Kyrgyzstan Features - The Times Of Central Asia

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Length of U.S. Visas for Kyrgyz Citizens Set to Increase

The duration of American visas for citizens of Kyrgyzstan is set to increase from five to ten years, marking a significant development reported by the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the USA. The Embassy disclosed that Baktybek Amanbayev, the head of the Kyrgyz diplomatic mission, conducted a meeting on December 13th with Brandon McNerney, the director of the Office of Visa Affairs at the Consular Bureau of the US Department of State. The primary agenda revolved around discussions aimed at enhancing visa relations between the two nations. During the meeting, Ambassador Amanbayev reiterated the appeal to expedite considerations for extending the validity period of tourist and business visas from five to ten years, alongside reducing consular fees for Kyrgyz Republic citizens. This plea, previously discussed with US authorities, was reinforced by Amanbayev during this encounter. Brandon McNerney provided an optimistic outlook, stating that the issue is in its final stages of evaluation within relevant US authorities, with a positive decision anticipated imminently. The American side pledged to officially notify the Kyrgyz authorities of their decision in the near future. Additionally, Amanbayev pressed for simplified visa acquisition processes for Kyrgyzstani students enrolled in US educational institutions. Moreover, he proposed exploring opportunities for legal employment of Kyrgyz citizens in sectors facing labor shortages within the United States. The American representatives agreed to delve into these matters during the annual bilateral consultations. This push for extended visa durations follows earlier discussions on the topic. Kyrgyzstan's parliamentary deputies Akylbek Tumonbayev, Balbak Tulobayev, Karim Khanjeza, and Emil Toktoshev engaged in talks with Ambassador Leslie Viguery regarding visa extensions to the United States. Ambassador Amanbayev also held discussions with John Pommersheim, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs, seeking to expedite this visa extension process. These concerted efforts signal a potential boon for Kyrgyz citizens aspiring to visit or reside in the United States, fostering closer bilateral ties between the two nations.

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Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Demarcate More Than 90% of Border

Following a meeting between government delegations, Chairmen of the National Security Committee of Kyrgyzstan, Kamchybek Tashiyev, and Tajikistan, Saimumin Yatimov, released a statement announcing that over 90% of the border between the two countries has now been agreed upon. “As a result of the work of the intergovernmental commission, agreements were reached on the harmonization of most of the state border - more than 90%,” Tashiyev said. “Work on the remaining sections will be completed soon, starting with Kayragach, Kulundu, Maksat, Arka, Arka-1, Arka-2, Zhany-Zher and up to Zhiydelik. The Working Group has fully completed the coordination. At the moment, we have almost completed work on the disputed areas about which there were questions." According to Tashiyev, several more meetings will be necessary to complete the demarcation and delimitation of the state border. In turn, Yatimov noted that vital issues were discussed at the meeting of the delegations. “There is a common interest, common goals, and common causes between the two states,” he said. “This is the security and socio-economic development of our states. A lot of work has been done today - we have advanced more than 120 kilometers, and have agreed on these issues in principle. If we take the total length of the state border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, Kamchybek Kydyrshayevich and I can confirm that over 90% of the state border has been agreed. We are really close to solving these issues.”

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ADB to Help Improve Agribusiness Value Chains in Kyrgyzstan

As per a press release on its website, on December 7th the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said it is providing a $20 million loan and a $20 million grant to the Kyrgyz Republic to help small and medium-sized agribusinesses improve their processing and storage capacity and reduce post-harvest handling losses through inclusive, resilient, and climate-adaptive horticultural value chains. “The project will enhance the resilience of farmers, including women, against market volatility, natural hazards and climate change, and increase household and national food security,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia, Yevgeniy Zhukov. “By equipping them with climate-smart agricultural technologies and strengthening value chains, farmers and all stakeholders along the value chains will be able to minimize resource cost and increase profitability.” The Climate-Resilient Agricultural Value Chain Development Project will provide long-term funds to qualified participating financial institutions to extend structured loans for horticulture value chain investments, including fruit and vegetables. Aiyl Bank, the most prominent bank financing the country’s agriculture sector, has been selected as the first financial institution to participate in this project. “About 80% of small businesses in the Kyrgyz Republic are currently funded by family, friends, and informal sources,” said ADB Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist, Giap Minh Bui. “To stimulate private investment in modernizing agricultural value chains, it is critical that local banks have access to stable long-term funding sources and offer a range of term-lending products that are appropriate for and affordable to horticulture entrepreneurs, including women.” Aside from establishing modern processing, storage and refrigerated facilities, the project will also help establish contract farming arrangements between farmers and processors and/or exporters; train women business-owners; and implement measures to facilitate cross-border trade and branding for products that are unique to the Kyrgyz Republic. These measures aim to increase profitability for horticultural producers and agribusiness enterprises, and strengthen market linkages to increase national food security.

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UNDP Supports the Development of Adventure Tourism in Kyrgyzstan

