Unofficial Translation. «Approved» by Emomali Rahmon President of the Republic of Tajikistan Chairman of the Consultative Council

Transcription

1 Unofficial Translation «Approved» by Emomali Rahmon President of the Republic of Tajikistan Chairman of the Consultative Council MINUTES Signed «27 th» of August 2015, 1C/22-4 the 15 th Session of the Consultative Council on Improvement of Investment Climate under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan August 7, 2015 The Session was attended by members of the Consultative Council and other invited stakeholders from private sector, international organizations and state agencies. Session Agenda: 1. Update on implementation process of decisions of the Consultative Council on Improvement of Investment Climate under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan. 2. Presentation of the result of analysis and Draft Action Plan on Improvement of Investment Climate on Sectors of Industry, Supporting Production Entrepreneurship and Development of National Production. 3. Submission of Draft Law of the Republic of Tajikistan On Investment in a new edition. 4. Review of the Agenda for the next Session of the Consultative Council. According to the first issue of the Session s agenda, Mr. Qodiri Qosim, the Council s Executive Secretary and Chairman of the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan reported the results of monitoring of implementation of decisions Consultative Council s sessions. In particular, it has been noted that the decisions of the fourteenth Session of the Investment Council focused on the development of the secondary market for securities and stock exchange in Tajikistan, attraction of investments in Khatlon Province, strengthening of the Public-Private Dialogue at the regional level, simplification of procedures of allocating land plots for construction of industrial enterprises, improvement of investment climate in agriculture and agribusiness development, introduction of the Single Window for construction permits. In

2 addition, the 14 th session called for improvement of the Tajikistan s indicators in the Doing Business index of the World Bank Group. The draft Action Plan of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan on improvement of investment and business climate in the insurance sector has been approved and is now line with continuing the reform draft Law of the Republic of Tajikistan On Insurance Activity in a new edition has been developed and submitted for consideration to the Government of the country. OJSC Stock Exchange Market Osiyoi Markazi has been established in cooperation with relevant ministries and agencies. For the purpose of increasing the export capacity and facilitating to the exporters of domestic products, the National Servicing Bureau has been established at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan to clarify technical requirements of trade and phytosanitary standards. It aims to assist businesses in obtaining the information on technical regulations, standards, and procedures in compliance with the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements in foreign markets. The Secretariat of Consultative Council, together with State Committee on Investment and State Property Management and Ministry of industry and New Technologies, has finalized a comprehensive analysis of the national industry and developed a list of recommendations and a Draft of Action Plan on Improvement of Investment Climate on Sectors of Industry, Supporting Domestic Producers and Development of National Production. The Action Plan has been submitted for consideration at the Consultative Council Session. By initiative of the President of Country, His Excellency Emomali Rakhmon, 14 October was announced the «Day of Entrepreneur». Reforms implemented in Tajikistan were recognized internationally when Tajikistan, for the third time, became 10 top reformer country, while the Consultative Council was recognized by the World Bank «Howard» award as a best platform of public private dialogue in the world. The Prime Minister Mr. Qohir Rasulzoda in his speech noted that support of private sector will be one of the priorities of the Government of the country during the current economic and financial crisis. Several anti-crisis measures are implemented and the government would continue adopting other programs. But it is also important to recognize that some central and regional state authorities create obstacles for entrepreneurs and investors, which leads to entrepreneurs distrust of the authorities. Regarding the second issue of the Session, the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan, Mr. Shavkat Bobozoda spoke about the

3 results of the Working Group on Improvement of Investment Climate in the Sectors of Industry, Supporting Production Entrepreneurship and Development of National Production. Particularly the report of the Working Group offered comprehensive recommendations and a government draft Action Plan on Improvement of Investment Climate in the Sectors of Industry, Supporting Domestic Producers and Development of National Production have been submitted in the Session. In concern with the third issue of Session, Mr. Qodiri Qosim, the Chairman of the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan delivered a speech and submitted for consideration a new edition of the draft Law of the Republic of Tajikistan On investment. It was noted that draft law has been developed to implement the instructions and recommendation of the President of the country during the meeting with entrepreneurs and investors on October 14, 2014 and simultaneously for the improvement of investment climate and making the current legislation comply with contemporary requirements. The last issue considered at today's Session of the Council was proposal of the agenda for the next Session of the Consultative Council. Mr. Qodiri Qosim, the Council s Executive Secretary proposed the issue of improving the investment climate in energy sector and ways to ensure reliable electricity supply for manufacturing as the topic of next Session of the Consultative Council. The agenda was supported by all members of the Council. Representatives of the private sector and development partners have also expressed their views and opinions, including the Director of Association of Microfinance Organization of Tajikistan Mr. Farkhod Akbarov, Director of LLC Tajik-China mining enterprise "Zarnisor" Mr. Yang Zhi Cai, founder of LLC "Amiri" Mr. Gaybullozoda Abdurahmon, Head of Association of textile enterprises Mr. Muhammadiev Abdullo, and DFID representative Mr. Bob Leverington and ADB Country Director of ABD Mr. C. C. Yu and others. In his final speech, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan Mr. Qohir Rasulzoda expressed shared his views about issues raised during the discussions and gave the following instructions and offered recommendations to relevant agencies, officers in charge and development partners' representatives: 1. Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan - jointly with Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, State Committee on Investment and State Property Management, SUE «TALKO», other ministries and agencies and the private sector must adopt immediate measures on recycling of aluminum, production of finished aluminum goods and increasing its export and submit information on the result to the Government of the republic.

