SHUGNAN, TAJIKISTAN—In a collaborative effort to boost employment and digital literacy, the European Union and UNICEF have inaugurated a remote job center in the Shugnan district of Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region.

According to Trend News Agency, the newly established center is designed to provide remote work opportunities and enhance digital skills among the youth of the region. The initiative seeks to connect young individuals to international job markets, equipping them with essential skills and knowledge. These efforts are aimed at enabling them to contribute significantly to their local communities and improve the overall economic development and competitiveness of Tajikistan.

This center in Shugnan adds to the list of similar facilities already operational in other Tajik cities including Dushanbe, Khorog, Panjakent, and Bokhtar. The European Commission first set up its delegation in Dushanbe in 2003, which was officially recognized as a diplomatic entity in May 2004. Following significant organizational changes spurred by the Lisbon Treaty in 2009, the delegation was transformed into the Delegation of the European Union, marking a new phase in EU-Tajikistan relations with the appointment of a resident Head of Delegation in January 2010.