VZCZCXRO3557
PP RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1333/01 3350401
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 010401Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0948
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2047

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 001333 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAID PREL SOCI TI
SUBJECT: EMBASSY DUSHANBE NOMINEES TO PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP 
SUMMIT AND PROPOSED PD ACTIVITIES 
 
REF: STATE 112468 
 
DUSHANBE 00001333  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. Following is Embassy Dushanbe's list of ten nominees to the 
Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit (reftel).  More background 
can be provided upon request for any nominee.  Embassy notes 
that though most nominees are members of successful companies in 
Tajikistan, this is a very poor country, and few may be in a 
position to travel to Washington at their own expense.  Post 
accordingly requests that if any of these nominees are selected, 
Washington consider making financial resources available. 
 
¶A. Manuchehr Kurbonali, Office Manager, Qatari Diar Company in 
Dushanbe 
 
Qatari Diar, a company owned by the Emir of Qatar is launching a 
$200 million residential, commercial, and business park in 
Dushanbe, and Mr. Kurbonali has been chosen to head the 
company's local office here.  Mr. Kurbonali a young but 
experienced Tajik businessman, who has run several companies 
that supply medical equipment.  He has a thorough knowledge of 
the Tajik market, as well as the various forces at play behind 
it, and he is an open and thoughtful interlocutor.  He speaks 
excellent English. 
 
¶B. Anvar Yakubov, Director of Free Economic Zone, Khujand, Sughd 
Oblast 
 
Mr. Yakubov was selected this year to head Tajikistan's first 
Free Economic Zone in the country's second largest city, 
Khujand.  Prior to this he served as the head of the Investments 
and State Property Committee in Tajikistan's northern Sughd 
Oblast, and before that as Economic Advisor to the oblast's 
Chairman.  Mr. Yakubov is an open and genial person, very 
knowledgeable about business in the country, and is a rather 
thoughtful government official operating in a new area.  He does 
not speak English. 
 
¶C. Zaid Saidov, Chairman of the Association of Manufacturers and 
Entrepreneurs of Tajikistan 
 
Mr. Saidov is one of Tajikistan's more successful businessmen, 
and also a member of the political opposition -- an increasingly 
rare phenomenon.  He is mostly active in the construction 
sector, although he also owns a textile production factory.  He 
earlier served in government as the Minister of Industry, having 
been nominated by the Tajik opposition through President 
Rahmon's "30% opposition quota," established in the wake of the 
civil war.  While no longer in government, Mr. Saidov remains 
influential.  He does not speak English. 
 
¶D. Jamshed Rahmonberdiev, CEO, Somon Capital 
 
Mr. Rahmonberdiev is one of the youngest businessmen in 
Tajikistan, and also one of the most enthusiastic.  Somon 
Capital is poised to become Tajikistan's largest investment 
company, and Mr. Rahmonberdiev is one of the few people in the 
country with the technical expertise, the business savvy, and 
the political knowledge necessary to operate the firm.  He not 
only speaks three languages fluently but knows the economic 
culture of the United States, Tajikistan, and Russia well enough 
to help bridge the gaps that often emerge between investors in 
these three countries.  Much of his expertise about the U.S. 
comes as a former exchange program participant and Department of 
Commerce employee.  Unlike many top business leaders, 
Rahmonberdiev is remarkably optimistic about Tajikistan's 
potential and capacity.  He speaks fluent English. 
 
¶E. Bahtier Muminov, Technical Director, Babilon Mobile Company 
 
Babilon Mobile is the most successful company in Tajikistan's 
most developed economic sector, and Mr. Muminov is one of the 
foremost telecommunications experts in Tajikistan.  While many 
of Tajikistan's sectors have languished in a post-Soviet 
malaise, due to the foresight of a former minister and 
subsequent developments, telecommunications companies have been 
competitive, innovative, and profitable here.  One of the 
world's poorest countries, half of Tajikistan's population 
nevertheless own mobile phones.  There are eleven competing cell 
phone companies, far more than in any of the neighboring 
countries.  Telecommunications is also one of the few sectors in 
Tajikistan able to engage and employ talented technicians; most 
students seeking or achieving advanced education go abroad, 
leading to worrisome brain drain.  Mr. Muminov is one of those 
experts.  He does not speak English. 
 
¶F. Shukur Masharipov, Head of Hatlon Oblast Indigo Cell Phone 
Operator 
 
Mr. Masharipov is another telecommunications success story.  He 
became head of the Indigo Cell phone operator in Hatlon Oblast 
since the company's inception nearly a decade ago.  Indigo, a 
 
DUSHANBE 00001333  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
for-profit venture launched by the Agha Khan Development 
Network, has since become the second most successful mobile 
operator in Tajikistan.  Mr. Masharipov has been very effective 
in building Indigo's client base in one of Tajikistan's poorer 
regions.  He does not speak English. 
 
