On June 25, 2007, the EU-UNDP Enhancement of Living Standards (ELS) in Fergana region project hosted the second coordination meeting on EU-UNDP supported community development and targeted rural development schemes in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Representatives from the ELS Project in Fergana (Uzbekistan), UNDP Kyrgyzstan and UNDP Tajikistan took part in the event.

Remembering the visit in February 2007 by the ELS to the EU-UNDP project Addressing the Social Consequence of Transition in Kyrgyzstan (nationally executed by the Government of Kyrgyzstan), the ELS Programme Coordinator in Uzbekistan noted that it is important to meet, talk, exchange ideas regularly to benefit from each other's experience, ensure cooperation and improved visibility of efforts and results on the ground.

The agenda of the meeting included a presentation by Ms. Nuria Choibaeva, UNDP Kyrgyzstan. Mr. Ahad Mahmoudov and Mubin Rustamov introduced the experience of community microfinance and remittance-based developmentschemes supported by UNDP in Tajikistan.

Particularly interesting to the ELS in Fergana, with its focus on rural development and MDG 7 environmental sustainability (improved access to water and sanitation in rural communities) was the Safe Drinking Water in Rural Community Projects in Tajikistan, a 18 million USD project that works to rehabilitate and construct anew drinking water systems that ensure villages get access to clean water. UNDP Tajikistan put strong emphasis on community participation and local responsibility for operation and maintenance of the water system, to ensure long-term sustainability.

The project also shared experience of EC monitoring and evaluation. The animated discussion was moderated by Mr. Jan Harfst, international consultant with a longstanding experience of community development in Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Ukraine and the evaluator of the ELS projects in Karakalpakstan and Namangan region during 2006.

Everyone agreed that this kind of meeting is useful to share information and printed material and particularly appreciated were two films on the activities of the projects in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

However, it was recognized that it is important to go beyond just sharing information and do things together on the ground. Participants resolved to meet in October in Khujent in Tajikistan and explore the possibility for a joint pilot interventions that could be facilitated by the UNDP Country Offices in the region.

For more information on UNDP In Tajikistan please see: www.undp.tj