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In a powerful appeal to all Muslims in Afghanistan, Shia and Sunni alike, His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, outlined a basis for constructing a new and more stable civil order in Central Asia.

"All Afghans should, as promptly as possible, re-establish open and brotherly dialogue among themselves, as our Faith instructs us to do, so that Islam's ethic of peace becomes a national reality." "We are not allowed to live in hate."

In an appeal to all Muslims in Afghanistan, Shia and Sunni alike, the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismailis, recently outlined a basis for constructing a more stable civil order in Central Asia.

"All Afghans should, as promptly as possible, re-establish open and brotherly dialogue among themselves, as our faith instructs us to do, so that Islam's ethic of peace becomes a national reality. We are not allowed to live in hate."

"All the Afghans should
promptly resume an open and fraternal dialogue, thereby turning
Islamic peace ethics into a national reality and putting an end to
hatred and division," Ismailite spiritual leader Aga Khan the Fourth
said during a meeting with people from the Gorno-Badakhshan
Autonomous Region of Tajikistan and the Afghan representatives,
who had arrived there from the neighbouring country.

Imam Aga Khan had spent one week in the republic at the

The spiritual leader of
the world Ishmaelites, Prince Aga Khan IV, who is paying a week-
long visit to Tajikistan at the invitation of President emomali
Rakhmonov, on Thursday left for the Gorno-Badakhshan
autonomous region where the most populous diaspora of
Ishmaelites resides.

The spiritual leader of the murids, the followers of the "living
God," or crown prince Aga Khan IV, is accompanied on the
Badakhshan journey, just as during his visit to Tajikistan in May

Spiritual leader of world's Ismailis Aga Khan IV said on Tuesday after his meeting with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rakhmonov that "now Tajikistan is going through a very important time when the foundation is being laid for its development in future."

Aga Khan IV is staying in Dushanbe for a visit at the invitation of the head of state.

"During the visit we want to consider projects to make our contribution in the support of the peace process and the economic development of Tajikistan," Aga Khan IV said.

The Tajik government and the spiritual leader of the world's Ismailis Aga Khan IV will discuss cooperation prospects during the latter's visit to the republic beginning on September 21.

Deputy chairman of the Tajik parliament Kozidavlat Komdodov told Itar-Tass that during the visit which will last until September 28, the Imam of the world's Ismailis will meet President Emomali Rakhmonov, the leadership of the commission for national reconciliation and government ministers.

Aga Khan IV will also meet Ismailis who live on the territory of the Gorno-Badakhshan region of Tajikistan.

Les fontaines de Douchanbe, la capitale tadjike, ont célébré ces trois derniers jours le déroulement, sous l'égide de l'ONU, d'un forum sur la crise de l'eau, mais nombre de Tadjiks, notamment parmi les musulmans ismaéliens, font surtout confiance à leur chef spirituel, l'Aga Khan, pour résoudre le problème.

Dévastée par une guerre civile dans les années 1990, l'ancienne république soviétique d'Asie centrale a fait bonne figure pour accueillir le forum consacré aux problèmes de désertification et des maladies infectieuses transmises par l'eau, qui s'est clos lundi soir.

Fountains played all around Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe for a UN-sponsored water forum this week, but many in this war-weary Central Asian country drew greater comfort from the visit of Ismaili Muslim leader the Aga Khan.

Having been wracked by civil war in the 1990s, this remote mountain republic of 6.5 million people was determined to show the world a new face at the International Fresh Water Forum, intended to help ease ex-Soviet Central Asias deepening crisis of desertification and disease.

The foundation stone of The Ismaili Centre, Dushanbe was laid on Monday afternoon by Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmonov on a 25,500 square-metre site in the centre of the city.

President Rahmonov underlined the commitment of his government to provide enabling conditions for the development of institutions promoting "freedom of conscience, pluralism and faith" as well as "exchange of opinions and national accord in society."

The Aga Khan, billionaire spiritual leader of the Ismaili sect of Islam on Saturday attended with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov a ceremony laying the foundations of Central Asia’s first Ismaili centre in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe. Prince Karim Aga Khan is funding the construction of the religious and cultural centre. He will also finance the construction of a five star hotel in Dushanbe, Rakhmonov said. There are 15 million Ismaili Muslims throughout the world, including some 200,000 in Tajikistan.

His Highness the Aga Khan today launched a landmark cultural centre here marking a milestone in the 1300 year history of the Ismaili Muslim community in Central Asia.

The Ismaili Centre, Dushanbe, when completed, will be comparable in scope and standing to existing major centres in London, Vancouver and Lisbon and those at advanced planning stages in Toronto and Dubai.

Mr. Ambassador, you have recently returned from your Pamir trip [the Pamir Mountians of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast]. I would like to know about the purpose of your trip and your impressions of the region.

His Highness the Aga Khan accompanied by the Minister for Education, Ms. Shamsha Berkimbayeva, visited Taldykorgan region of Almaty Oblast to view potential sites for the Kazakh campus of the University of Central Asia.

The World Bank and Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) have agreed to implement an innovative project aimed at reducing poverty in high-mountain areas around Lake Sarez. The US$ 2 million project is financed through the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) administered by the World Bank.

Development university for Central Asia taking shape. This site in Khorough eastern Tajikistan will host one of three campuses of the University of Central Asia
KHOROUGH, 11 Aug 2003 (IRIN) - In a unique international initiative, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is creating the University of Central Asia (UCA) with campuses in the three Central Asian countries of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. This will be the first private, internationally chartered university offering subjects related to sustainable development in these impoverished mountain societies.

The World Bank and Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) have agreed to implement an innovative project aimed at reducing poverty in high-mountain areas around Lake Sarez. The US$ 2 million project is financed through the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) administered by the World Bank.

Tajik President addressing International Freshwater Forum has urged to focus efforts on appropriate tasks.
DUSHANBE, September 1, Asia-Plus - 'The main task is in focusing efforts of all countries and directing them to an appropriate turn', Tajik President Emomali formulated the task faced by participants at the Forum.

Members of donor countries' governments and of international agencies for development have expressed readiness to allocate $900 million to Tajikistan for combating poverty.
According to Director of the World Bank for the Countries of Central Asia Dennis de Tray, the money will be given to Tajikistan during a three-year period, with $200 million in the form of humanitarian aid and $700 million in the form of grants.