Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture - The Times Of Central Asia

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Construction Starts on Kyrgyzstan’s Latest Hydropower Plant

On June 29, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Akylbek Japarov, attended the opening ceremony of the construction of a small hydroelectric power plant at the Orto-Tokoy reservoir in the Issyk-Kul region. Constructed by the China National Machinery Industry Corporation, the new plant will have a capacity of 21 MW and provide electricity to more than 14 thousand consumers of the city of Balykchy. In his address at the launch, the president referencing the recent launch of the Bala-Saruu hydroelectric power plant and the imminent construction of a hydro power plant on the Papan reservoir, announced: “We are taking confident steps towards energy independence. The national project of Kambarata HPP-1 is gaining momentum, with a committee of representatives of international organizations and financial institutions created [for its construction]. The implementation of these projects will provide an opportunity for Kyrgyzstan to become a major hydropower nation.”

Children Among Nine Killed in Mudflows in Kyrgyzstan

Mudflows caused by heavy rains have killed at least nine people, including four Kazakh children, in an area of southwestern Kyrgyzstan that is popular among tourists for its natural scenery. Search operations were continuing on Sunday. Kyrgyz authorities declared a state of emergency in the Nookat district of the Osh region after the downpours on Friday. Roads, bridges and power lines were damaged and several hundred emergency responders, including police and military personnel, were deployed to help with searches and evacuations. Photos and video posted on Telegram by Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations showed rescuers, some in military uniforms, escorting people alongside a fast-flowing river in a ravine. Some carried young children and held onto a rope fixed alongside the ravine wall as they walked. Citing Kyrgyz officials, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the bodies of four Kazakh children had been found and that its diplomats are helping relatives of the victims. The bodies of the children will be returned to Kazakhstan in “the near future,” the ministry said on Telegram. Akylbek Japarov, chairman of Kyrgyzstan´s Cabinet of Ministers, flew over Nookat district on Sunday to assess the damage and said the government will provide “all-round support” to help those affected, the official Kabar news agency reported. Nookat is popular among trekkers and hikers who enjoy its mountain and forest scenery, particularly in the summer months.

Largest Makerspace Opens in Kyrgyzstan with U.S. Support

The Makerspace Learning and Design Centre, part-funded by the U.S. government, opened at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in Bishkek on June 24. As reported by the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) American Schools and Hospitals Abroad initiative, Bard College, and American University of Central Asia funded the centre’s construction. The Makerspace is a creative space equipped with high-tech equipment, including 3D printers, laser cutters, robotics kits, and sewing equipment. Open to AUCA students as well as scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and developers, the centre will provide facilities for users to network, learn, exchange ideas, create prototypes, and attract investors. In his speech at the opening ceremony, Akylbek Japarov, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, announced: “Makerspace is a place where technologies become accessible to everyone, and innovative projects become reality. There are many creative and progressive people in Kyrgyzstan who urgently need opportunities offered by the space to realize their potential and benefit society.” USAID/Kyrgyz Republic Mission Director Kaya Adams praised the new facility saying, “We are especially proud of our partnership with the American University of Central Asia. This new building will strengthen AUCA’s international, diverse learning community and multidisciplinary learning approach. It will bring together creative thinkers of differing nationalities, ethnicities, gender, and professional backgrounds, including people with disabilities, to forge innovative solutions.”

Kyrgyzstan’s President Apologizes Over Niece’s Use of State Helicopter

It was a fairytale setting for a marriage proposal. The fiancée of the niece of Kyrgyzstan’s president asked her to marry him after the pair traveled by helicopter to the mountains near Bishkek. The problem? The helicopter belonged to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, a revelation that prompted scorn on social networks and drew an apology from President Sadyr Japarov, who has campaigned against corruption. The ministry said the aircraft was “legally leased” and Japarov said the government sometimes rents its helicopters for the benefit of the state's coffers. But the ostentatious use of the government asset, flaunted in a slick video showing Japarov’s niece, Lazat Nurkozhoeva, in the helicopter, was too much for some commentators who fumed about alleged government hypocrisy. “Relatives of the country's leadership should be an example to others. I am trying to stop waste,” Japarov said in an interview with the official Kabar news agency on Wednesday. He said his niece, Lazat Nurkozhoeva and her fiancée loved each other and the proposal would have gone off without a hitch if it had been handled in a simpler way. “If an ordinary citizen, a businessman, a tourist, or an investor wants to rent helicopters, the state will gladly provide them. Because every penny received from the lease goes to the state and is concentrated on the purchase of new helicopters. Thus, the aircraft fleet is continuously updated,” Japarov said. The Kyrgyz government has a total of about 20 helicopters, he said. “I used to criticize others. Now it’s come back to me,” Japarov said in his apology. In a statement, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said the “rental of the helicopter discussed in social networks” was arranged with a legal contract and that it received the equivalent of about $1,800 for the flight that lasted 56 minutes and occurred on Monday. Lazat Nurkozhoeva has a high profile on social media. She has created her own clothing brand and won the Miss Kyrgyzstan beauty pageant in 2020.

Kazakhstan Supplies Vital Radiopharmaceuticals to Kyrgyzstan

On 15 June, the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Almaty, Kazakhstan delivered a molybdenum-99/technetium-99 generator, used to diagnose cancer and heart diseases, to Kyrgyzstan. As reported by the Kazakh Ministry of Energy, the provision of the generator to Kyrgyzstan was organized in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Institute of Nuclear Physics is the only organization in Kazakhstan certified to produce radiopharmaceuticals that comply with international standards. Today, the Institute produces some 75% of Kazakhstan’s radiopharmaceuticals supplied to medical institutions in the cities of Almaty, Shymkent, and Semey. The supply of radiopharmaceuticals to Kyrgyzstan marks an important step towards strengthening the healthcare system and the availability of advanced medical technologies for the country’s residents.

ADB Funds Wastewater Management and Sustainable Tourism in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan

On June 24, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced its provision of $56 million to improve wastewater management and enhance sustainable and inclusive tourism in Kyrgyzstan’s Issyk-Kul region. The funding comprises a $25 million concessional loan and a $31 million Asian Development Fund (ADF) grant. The Issyk-Kul region, with its rich ecological and biological diversity and Issyk-Kul Lake, has long been a popular tourist destination, with some 80% of holidaymakers choosing to stay at the lakeside resort of Cholpon-Ata. However, due to its age, the town’s wastewater network currently serves just half of the permanent population and excludes almost a third of tourism facilities. To address the issue, ADB funds will be invested in a climate-resilient infrastructure including a wastewater treatment plant, pumping stations, and improved sewer infrastructure, serving Cholpon-Ata's main resorts, guesthouses, residential and business sectors. In tandem with helping preserve the environment around the lake, the initiative will support local authorities in developing a climate-resilient tourism master plan for the area. The project will also boost the area's tourism infrastructure through the creation of a museum and information centre, improving and conserving the local archaeological heritage site, constructing bike trails and walking paths around the lake's shoreline, upgrading three public parks, and facilitating access to green spaces. ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov commented: “Economic growth can be driven by low-carbon tourism built on sound environmental practices and climate-resilient infrastructure. ADB’s project addresses critical challenges faced by Cholpon-Ata’s tourism industry. By integrating environmental improvements and wastewater investments with tourism infrastructure, we are helping shift Kyrgyz Republic to a low-carbon growth trajectory.”