Information for Press

Dushanbe, 18.10.2008

The GTZ Project 'Support to SME in Tajikistan' congratulates the National Association of SME (NASMB) to its recent boost in public awareness due to the associations' very active role in advocacy on behalf of entrepreneurs.

Today on 18th of October 2008 the Association gathered its members for their General Assembly to review the achievements of the recent year and to present and discuss a develop plan for the challenging years to come.

GTZ supports NASMB since 2007 through training, upgrading of equipment and reregistration as well as coaching the personnel of the organisation during the introduction of new services in the area of tax advise and consulting of start-ups.

According to the Project Manager, Matthias Halder of AFC Consultants International, the project aims at assisting the management to develop NASMB into a powerful, member-driven organisation partnering with both entrepreneurs and policy-makers. The Project appreciates the growing influence of active members that guarantees business and market orientation and that supports the organisation in day-to-day management of their growing tasks.

Besides their assistance to selected business associations the GTZ Project supports a number of enterprises in the fruit and vegetable processing industry through consultancy including the upgrading of laboratories for quality control.

During the next phase of the Project, starting in January 2009, the Project will expand its regional coverage to GBAO in order to include rural and remote areas into its support to SME.

German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) is an agency for sustainable development with worldwide operations. It provides viable, forward-looking solutions for political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalised world. Its corporate objective is to improve living conditions on a sustainable basis. GTZ has maintained a coordination office in Dushanbe since 1996.

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