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The Aga Khan, billionaire spiritual leader of the Ismaili sect of Islam on Saturday attended with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov a ceremony laying the foundations of Central Asia’s first Ismaili centre in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe. Prince Karim Aga Khan is funding the construction of the religious and cultural centre. He will also finance the construction of a five star hotel in Dushanbe, Rakhmonov said. There are 15 million Ismaili Muslims throughout the world, including some 200,000 in Tajikistan.

His Highness the Aga Khan today launched a landmark cultural centre here marking a milestone in the 1300 year history of the Ismaili Muslim community in Central Asia.

The Ismaili Centre, Dushanbe, when completed, will be comparable in scope and standing to existing major centres in London, Vancouver and Lisbon and those at advanced planning stages in Toronto and Dubai.

Mr. Ambassador, you have recently returned from your Pamir trip [the Pamir Mountians of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast]. I would like to know about the purpose of your trip and your impressions of the region.

His Highness the Aga Khan accompanied by the Minister for Education, Ms. Shamsha Berkimbayeva, visited Taldykorgan region of Almaty Oblast to view potential sites for the Kazakh campus of the University of Central Asia.

The World Bank and Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) have agreed to implement an innovative project aimed at reducing poverty in high-mountain areas around Lake Sarez. The US$ 2 million project is financed through the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) administered by the World Bank.

Development university for Central Asia taking shape. This site in Khorough eastern Tajikistan will host one of three campuses of the University of Central Asia
KHOROUGH, 11 Aug 2003 (IRIN) - In a unique international initiative, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is creating the University of Central Asia (UCA) with campuses in the three Central Asian countries of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. This will be the first private, internationally chartered university offering subjects related to sustainable development in these impoverished mountain societies.

The World Bank and Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) have agreed to implement an innovative project aimed at reducing poverty in high-mountain areas around Lake Sarez. The US$ 2 million project is financed through the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) administered by the World Bank.

Resettlement programme in trouble as migrants ask to go back to their old homes in the mountains.
By Boris Khairuddinov and Zafar Abdullaev in Dushanbe and Beshkent (RCA No. 286, 21-May-04)

Three years after the government of Tajikistan resettled hundreds of people to develop an arid region in the south of the country, many of the settlers want to go back to their old homes in the mountains because they say the experiment has failed.

Fountains played all around Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe for a UN-sponsored water forum this week, but many in this war-weary Central Asian country drew greater comfort from the visit of Ismaili Muslim leader the Aga Khan.
Having been wracked by civil war in the 1990s, this remote mountain republic of 6.5 million people was determined to show the world a new face at the International Fresh Water Forum, intended to help ease ex-Soviet Central Asias deepening crisis of desertification and disease.

His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims, today joined Prime Minister Okilov of Tajikistan in inaugurating the First MicroFinanceBank in Tajikistan, a bank which will expand access to a wide range of banking services for the people of Tajikistan. In countries such as Tajikistan, villagers in remote areas must travel long distances at great expense to access financial services. In addition, commercial banks often do not find it profitable to offer services to the urban poor or to populations living in remote locations.

Tajik President addressing International Freshwater Forum has urged to focus efforts on appropriate tasks.
DUSHANBE, September 1, Asia-Plus - 'The main task is in focusing efforts of all countries and directing them to an appropriate turn', Tajik President Emomali formulated the task faced by participants at the Forum.

Members of donor countries' governments and of international agencies for development have expressed readiness to allocate $900 million to Tajikistan for combating poverty.
According to Director of the World Bank for the Countries of Central Asia Dennis de Tray, the money will be given to Tajikistan during a three-year period, with $200 million in the form of humanitarian aid and $700 million in the form of grants.

The Aga Khan, leader of the world's Ismaili Muslims, has been describing his plans for a university in one of the most remote areas on earth.
The university, high in the heart of the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan in Central Asia, will be the first specifically for mountain people.

It will serve a population scattered across a vast, isolated area stretching from Afghanistan to China.
Most people there live in poverty and use donkey carts for transport.
Life is a constant struggle against winter storms, hunger and often earthquakes.

The foundation stone of the Central Asian University campus has been laid in the eastern Tajik town of Khorugh, Tajik television reported on 6 July.It said President Emomali Rahmonov and his entourage (presumably including the visiting world Ismailis leader Prince Aga Khan IV) had attended a ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the university campus, and that Emomali Rahmonov had laid the first stone for the campus.
Aga Khan leader has granted 5m dollars to a donor fund, which he himself has set up, for the construction of the university.

The Dushanbe [the Tajik capital] office of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will realize three projects to improve the educational sphere in Tajikistan, in cooperation with the Aga Khan Fund, Open Society Institute-Assistance Fund [of the Soros Foundation], Save the Children (USA), Save the Children (United Kingdom) and the Zdrav/Plus.

Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov of Tajikistan received the head of the Aga Khan Foundation, Prince Amin Aga Khan [son of Karim Aga Khan IV, leader of the world Ismailis], today.During the talks, they mostly touched upon and exchanged views on issues of mutually beneficial cooperation with this foundation in Tajikistan. The prime minister said that the agreements are being implemented which were signed during Prince Karim Al Husayni's official visit to Tajikistan.

Following critically acclaimed concerts in North America and Europe, Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble brought their unique fusion of ancient Silk road traditions and western classical music to the heart of the Silk road: in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic; Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
The concerts were accompanied by master classes - attended by local musicians and students - at which there was a chance to share musical traditions and explore new avenues of artistic expression.

A microfinance bank has been opened in Tajikistan under financial support of the Aga Khan Development (AKDN). Visiting His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims, and Tajik Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov inaugurated the bank yesterday, July 5.

President Emomali Rahmonov of Tajikistan, joined His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims on 6th July, in laying the foundation stone of the Khorog campus in Tajikistan - the first of three campuses of the University of Central Asia (UCA). The Vice-President of Afghanistan, Nematullah Shahrani also attended the ceremony. The second campus of the UCA was inaugurated in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic on 8th July, by His Excellency the Prime Minister of Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Tanaev, in the presence of Prince Amyn Aga Khan and Governor Salymbekov.

DUSHANBE, June 1, 2009, Asia-Plus — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, first son of His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, is arriving in Tajikistan tomorrow on a three-day working visit, the MFA information department reported.

During his stay in Tajikistan, Prince Rahim will review programs of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan. Prince Rahim is also expected to hold talks with a number of Tajik state officials, the MFA information department said.