Year 2021 proves successful despite Covid - Tajik PM

DUSHANBE. Jan 21 (Interfax) - Tajikistan saw substantial socio-economic progress in 2021 despite the complicated Covid-19 situation, Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda told the government on Friday, describing the year as "historical."

As a result, in 2021 GDP grew by 9.2%, he said.

"In 2021 [...] our country launched 309 new industrial enterprises and workshops, ensuring the development of industrial manufacturing," he said.

Electricity output rose by 853 million kW/h, or 4.3%, compared to 2020, the prime minister said. Total volume of agricultural products was up 106.6% on 2020, he said.

In January-September 2021, investment in Tajikistan increased by 60% compared to the same period in the previous year. In total, during the reporting year, investment in the main capital increased by 23.3% on 2020 to 14.7 billion somoni, he said.

The government implemented 78 investment projects worth in total 42 billion somoni, including 11 transport projects worth over 9.5 billion somoni, and since these projects started to be implemented 4.8 billion somonis ($427 million) already have been used.

In 2021, trade totaled 40 billion somoni, up 13% on 2020. The volume of fee-paying services in the services sector increased by 7.9% to 15 billion somoni.

Despite the complicated situation around the spread of Covid-19, which hit the country's trading partners and imports, in 2021 foreign trade continued to increase, soaring by 39.5% on 2020.

kk kl

(Our editorial staff can be reached at eng.editors@interfax.ru)