Creative industries as a strategic resource for economic diversification: potential for Tajikistan in the context of global experience

Introduction. In the context of the global transformation of economies based on knowledge and cultural capital, creative industries (CI) are becoming a key driver of growth, diversification, and the creation of high-productivity employment. For the first time in the Tajik context, the barriers to CI development are analyzed: the dominance of traditional (“tangible”) sectors, the undervaluation of culture’s contribution to GDP, weak support infrastructure (finance, education, intellectual property protection, market access), and the absence of relevant statistics.
Goal. The study aims to assess the potential of creative industries as a strategic resource for economic diversification in the Republic of Tajikistan based on an analysis of global and regional experience.
Materials and methods. The study is based on a comparative analysis of international data (USA, EU countries, Central Asia), a systemic analysis of economic statistics and cultural potential of Tajikistan, as well as the case study method of successful CI development practices.
Results and Discussion. The research identifies a significant untapped potential of the cultural capital of Tajikistan for the development of creative industries. Key barriers include institutional underestimation of the sector, lack of relevant statistics, and weak support infrastructure (financial, educational and legal). Drawing on international experience, the study argues that strategic development of CI can become a new driver of economic diversification: reducing dependence on raw material exports and remittances, creating high-productivity employment (especially for youth), stimulating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), exports, tourism, and the formation of a national brand.
Conclusion. A set of practical recommendations has been developed for Tajikistan, including institutional recognition of the sector, the creation of a system to measure its contribution, the development of targeted support infrastructure, and the integration of CI into the national development strategy. The study concludes that cultural capital must be reimagined as a strategic resource for future economic growth of Tajikistan. Implementation of the proposed measures will allow cultural capital to be transformed into an economic asset, contributing to the country’s further socio-economic development.

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