Dushanbe, Tajikistan, July 21, 2023 – On July 17-20, U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan Manuel P. Micaller, Jr., visited Tajikistan’s Sughd region. Among the highlights of the visit was a meeting with Governor Rajabboy Ahmadzoda to discuss areas of bilateral cooperation and development opportunities. Ambassador Micaller toured operations of U.S. mining and mineral company COMSUP, the largest U.S. private investor in the country. He visited the rehabilitated Khojaboqirgon floating pumping station in Bobojon Ghafurov District, which was improved with funding from USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation. While in Sughd, Ambassador Micaller visited U.S. assistance programs that create jobs and promote economic development and met with the National Association of Business Women of Tajikistan (NABWT); American Spaces in Khujand and Isfara, which provide education programs to over 10,000 people each year; and met with staff at the Community Health Center Nuqta, which is a key institution in the field of HIV prevention.
The Ambassador noted the U.S. has been a long supporter of entrepreneurship, development, and education in the Sughd region, and believes these projects that address these subjects improve the future for citizens in the region. The U.S. promotes a culture of enterprise and small businesses, and Ambassador Micaller is particularly interested in supporting the expansion of women-owned business, calling it “the future of the global economy.” Of the students participating English language programs, such as the English Access Microscholarship programs in Istaravshan, Zafarabad, and Isfara, Ambassador Micaller expressed his pride in their accomplishments, saying he hoped their participation will lead to “better jobs, educational opportunities, and perhaps the ability to participate in future exchange programs.”
The Ambassador also made a stop in Konibodom at Oim Madrasa, which received a grant from the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) in 2017. The Oim Madrasa received USD 77,000 in assistance for structural repairs.
Ambassador Micaller admired the friendliness and hospitality of the people during his visit. He also stated that he enjoyed the Khujandi Osh.
Ambassador Micaller concluded by stressing the shared goals of enhancing Tajikistan’s economy, healthcare, and education to provide more opportunities to the people of Sughd, and all of Tajikistan.
