Tajikistan maintains sharp focus on the development of its e-commerce sector. This is a sound strategy.
In an event anchored by the ministry of economic development and trade, the e-commerce programme in Tajikistan for the period 2025-2029 was presented on 27 August in Dushanbe.
The programme was adopted by the government on 16 May 2024.
In addition to expanding e-commerce, the programme aims reduce costs associated with organizing trade, simplifying trade procedures, and conducting non-cash transactions on priority basis.
The government is expected to provide the state budget funds for the implementation of the programme. The technical assistance will be coming through from development partners, foreign direct investment, private sector funds, and other sources.
Here is the relevant portion from a report by Asia Plus:
The National Development Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan for the period up to 2030 pays special attention to strengthening the national telecommunications infrastructure. On December 31, 2019, the Concept of the Digital Economy in the Republic of Tajikistan was adopted, which defines the following strategic directions:
– improving the regulatory framework and state policy in the field of the digital economy as a whole to introduce advanced technologies, improve entrepreneurial activity, develop the research environment and scientific achievements, innovation, national cybersecurity and ensure consumer confidence in digital technologies;
– strengthening the digital technology base, including ensuring universal access to broadband Internet through infrastructure development and reducing Internet service fees;
– digitalization of the public sector (electronic government) and economic sectors (energy, mining, agriculture).
The Programme states that the e-commerce space is currently limited to sites offering lists of goods and products, bulletin boards, where only comparison of options is carried out online, and payment and delivery of goods are carried out mainly without the use of the Internet.
It is noted that the most popular site in Tajikistan is Somon.tj, which is used by more than 600 thousand people per month. This site offers a wide range of different products. Due to unfavorable conditions for cargo transportation services to/from the country, sites of international trade portals have a limited share, while the sale of domestic goods and products through global trade portals is considered a priority issue in the development of foreign trade.
Meanwhile, as experts say, the basis for the development of e-commerce is cheap and high-quality Internet.
Tajikistan in the updated Worldwide mobile rating data pricing is among the countries with the highest cost of mobile Internet, while being among the 10 countries in the world with the lowest speed. The Republic ranks 142nd in the world with an average price of $1.65 per 1 GB. For comparison: Kyrgyzstan is in 8th place ($0.17), Uzbekistan is in 22nd ($0.30), Kazakhstan is in 35th ($0.41).
In July Speedtest Global Index Tajikistan is ranked 143rd in mobile internet speed and 125th in fixed broadband internet speed out of 162 countries. At the same time, Kazakhstan ranks 56th and 94th, respectively, Kyrgyzstan ranks 66th and 85th, Uzbekistan ranks 74th and 82nd. /// nCa, 6 September 2024