As per a press release on its website, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Kyrgyzstan, in collaboration with the Fair and Sustainable Development Solutions (FSDS) Foundation, said it is launching activities to strengthen the value-added chain (VAC) of adventure tourism. The project, Aid for Trade in Central Asia, aims to develop adventure tourism in target regions of Kyrgyzstan, creating new jobs, increasing the competitiveness of the sector, and strengthening its export potential. Tourism plays an important role in expanding economic opportunities and contributes to infrastructure development, which has a positive impact on other sectors of the economy. There are also opportunities to make the sector green and sustainable, the project stated. Kyrgyzstan needs to be positioned as a new tourism destination, as the country has a wide range of tourism resources. However, this will require coordinated efforts. “We support the promotion of adventure tourism, which is one of the fastest growing sectors and has a great potential for developing the local economy”, said Aid for Trade project coordinator, Aisulu Mambetkazieva. “Moreover, adventure tourism will allow as many people as possible to learn about the beautiful culture and nature of Kyrgyzstan. We hope that the project can become a driver for the development of adventure tourism in Kyrgyzstan and create new opportunities for sector participants”. The activities on strengthening the VAC of adventure tourism will be carried out in Issyk-Kul, Jalal-Abad, and Osh provinces. The project includes several key tasks on which the UNDP has already begun work: Increasing the potential of VAC participants and introducing joint adventure tourism products. New tourism products will be developed and promoted through various trading platforms; Increasing access to innovative and environmentally sustainable technologies that contribute to sustainable development; Creation of favorable conditions for the development of safe adventure tourism at a local level. The UNDP in Kyrgyzstan pays great attention to supporting women's entrepreneurship and the business initiatives of people with disabilities. In this regard, it is expected that appropriate measures will be taken to create examples of tourism entrepreneurship among women and people with disabilities for further replication and scaling.

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World Bank Announces New Country Partnership Framework for Kyrgyzstan

In a press release on its website, on October 31st the World Bank announced a new five-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for the Kyrgyz Republic that defines the strategic focus of the World Bank’s engagement with the country around job creation, natural resource management, and improving human capital outcomes. The CPF lays out a selective and flexible program for World Bank assistance. “The World Bank has been a trusted partner of the Kyrgyz Republic for the last 30 years”, said Kyrgyz Republic’s Minister of Finance, Almaz Baketaev. “The new Country Partnership Framework responds to the Kyrgyz Republic’s National Development Strategy to 2040 and the National Development Program for 2022-2026. The new partnership strategy will reinforce the efforts of the Cabinet of Ministers to modernize the economy, promote inclusive growth, and build a more prosperous future for all”. “The World Bank is proud to support the Kyrgyz Republic’s ambitious and well-articulated reform agenda”, said Tatiana Proskuryakova, the World Bank’s Regional Director for Central Asia. “Under our new Country Partnership Framework, we will support the country’s economic transformation with policy advice, technical assistance, and planned project financing of around $500 million. New investments will focus on the key priority sectors of energy, water, and agriculture to create a better and more sustainable future for the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic”. The new CPF is centered around three core pillars aimed at delivering tangible development outcomes: increasing private sector-led job creation; improving access to sustainably managed natural resources, and enhancing human capital and economic empowerment of vulnerable population groups. The CPF also includes a strong focus on key global challenges including strengthening climate resilience and reducing emissions; closing the gender gap; supporting jobs and economic transformation; strengthening institutions; and reducing fragility risk. The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors also approved $5 million for the technical assistance of Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant Project. This assistance aims to support the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic in updating the Feasibility Study of the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP) Project, enhancing its environmental and social sustainability, and strengthening its financial and commercial frameworks. Kambarata-1 HPP is expected to be among the most cost-effective projects for expanding clean energy resources across the Kyrgyz Republic and Central Asia. It has the potential to address the country’s energy security challenges, generating significant revenues from energy exports whilst also improving downstream HPP operations and water management. “The Kambarata-1 HPP is a critically important project that has the potential to bring huge benefits in clean energy generation, regional cooperation, water security, and environmental safeguards across Central Asia”, said World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia, Tatiana Proskuryakova. “The World Bank’s technical assistance will help the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic use the country’s abundant hydropower potential for the benefit of the people and region, while strengthening the governance and financial sustainability of the energy sector”. “Kambarata-1 is a transformative greenfield regional hydropower project that will power the clean energy future of the Kyrgyz Republic and Central Asia”, added World Bank Country Manager for the Kyrgyz Republic, Naveed Hassan Naqvi. “This...

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Promoting Sustainable Development in Central Asia: Key Highlights from the Eurasian Development Bank’s Roundtable

According to a press release issued by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), on November 16th, 2023, Almaty, Kazakhstan, served as the venue for a critical roundtable hosted by the EDB, titled "Promoting Sustainable Development in Central Asia". This gathering saw the participation of representatives from a wide range of international organizations and multilateral development banks. Attendees included the likes of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, FAO, UNIDO, UNEP, ESCAP, UNDP, the World Health Organisation, the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, and CICA. The agenda was packed with discussions revolving around irrigation, water challenges, environmental and social standards of international financial institutions, and case studies that showcased collaborations in project implementation12. The EDB's latest report, "Efficient Irrigation and Water Conservation in Central Asia", was introduced during the roundtable's first session. Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the EDB Management Board, underscored the essential interrelationship between water, food, and energy in Central Asia. He declared the development of the region’s water and energy resources as a strategic priority for the EDB. He also expressed concerns over an impending water deficit in Central Asia within the next five years, urging for collective action supported by multilateral development banks3. Tatiana Proskuryakova, the Regional Director for Central Asia at the World Bank, also spoke at the event. She emphasized the importance of sustainable development in Central Asia to international organizations and multilateral financial institutions. She revealed that the World Bank has allocated approximately a quarter of its $12 billion investment portfolio in Central Asia to water, energy, and environmental sectors. This proportion is expected to rise to almost half in the near future4. Following this, Evgeny Vinokurov, EDB Chief Economist, presented the study "Efficient Irrigation and Water Conservation in Central Asia". He proposed a ten-step solution to address the prevalent issues. The steps include establishing an International Water and Energy Consortium; fostering collaboration among multilateral banks; creating a regional cluster to produce irrigation equipment; consolidating efforts to strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan; using PPP instruments; instituting proper water accounting; gradually integrating investment charges into the tariff structure; improving land conditions; implementing digital technology, and leveraging state-of-the-art irrigation technology and laser levelling.