World Bank Finance: The World Bank approved a second phase of financing for Tajikistan’s Rogun hydropower plant, adding a $300m grant to support civil works, generation equipment, implementation support, and environmental and social measures, including resettlement and livelihood restoration; the project is expected to generate 14,400 GWh annually, cut chronic winter shortages, improve power access for about 10m people, create 30,000+ jobs, and enable electricity exports to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Energy & Climate Funding: The EBRD and Green Climate Fund launched a climate-resilience programme for water systems in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, combining €100m in EBRD loans with GCF grants to back resilient water supply, wastewater and irrigation infrastructure plus utility reforms. China & Regional Trade: Tajikistan is expanding cooperation with China and other Central Asian partners via new chamber-to-chamber and business deals, including energy-sector technology cooperation and B2B meetings tied to EXPO-2026 in Xinjiang. Finance Integration: Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed a 2026–2027 public finance and economic policy cooperation plan to strengthen coordination and investment cooperation. Infrastructure Security: Chinese workers have returned under armed protection to the Dushanbe–Kulma highway works in eastern Tajikistan, resuming a China-funded road section after prior attacks. Business Reality Check: A Tajik-linked story on strict baby-name rules highlights how bureaucracy can stall families, while a separate regional note flags market gaps hurting melon farmers’ incomes.