USAID Competitiveness, Trade, and Jobs Activity in Central Asia (CTJ) facilitates trade and employment in horticulture, tourism, transport and logistics across the five Central Asian economies. By incentivizing firms to become more regionally competitive and by addressing cross-border impediments to trade, USAID helps to develop a more diverse and competitive private sector and generate export-driven growth.
Five Year Project: October 2016 to September 2021
Budget: $23 million
Goals: Expand regional trade and employment in the horticulture, tourism, transport and logistics in Central Asia
The project is partnering with key private and public sector actors in each of the five Central Asian Republics to enhance competitiveness in the horticulture, tourism, transport and logistics sectors – thereby increasing exports and employment. This work is being conducted through:
CTJ identifies interventions needed to increase competitiveness, exports, and employment in the horticulture, tourism, transport and logistics sectors. CTJ supports both policy and institutional reform with trade-related government agencies as well as cost-sharing trade facilitation initiatives with private firms.
C5+1 is a platform that brings together the five states of Central Asia and the United States to discuss and work on issues of common concern. At the first C5+1 ministerial conference, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in November 2015, six ministers of these countries agreed to develop regional projects. CTJ implements two out of five corresponding projects, including the Transport Corridor Development (TCD) project and the Central Asia Business Competitiveness project (CABC). Under CABC, the project is working with customs and sanitary and phytosanitary authorities in the region to improve services that facilitate trade.
The partnership of 100 private sector transport and logistics operators was established at the 2015 Central Asia Trade Forum to improve the quality of transport and logistics services throughout the region. CTJ is working with the Partnership under TCD to deliver sustainable logistics training to the sector’s workforce, particularly on the operation of multimodal logistics centers. CTJ is also working with cold chain operators to strengthen cold chain management in the region.
The WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. WTO membership encourages greater competitiveness and trade by applying consistent application of rules and procedures throughout the world. CTJ supports the WTO Accession process in Uzbekistan.
CTJ continues supporting the Central Asia Trade Forum, an annual event for national governments and business leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities for increased trade, share innovation success stories, and network with potential customers.
USAID Competitiveness, Trade, and Jobs Activity in Central Asia
Geoff Wright, Chief of Party
Email: Geoff_Wright@dai.com
Lyudmila Firsova, Deputy Chief of Party
Email: Lyudmila_Firsova@dai.com
Zaure Abdiraman, Technical Director
Email: Zaure_Abdiraman@dai.com
Assel Choibekova, Communications Director
Email: Assel_Choibekova@dai.com
Gulmira Myrzakmat, Country Director and
Regional Tourism Program Lead
Email: Gulmira_Myrzakmat@dai.com
Parviz Kamoliddinov, Country Director
Email: Parviz_Kamoletdinov@dai.com
Rustam Bekmuradov, Country Director
Email: Rustam_Bekmuradov@dai.com
Alfiya Musina, Country Director
Email: Alfiya_Musina@dai.com
