European Union resumes technical assistance

The European Commission (EC) has resumed its assistance project known as TACIS (Technical Assistance to CIS) to Tajikistan following a four year suspension, an EC official confirmed to IRIN on Friday. "This time there will be a regional strategy for all of the Central Asian Republics," team leader of the Tacis project in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, Pierre-pul Antheunissens said. The programme was suspended in 1998 after two French programme experts were taken hostage by a terrorist group - one died during the rescue operation. The programme has been resumed in the light of events in the region post 11 September, Antheunissens said. Launched by the EC in 1991, the TACIS Programme provides grant-financed technical assistance to 13 countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia and is aimed at enhancing the transition process in these countries. With a budget of 150 million euros (US $147.719055 million) for a three year period for all of the five Central Asian Republics (CAR's), there will be a regional and national approach. "Under the regional level three programmes will be run in all five countries. They are transport, energy and environment," he said. "For example under the transport programme we want to harmonise border crossing procedures and transport tariffs," he explained, adding that equipment would also be provided at various points of the borders to detect drugs. At a national level in Tajikistan, the poorest nation of the CAR's, there will be a special focus on supporting the nations ascension into the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Other projects include training the customs committee and working with universities to link them to similar European institutions as well as developing new curricula. The regional head office for the EC is based in the Kazakh commercial capital, Almaty. However, an official presence will be established in Dushanbe before the end of the year. The European Union, (EU) together with its Member States, is the largest provider of technical assistance to the Central Asian countries. Some 4,226 million euros (US $4,161.55 million) were committed through the TACIS programme between 1991 and 1999, an additional 3,138 million euros (US $3,090.17 million) will be committed for the period 2000-2006. The EU is the most important external trading partner, besides economic ties between the countries themselves.