4 - jointly with Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, State Committee on Investment and State Property Management to prepare a list of goods that can be manufactured in Tajikistan based on the availability of raw materials and market demand in domestic and foreign markets and submit it to the Government until the end of September. - submit Draft Action Plan on Improvement of Investment Climate in Sectors of Industry, Supporting Domestic Producers and Development of National Production and improve it with proposals and recommendations suggested at today s Session, and as soon as possible send it for consideration of the Government in accordance with the established procedures. - to take immediate measures for the timely decision on problems of industrial enterprises which hinder the development of industry. 2. Ministries of Industry and New Technologies, Finance, Economic Development and Trade, State Committee on Investment and State Property Management, Tax Committee, Customs Service and Agency of Tajikstandard should take measures to reduce costs of national goods and ensure their competitiveness on domestic and foreign markets for import substitution and submit it in accordance with the defined procedures to the Government of the country. 3. Ministry of Finance and Tax Committee jointly with other responsible ministries and agencies should prepare legal proposal for development of mining sector, including the procedure for setting and charging of the mining signing bonus as well as the commercial discovery bonus. 4. Ministries of Economic Development and Trade, Finance, Industry and New Technologies, Customs Service and Tax Committee should take measures to tax imports of textile and spinning industry and knitwear not by weight, but by the size, quantity, quality and cost and submit information to the Government of the country from its results. Also above mentioned agencies must to take care of such customs tariffs which promote the development of domestic production of goods and increase their exports. 5. JSHC «Barqi Tojik», Ministries of Economic Development and Trade, Energy and Water Recourse, Finance, Industry and New Technologies, State Committee on Investment and State Property Management should develop simplified and streamlined procedures for businesses to connect to power grid and submit it to the Government of the country. 6. Agency of Tajikstandard, Ministries of Economic Development and Trade, Industry and New Technologies, Chamber of trade and industry should take measures for the widespread introduction of international quality standards, membership of Tajikistan on sectoral international organizations that promote

5 export development, and to conduct regular monitoring of changes of innovations in legislatives in country members of WTO and other countries that have partner relation with Tajikistan and submit information to responsible authorities and entrepreneurs and investors. 7. Ministries of Economic Development and Trade, Education and Science, Industry and New Technologies jointly with other ministries and officials and higher education institutes and middle professional schools, enterprises, entrepreneurs should take measures to take into consideration the demand for new specialties. In addition, state agencies and enterprises, taking into account the current industry requirements, provide students with industrial internships/traineeships and to establish close cooperation between educational institutions and enterprises. 8. Ministry of Finance jointly with other ministries and agencies: - should take measures for attracting private insurance companies to conduct obligatory insurances and strengthening laws regulating the insurance sector, including preparing the draft of Law of the Republic of Tajikistan «On compulsory medical insurance of workers», «On compulsory insurance of passengers» and other regulatory legal acts. - should take measures for increasing the forms and improve insurance services of the SUE «Tajiksugurta» and generally strengthening of its competitiveness. The activities of the State Control Insurance Service should be improved. 9. State Committee on Investment and State Property Management jointly with other ministries and officials should improve the draft Law of the Republic of Tajikistan «On investment», taking into account suggestions expressed in today s Session and submit it to the Government. 10. State Committee on Investment and State Property Management, Ministries of Economic Development and Trade, Industry and New Technologies, Tax Committee and Customs Service should take measures on effective implementation and attracting more investment projects in the framework of the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan «On Investment Agreements». 11. State Committee on Land Management and Geodesy, Committee of Architecture and Construction should take measures on implementation of «Single Window» for registration of immovable property and obtaining construction permits and submit it to the Government. 12. Tax Committee, Social Insurance and Pensions Agency should undertake measures on effective implementation of «Single Window» system for registration of individuals and legal entities, simplification of the procedures for closing of business and submit the results to the next Session of the Council.

6 13. Ministries and agencies, local authorities of GBAO, regions of Sughd and Khatlon, Dushanbe and Districts of Republican Subordination should quickly respond to entrepreneur s requests to support them in creating businesses in the framework of legislation of Republic of Tajikistan. 14. Local authorities of GBAO, regions, towns and districts should hold regional council on improvement of investment and business climate with participation of Head of the Region and send information about results to Secretariat of Consultative Council on Improvement of Investment Climate under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan. 15. Ministry of Energy and Water Recourses jointly with Secretariat of Consultative Council should established working group consisting from representatives of responsible ministries and agencies, private sector and development partners to conduct comprehensive analyses for improvement of investment climate in energy sector, and establishing reliable power supply for industry, wide application of energy saving technologies and submit the recommendation for consideration of the next sessions of the Council. 16. Ministries and other authorities: - should take measures on implementation of Action Plan from results of Meeting the President of the Republic of Tajikistan with entrepreneurs and investors on 14 of October 2014 and improve Tajikistan s ranking in World Bank s «Doing Business» index and present the report on implementation at the next Session of Council. - organization of the activities dedicated to the anniversary of the «Day of Entrepreneur» productively and at a high level. 17. State Committee on Investment and State Property Management and Secretariat of Consultative Council must cooperate with development partners on the implementation of decisions noted in this document, and in organization of events dedicated to the «Day of Entrepreneur». Executive Secretary of Council, Head of State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan sign Qodiri Qosim Head of Secretariat of Consultative Council on Improvement of Investment Climate under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan sign N. Abdujaborov