#3 (49) // July - Sep 2019

Funded by the Swiss Government

In the picture: Ilhom Mirzoev, owner and director of “Vahdat” LLC, has been recognized as the best young entrepreneur in Tajikistan’s textile and clothing sector. Dushanbe, 18 July 2019. Photo: ITC Tajikistan

The Union of Private Sector Development of Tajikistan (UPSDT), in cooperation with the International Trade Centre (ITC), organized the National Forum on the Textile and Clothing Sector of Tajikistan on 18 July 2019, in Dushanbe. Representatives of the textile and clothing companies, trade and business associations, consulting companies, related state agencies, and international organizations gathered together to discuss development issues of the textile and clothing sector in the country. Mr. Rustami S.A., Deputy Minister of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan introduced the Forum participants to the current situation in the sector as well as to the state programs on full processing of cotton fiber to a final product in the country. A study on the current status of Tajikistan’s apparel market conducted by Professor Azizullo Avezov, Director of “Business Consulting Group”

with ITC support was presented during the event. Also, the Forum participants were familiarized with activities and programs of the UPSDT, the textile and clothing companies, the ITC GTEX programme, and

the Labour Union of the light industry sector of Tajikistan. During the Forum, for the first time in Tajikistan the country’s best companies and entrepreneurs in the clothing and textile sector for the year 2018 were recognized and received awards in five categories. Tajikistan’s textile and clothing sector veterans and heads of the active UPSDT members were also recognized for their role and efforts in the development of the country’s industry. At the end, new members of the UPSDT Board, the UPSDT Steering Committee, as well as the new UPSDT Board Chairman were elected. Mr. Fayzali Rajabov, who chairs the UPSDT Board since 2017, was re-elected for a new term to serve till 2021.

Best company in full processing of cotton fiber

•1) “Giavoni” (Khujand)

•2) “CATH” (Khujand)

Best spinning company

•“Fayzi Istiqlol – 2011” (Hisor)

Best knitting company

•“Vahdat” (Yovon)

Best garment factory

•1) “Lider” (Khujand)

•2) “Gulistoni Dushanbe” (Dushanbe)

Best sector young entrepreneur

•Mr. Ilhom Mirzoev, owner and director, “Vahdat” (Yovon)

As the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan reports, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has officially acknowledged acceptance and approval of Tajikistan’s notification under the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) on categorization of its commitments under “B” and “C” categories. As a result, on 12 August 2019 the notification of “B” and “C” categories obligations was published on the official website of the WTO. The categorization of Tajikistan’s commitments has been completed and finalized with the support of the WTO and the ITC experts. The TFA that entered into force on 22 February 2017, is a WTO Agreement requiring its members to expedite the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit. It obligates the WTO members to improve customs procedures, transparency and efficiency, as well as cooperation amongst border regulatory agencies and private sector. The TFA has 36 provisions and each WTO member is required to self-designate these provisions into three categories (A, B, and C) and accordingly implement them in its national legislation. Now, Tajikistan is required to implement its commitments under the TFA and as the MEDT reports, completion of the categorization of the TFA provisions has paved the way to attract the international partners’ support in implementation. It should be noted that to meet its WTO obligations Tajikistan with the support of ITC and other development partners has also created and launched a special Trade Portal this April. The Portal is an online platform that provides a step-by-step description of import and export procedures from the trader’s point of view. By launching the Portal, the Government of Tajikistan continues its efforts to streamline and simplify trade processes for the benefit of Tajikistan’s business community.

(Chart source: Official TFA Database)

Tajikistan delegation has just returned from Moscow, where it represented Tajikistan at “Textillegprom”, the biggest specialized industry event in the Commonwealth of Independent States, held from 17 to 20 September. The delegation consisted of five textile and clothing companies, one consulting company, and the UPSDT. Tajikistan latest achievements in yarn producing, cotton fabrics and ready garment were exhibited in the VDNKH hall in the Russian capital. The Federal Trade Fair “Textillegprom” is a unique platform to exhibit and discover an entire range of textile industry goods, from raw materials and equipment to finished products. The fair brings together wholesale buyers and industry experts from around 30 countries. “Textillegprom” is an excellent opportunity for Tajik companies to show and promote their products to a wide range of buyers from Russia and other countries, to establish direct business contacts with potential clients and to diversify their orders.

Fayzi Istiqlol

HIMA Textile

Liman

Rahimov A.A.

Vahdat

UPSDT

Business Consulting

Our delegation at

Textillegprom-2019

International Trade Centre, Projects in Tajikistan 15/1 Rudaki Ave., apt 4, 3rd floor

Dushanbe, 734025, Tajikistan Tel.: (+992 37) 2219870. Tel/Fax: (+992 37) 223 20 57

E-Mail: itc.tajikistan@gmail.com Web-home: www.itctj.org; itctj.wordpress.com

Facebook: facebook.com/itc.tajikistan YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/itctajikistan

Tajikistan companies exhibited raw materials, including yarn, dyed yarn, raw cotton fabric, fabrics, as well as ready garment such as clothes for men, women and children, socks, knitwear, ladies’ and gentlemen’ underwear, sportswear, and different uniforms. The Tajik delegation met potential trade partners and discovered new modern technologies and products. The Tajik delegation also attended research and training conferences, workshops and roundtable discussions. Tajikistan participated at this fair for 12th time and during this period Tajik companies were able to establish Tajikistan’s status as a producer of high quality textile and clothing products.

Tajik consultants and researchers improved their knowledge of international market research methods and tools during a three-day workshop conducted from 27 to 29 August 2019 in Dushanbe. The workshop aimed to help participants: 1) understand the main market research methodologies available and be able to use them in a practical setting; 2) proficiently use market research tools and methodologies to analyse international markets; 3) improve capacity of generating an informative report for interested companies on benefits of a prospective market for their product; 4) better understand the current trade environment; 5) provide better information support for business decision making by exporters; and 6) identify markets with high potential for exports and understand how to enter them sustainably. Mr. Miguel Camacho, an international trainer with more than 17 years of experience in designing and conducting trainings for international and business support organizations in more than 25 countries, delivered the workshop. The workshop provided participants with an up-to date set of methodologies both for conducting international market research and for preparing reports based on such research. The participants actively attended the sessions and as a result learned to appropriately choose effective methodologies for research, use identified specific information and produce high quality, focused and complete market research reports. At the end of the workshop, the participants were awarded with a certificate of attendance.

Some feedback from the workshop participants: The learnt instruments significantly simplify gathering information in our activities; I recommend others to attend this workshop, since it describes in simple terms the contemporary methodology

and tools of the international market analyses and assessment of exporting of potential goods.

(All photos in the newsletter: ITC Tajikistan)

ITC projects in Tajikistan are funded by the Government of Switzerland