¶G. Daler Djumaev, General Director, Pamir Energy 
 
Another Agha-Khan company, Pamir Energy is Tajikistan's only 
private power company, operating in the remote Gorno-Badakhshan 
Autonomous Oblast (GBAO).  Mr. Djumaev displays a rare 
combination of western analytical skills and local 
understanding.  Unlike the state energy operator, Pamir Energy 
is a profitable company.  It achieves these results by 
delivering better service at a higher price to its clients.  In 
many ways this is a novel concept in Tajikistan, and Mr. Djumaev 
has had his hands full developing this business model in the 
country's most remote region.  It is a testament to his skills 
that he has continued to successfully operate Pamir Energy under 
such challenging circumstances.  He speaks English. 
 
¶H. Odil Sangov, First Deputy Chairman of the Tajik Chamber of 
Commerce 
 
The Tajik Chamber of Commerce is the number one promoter of 
Tajik businesses and business interests.  It operates numerous 
exhibitions, meetings, and forums dedicated not only to the 
country's business environment as a whole, but to promote 
different sectors.  Mr. Sangov is one of the country's most 
knowledgeable business authorities, and can speak easily about 
many of the issues affecting businesspeople here.  He has a PhD 
in economics and speaks some English. 
 
¶I. Firuz Bulbulov, General Director, ABG Consulting Company 
 
Mr. Bulbulov is one of the few experts in Tajikistan who is not 
afraid to start a consulting company here.  Given Tajikistan's 
still undeveloped economy, consulting is a new sector here, and 
there are few key players.  Mr. Bulbulov has entered the market 
with enthusiasm, and has an excellent understanding of the 
business climate here.  He speaks good English. 
 
¶J. Faridun Rahmatov, Director, Wakefield Inspection Services in 
Central Asia 
 
Cotton production is one of the few competitive sectors in 
Tajikistan, but it is also one of the most burdened by Soviet 
practices and mentality.  Wakefield and Mr. Rahmatov have 
managed to meet several challenges associated with these issues. 
 Wakefield operates with practically all of the country's cotton 
producers, despite the competition among them.  It has also 
successfully brought western business practices and expertise to 
a sector notorious for rigging harvest numbers and employing 
forced labor.  The agricultural sector holds a great deal of 
promise for Tajikistan, but it will take a good deal of work by 
people like Mr. Rahmatov to realize that promise.  He speaks 
English. 
 
PROPOSED PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ACTIVITIES 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. As requested in paragraphs 10 and 11 of reftel, below is a 
summary of proposed public diplomacy activities for the Summit 
and for lead-up and related activities.  Lead-up activities in 
Dushanbe can include the following: 
 
¶A. A roundtable for the ten nominated entrepreneurs and other 
economic contacts.  Post will include a local speaker who is 
knowledgeable on business development and social 
entrepreneurship in Tajikistan, and possibly another via digital 
video conference.  This would fall in late December. 
 
¶B. A speaker series that will utilize the chosen Summit 
entrepreneurs to speak to university economics classes and at 
American Corners about their experience starting a business and 
how students can do something similar.  These speaking 
engagements will take place after the spring semester starts 
back up in mid-January. 
 
¶C. A Mentor/Mentee program in which western businesspeople and 
leading Tajik entrepreneurs, including the ten we mention above, 
mentor young local entrepreneurs regarding their business 
development.  Mentoring would be scheduled as convenient for all 
parties, but should include the mentor going to the mentee's 
business several times and discussing ways to improve his/her 
business.  As a follow-on, the entrepreneurs each pick one 
senior economics student and mentor them on starting a business. 
 These activities would take place between January and May, 2010. 
 
¶3. Post's proposed Summit activities include business 
 
DUSHANBE 00001333  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
partnerships, internships and microloans, as described below. 
 
¶A. Develop partnerships between Tajik Summit participants and 
successful Central Asian business people in America.  Via these 
partnerships the Summit participants will make contacts with 
American businesses and markets, encouraging investment in both 
directions, and also develop stronger diaspora interest in 
Tajikistan.  Ongoing information-exchange partnerships should be 
encouraged. 
 
¶B. Mentees can be provided with a short internship in an 
American business similar to their own, or in one of the Summit 
participants' businesses, if feasible.  Participating in the 
internship will teach them how to utilize and develop the 
capacity of interns in their own businesses. 
 
¶C. Mentees can be assisted with microloans to fund ideas they 
have that will help develop their businesses.  We may be able to 
obtain matching funds from experienced Summit participants. 
QUAST