Tajikistan Economic Update : Focusing On Boosting Private Sector Dynamism In Tajikistan

Private sector participation in the Tajik economy is relatively large, but dynamism is very low. Analysis with micro-level data points to multiple weaknesses: low entry rate, low productivity, limited integration to trade, low incidence of innovation, and limited capabilities. Also revealing is that private firms struggle to grow as they age. All these aspects reflect a business environment that does not reward the more efficient firms or those with the highest growth potential. The Covid-19 effects brought additional challenges to this low-level equilibrium scenario with shocks in sales and financial distress. The silver line aspect stems from the increasing use of digital technologies. Still, the apparent digital divide regarding firm size poses questions on the real implications for future productivity performance. Against this backdrop, and to tackle the long-term weaknesses of the private sector in Tajikistan, it is crucial to remove barriers that prevent the reallocation of resources towards more productive firms so that the private sector becomes more efficient and able to generate more and better jobs. In this case, and to prioritize measures that maximize effects on aggregate demand in the short-medium-run, it is crucial to give precedence to structural policies that remove impediments to firm entry and expansion of the private sector. Three sets of barriers deserve particular attention: (i) barriers to competition, (ii) barriers to foreign direct investment, and (iii) trade barriers. These barriers must be tackled together because they all reinforce each other regarding firms' competitiveness