The financing agreement was signed by Vladimir Yakunin, EDB Director for Tajikistan, and Qahhorzoda Faiziddin, Minister of Finance of Tajikistan.
“The project will be part of a broader effort to modernise Tajikistan’s transport infrastructure and will contribute to the country’s socioeconomic development, expand interregional connections, and increase population mobility. Supporting infrastructure projects that promote sustainable socioeconomic development in member states is a key priority for the EDB,” noted Vladimir Yakunin, Head of the EDB Project Support Department.
