ADB and Eskhata Bank partner to boost green finance in Tajikistan

It is reported that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Eskhata Bank Open Joint Stock Company (Eskhata Bank) signed agreements to strengthen access to green finance for the country's MSMEs as essential drivers of job creation and inclusive economic growth.

Under the agreements, ADB will provide Eskhata Bank with a local currency loan equivalent to $10 million to boost the bank’s lending capacity for MSMEs. The loan marks ADB’s first local currency financing to a commercial bank in Tajikistan and will help reduce foreign exchange risks while strengthening the financial sector resilience.

To raise the project’s development impact and improve loan affordability for MSMEs, the financing will also include a partial credit guarantee up to $5 million from the Asian Development Fund’s (ADF) Private Sector Window (PSW).

“This project underscores ADB's commitment to private sector development in the country,” said ADB Country Director for Tajikistan Ko Sakamoto. “Our partnership with Eskhata Bank will benefit hundreds of businesses, create jobs, drive innovation, and contribute to a more resilient economy.”

Eskhata Bank, one of Tajikistan’s leading commercial banks, has a strong track record in serving MSMEs and promoting digital financial services. The new funding will enable the bank to expand its outreach and offer tailored financial solutions to entrepreneurs in the country.

ADF provides grants to ADB’s poorest and most vulnerable developing member countries. ADF donors established PSW in 2020 and extended it in 2024 to support private sector development in frontier markets. PSW offers grant resources to address common financing constraints that hinder many private sector transactions.

Tajikistan joined ADB in 1998. The partnership has delivered tangible results for the people of Tajikistan—from upgrading critical transport links such as the Obigarm–Nurobod, Dushanbe–Bokhtar, Ayni–Panjakent, Dushanbe–Tursunzade, and Vose–Khovaling roads, to modernizing key irrigation and water supply systems and building hospitals and schools. ADB has also supported the construction of power transmission lines and electricity substations, the reconnection of the country’s electrical grid to the Central Asian power network, and the rehabilitation of major hydropower plants, such as Nurek and Golovnaya.

ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.

As previously reported, ADB supports glacier monitoring and disaster resilience in Tajikistan.