“We help ensure the quality of projects implemented in Tajikistan”

Lucien Blaser, as Advisor Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, you are officially the “backstopper” for the mandate of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Tajikistan. What does that mean?

We support the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan in the implementation of its evolving water portfolio. The focus—whether in policy dialogue, project implementation, or knowledge management—is to ensure the quality of the projects implemented by SDC partners such as the Aga Khan Foundation, Helvetas, and the International Secretariat for Water (ISW). At the same time, we strengthen synergies and peer learning between partners implementing Swiss‑financed water projects.

Can you give an example of what this work looked like in the past few years?

In June 2024, we accompanied a monitoring visit of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) staff to their projects in the Tajik part of the Ferghana Valley. We gathered lessons for the long‑term orientations of the water portfolio and provided recommendations on project implementation. We also facilitated a workshop on sanitation in schools and healthcare facilities to stimulate exchange among SDC projects working on the topic, structure common learnings, and address challenges.

‍

In 2025, we conducted a mission to Tajikistan with a strong focus on the Comprehensive Water Supply and Sanitation (CoWaSS) project. In the Sughd region, we visited project sites to assess infrastructure quality and implementation progress, and we facilitated a workshop with the project team to prepare the transition towards Phase 2. In Dushanbe, we brought together the teams of the CoWaSS and the Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation Management (SWSMT) projects for two thematic workshops—one on harmonising District WASH Plans and one on household sanitation options—to align their approaches and build on each other’s experiences.

‍