Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, Digital Services & Cybersecurity 25 September 2026
Digital transformation is a top national priority for Tajikistan. Having declared 2025–2030 as the Years of Digital Economy and Innovation and being the first Central Asian nation to adopt a long-term National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence up to 2040, the country aims to transform into a prominent regional digital hub. The strategy targets generating 5% of the national GDP from AI-related economic activities by 2040.
To bridge existing digital infrastructure gaps—such as increasing broadband penetration and connecting 80% of the population to high-speed internet by 2028—and to operationalize its ambitious 2025 UN General Assembly Resolution on the "Role of AI in Creating New Opportunities for Sustainable Development in Central Asia," the government is partnering with the ITU under the UN Expertise on Demand mechanism.
The UN Expertise on Demand (EOD) deployment, funded via the United Nations Joint SDG Fund, is a targeted intervention designed to accelerate this agenda. Led by the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Tajikistan and executed by the ITU, this deployment leverages a specialized team of senior international experts.
The initiative spans a structural 3-Sprint operational framework:
- Sprint 1: Governance and Standards Review – Performing a targeted analysis of Tajikistan’s digital governance to align national frameworks with global standards regarding reliability, affordability, and data protection.
- Sprint 2: Capacity Enhancement for Targeted Institutions – Strengthening the ability of national entities to design and implement digital policies, regulate digital public infrastructure (DPI), manage cybersecurity, and oversee AI governance.
- Sprint 3: Regional Knowledge-Exchange – Drafting a comprehensive concept paper and facilitating regional dialogues to scope and structure the upcoming Regional Artificial Intelligence Center in Dushanbe.
First Milestone: Empowering Institutions through AI Governance Training (Sprint 2)
As part of the operational roadmap for Sprint 2, the ITU, by invitation of the Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, successfully conducted a training on AI State Policy and Implementation Case Studies in Dushanbe from September 3–4, 2026. 
The training brought together over 30 key specialists representing state regulatory bodies, telecommunication operators, national IT enterprises, and academic research institutions.
Led by international subject matter experts from the ITU, GSMA, and Alvarez & Marsal, the technical sessions provided direct knowledge transfer to key agencies, including the Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies and the Communication Service: - International Frameworks: Deconstructed global approaches to AI state policy, introducing the ITU's "Expertise on Demand – Sprint 1" findings and GSMA's foundational work in AI regulation.
- Cross-Sectoral AI Application: Analyzed neighboring Kazakhstan's comprehensive national AI path alongside practical deployment use-cases in public administration, healthcare, and education.
- Responsible & Sovereign AI: Evaluated the dual requirements of securing digital sovereignty while maintaining strict cybersecurity standards and aligning with the ITU’s global "AI for Good" guidelines.
The training concluded with a bilateral workshop where stakeholders outlined concrete steps for long-term integration.
Second Milestone: Strengthening Resilience via National CyberDrill (Sprint 2)
From September 21–23, 2026, the ITU and the Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies conducted a three-day National CyberDrill in Dushanbe. The exercise trained 60+ cross-sectoral specialists from telecom, banking, and public sectors in incident response and predictive defense.
The technical simulation covered a structured 3-day path: - Day 1 Strategic Insights: Analyzed Tajikistan's cybersecurity governance findings alongside practical use-cases of AI integration in security (SOC automation and predictive defense).
- Day 2 Infrastructure Security: Managed and secured a live corporate testbed.
- Day 3 Incident Response: Defended the infrastructure against multi-stage, live incident scenarios, testing real-time mitigation and containment skills.
The drill concluded with positive feedback, significantly reinforcing inter-agency tactical collaboration and baseline cybersecurity readiness.
Looking Ahead: Upcoming Milestones
As a living project, this article will be continuously updated as the EOD deployment advances. The following next steps and key milestones include Sprint 1 Report summarizing the comprehensive review of Tajikistan's digital governance, inclusivity, and alignment with international frameworks; Digital Public Infrastructure and Innovation trainings tailored to strengthen regulatory oversight, security, and institutional interoperability of national digital baselines and Sprint 3 Concept Paper regarding the implementation of the Regional Artificial Intelligence Center in Dushanbe. |