Photo: Press Service of the Ministry of Finance of Tajikistan
The Qatar Fund for Development will provide the government of Tajikistan with a concessional loan of $50 million for the implementation of the Rogun Hydropower Plant construction project. The agreement was signed on August 23 in Dushanbe, according to Tajikistan’s Ministry of Finance on Facebook (a social network owned by Meta, which is banned in Russia as an extremist organization).
The document was signed by Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti, Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development, and Tajik Finance Minister Faiziddin Qahhorzoda. The loan terms were not disclosed.
The ministry noted that the funds will be directed toward the construction of the hydropower plant — a project aimed at ensuring national energy security and supporting the country’s development through renewable energy. Completion of the project will significantly increase electricity production to meet domestic demand as well as supply the wider Central Asian region.
The head of the Qatar Fund for Development and representatives of Qatari banks also held a meeting with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, according to the press service of the president’s office.
During the talks, the parties discussed the current state and expansion of bilateral cooperation, particularly in economic areas. Rahmon stressed Tajikistan’s strong interest in strengthening friendly relations and cooperation, noting that Dushanbe views Qatar as one of the most influential states in the Arab world and a reliable partner.
The two sides also touched on expanding trade and economic cooperation, including mutually beneficial investments in energy, industry, transport, agriculture, and the mining and processing of natural resources.
In February, Tajikistan signed agreements with international partners to finance the construction of the Rogun Hydropower Plant totaling $812 million, of which $462 million are loans and $350 million are grants.
The Rogun Hydropower Plant is Tajikistan’s largest energy project. Completion is expected by the end of 2031. Until recently, the project was funded exclusively from state resources: between 2008 and 2024, Tajikistan allocated 42.5 billion somoni (about $4 billion). In February 2023, the Saudi Fund for Development announced its readiness to provide a loan of 375 million Saudi riyals ($100 million), with the agreement signed in December. In May of the same year, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank pledged $500 million in concessional funding for the project. Other banks and funds have also shown interest.
Once completed, Rogun will become the largest hydropower plant in Central Asia, with an installed capacity of 3,600 MW and an annual electricity output of 13–17 billion kWh.
