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Excellence award for ITC partner in Tajikistan

13 March 2013
ITC News
Tajik company Kamolot-1 recognized for its excellence in consulting for the second consecutive year.

Consulting company Kamolot-1, which is a partner of the Trade Promotion Programme of the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Tajikistan and is run by ITC national consultants, has been awarded the Gabriel Al-Salem International Award for Excellence in Consulting. The award, which the company also received in 2012, helps promote professional standards and ethics in management consulting, and promotes overall economic growth in participating countries.

Kamolot-1 assists enterprises and organizations in the use of modern management methods adapted to the strategic goals and characteristics of its customers. The company is one of the country’s leaders in the consulting market in assisting Tajik enterprises in implementing ISO standards. The company’s staff was trained under the ITC Trade Promotion Programme in Tajikistan, with a focus on activities related to ISO standards implementation and certification.

Awareness-building

Kamolot-1 closely collaborates with governmental agencies which work in the area of awareness-building among the private sector on the importance of meeting international standards. Its clients include telecommunication and transport service providers, heavy and light industry giants, food processing companies, restaurants and hotels.

Farzona Tilavova, Founder and Head of Kamolot-1 and an ITC National Consultant on technical barriers to trade (TBT), said: ‘The award has allowed me to feel more confident in my business activities and to realize that my team is on the right track. Local businesses need to be taught how they can grow in providing services and exporting products.

‘They should believe that problems with weak infrastructure and logistics, narrow range, lack of or low demand, language barriers and many other challenges are all solvable. Consulting companies can play a key role in bringing this belief into the hearts of Tajik businesses.’

Capacity building

Several international organizations operate in the Central Asia region supporting local business service providers (BSPs). ITC is one of the active players in this field and, since 2001, has implemented a number of trade-related assistance projects in Tajikistan. Capacity building and strengthening capacities of local BSPs and consulting companies are an integral part of all ITC projects in the country.

Saidmumin Kamolov, ITC Project Manager in Tajikistan, said: ‘We believe that having a local consultancy gives Tajik companies easier and affordable access to expand into the next level of their businesses. Improving access to business services is crucial for supporting the growth of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Strengthening the ability of local consultants to deliver services will offer opportunities for SMEs to improve the value of their own products and services. The use of local service providers also ensures sustainability after the life of the project.’