Anis H. Bajrektarevic is a Professor and a Chairperson for International Law and Global

INTERESTS & INFLUENCES OF MAJOR EXTERNAL ACTORS IN CENTRAL ASIA
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The micro-financing according to the World
Bank Study, has had the greatest impact on
rural areas which are typically the poorest. The
World Bank is committed to assisting Tajikistan
develop its financial and private sectors
“through policy advice, technical assistance,
and financial support” through banking legisla-
tion, transaction modernization and develop-
ment.[80] 
However, recent reforms have improved Tajik-
istan’s business environment, and like many re-
form undertaken by fellow Central Asian states,
have provided more investor protections. Ac-
cording to the World Bank Report, Tajikistan,
“Tajikistan became the 147th State party to the
Convention on the Recognition and Enforce-
ment of Foreign Arbitral Awards…on Novem-
ber 12, 2012.”[81]
SOCIAL AND DEMOgRAPHIC CHALLENgES
Degrees at school and universities are easily ob-
tained with bribery. The country faces massive
labor migration, a relatively high HIV/AIDS in-
fection rate, and drug trafficking. Through a se-
curity lens, Tajikistan has to deal with extremist
Islamic groups and constant crackdowns on
Muslims. Tajikistan has also seen a rise in its
Salafi Muslim population. Salafi Muslims believe
in a pure form of Islam. Unfortunately, many
Wahabbi extremists identify themselves as
Salafis which has prompted a harsh crackdown
in Tajikistan to prevent extremism from flour-
ishing and to maintain a secular state.
Due to the terrain and geography (half of the
territory is higher than 3,000 meters), it is con-
siderably difficult to provide adequate infra-
structure. Tajikistan has many infrastructure
projects that need to be completed. Tajikistan
does and will continue to benefit from its net-
work of hydroelectric power plants. Iran has
been instrumental in funding Tajikistan’s devel-
opment projects. Poverty remains, by large,
one of the larger social struggles of Tajikistan.
Approximately 51% of the population has to
make ends meet with less than $2 USD per day.
Economic growth has resulted in a decline of
poverty. The national poverty rate dropped
from 81% to 47% in 2009. An increased in the
standard of living and further poverty reduction
are goals of Tajikistan’s National Development
Strategy to 2015[82]. The government has been
accused of squandering public funds on image-
enhancing projects like a large mosque and
palaces throughout Dushanbe.