Kyrgyzstan Local Politics - The Times Of Central Asia

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Turkish Doctors to Help Create a Centre for Organ Transplants in Kyrgyzstan

The Kyrgyz Ministry of Health has reported on a visit to Bishkek by doctors from Turkey's Inonu University to assess the potential of Kyrgyz clinics to perform high-tech operations. The delegation from Turkey's leading centre for organ transplantation was greeted by the President of Kyrgyzstan. Accompanied by the Minister of Health, they then visited the National Surgical Centre where plans are in place to perform kidney transplants, and afterwards, the Centre for Maternal and Child Health, which plans to perform bone marrow transplants. After receiving the experts' recommendations on the readiness of operating rooms and intensive care units to receive patients, Kyrgyz Health Minister Alymkadyr Beishenaliyev reported, "To establish a successful liver transplant operative, $2 million will be allocated for the purchase the necessary equipment. Twenty million Kyrgyz som ($220,000) will also be allocated to repair the operating and resuscitation departments of the National Surgical Centre." He added that apart from those issues, the Kyrgyz hospitals meet all the requirements necessary for organ transplants. Head of the Turkish delegation, Inonu University Rector Ahmet Kizilay, drew attention to the fact that to date, 65 Kyrgyz doctors had received training at their medical centre, considered one of the world's leading clinics for organ transplantation, and a further 33 Kyrgyz specialists were currently on site to improve their qualifications. At the beginning of the year, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov signed a law allowing state and private clinics in Kyrgyzstan to perform organ transplants, with the provision that donors were related to the patients. The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Turkey subsequently came to an agreement whereby Turkish doctors would help Kyrgyz doctors gain relevant experience and skills through the latter performing kidney transplants in Turkey. In the interim, doctors from Kazakhstan have also pitched in by performing a free operation for a Kyrgyz girl together with Kyrgyz doctors. Though poised to create a centre for liver transplantation, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health has emphasized the need for continued research on related problems and best practices of other countries.

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Female Entrepreneurs to Expand Mentoring – Great Strides for Uzbekistan

The Association of Business Coaches of Kazakhstan has launched the TalpynUp mentoring program for Central Asian women entrepreneurs. The project will be supported by the USAID Entrepreneurship and Business Environment Development Project at Imperial College, London. The six-month mentoring program will begin on April 20th in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. It will help Central Asian women improve their business skills, and is aimed at those who have a business that has been operating for one to three years. Also, young businesswomen under the age of 29 who are mothers of children with special developmental needs will be able to gain valuable knowledge completely free of charge. The intensive mentoring program is based on individual training, mentoring and practical sessions with business coaches and experts. It consists of six modules focusing on such areas as sales, taxes and finance, human resources, management, and more. The organizers have emphasized the need for their program by explaining that, in the near future, artificial intelligence (AI) will replace many professions, especially those in which women are currently employed. Therefore, they need to develop and improve their skills and master new digital professions. In total, 190 female entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan have already been trained under the TalpynUp program. Now 60 young women each from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and 120 Kazakhstani women will have access to the program. In 2022, the World Bank published comparative data on the earnings of men and women. Experts found that women around the world have, on average, only 77% of the legal rights that men have. However, according to the organization, Uzbekistan has made significant progress in ensuring equal rights for men and women. For example, the country has legislated equal pay regardless of gender, expanded the areas where women can work on an equal basis with men, and criminalized domestic violence. Thanks to these reforms, Uzbekistan has become one of the five countries with the greatest progress in gender equality - along with Jordan, Malaysia, Sierra Leone and Togo - and took first place in Central Asia in the Women, Business and the Law ranking. It's worth noting that the number of women engaged in business in Uzbekistan has doubled over the past five years to 205,000. About 200,000 women have been trained in professions and business, and more than 400,000 women and girls have gained employment.

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Russia to Allocate Over $23 Million for Remediation of Uranium Tailings in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz members of parliament have approved an agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Russia on funds for the remediation of sites contaminated with uranium tailings. The ratification corresponds to a previous deal by the Kyrgyz government and Russian state company Rosatom under the framework of a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) program to rehabilitate territories affected by uranium production. Kyrgyz Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Azamat Mambetov, speaking at the session of the Kyrgyz parliament, described the details of the agreement with Russia regarding the uranium tailings ponds. "At our request, the Russian Federation will allocate an additional 2.141 million rubles ($23.1 million). According to the draft agreement submitted for approval, these funds will be used for work and delivery of equipment, [and] they are exempt from taxes. Five facilities in Kyrgyzstan will be rehabilitated," Mambetov said. According to the deputy minister, these are three tailing dumps left over from uranium mining in western Kyrgyzstan, and two tailing dumps in the south of the country. According to some sources, the first Soviet atomic bomb was filled with uranium mined in the south of Kyrgyzstan in the Batken region. It should be noted that the tailings dumps in Chatkal district (western Kyrgyzstan) currently threaten the ecology of not only Kyrgyzstan, but also of neighboring Uzbekistan. The Chatkal River, which flows near the tailings dams, is a transboundary river that flows into one of Uzbekistan's reservoirs -- and from which Tashkent and the Tashkent region draw their drinking water. Mr. Mambetov said that today the reclamation of uranium tailings sites in southern Issyk-Kul region and in Naryn region is almost completed. When the interstate program for reclamation of territories was drawn up in 2013, these tailings were considered the most problematic. According to Rosatom, 450,000 cubic meters of radioactive waste were concentrated in the Naryn region when work began. The work there is complicated by the fact that there is the risk of landslides in the area of the tailing dump. However, Russian specialists promise to fully complete the reclamation process by August 2024. The volume of accumulated radioactive waste in the Issyk-Kul region is 150 thousand cubic meters. Uranium mining there was conducted from 1952 to 1966. After the mining was completed, the surface of the site was covered with a special layer of soil. But over time, the ground has been eroded by surface waters and the site began to pose a threat to the local environment once again. The works there should also be completed this year. Recall that Lake Issyk-Kul, located just a few hundred meters from the facility, is Kyrgyzstan's main tourist attraction. According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations, there are 92 burial sites of toxic and radioactive substances in the country. Of these, 23 tailings sites contain uranium elements, while the remaining ones contain radioactive rock residues, heavy metals and cyanide. The total volume of poisonous and hazardous substances is 2.9 million cubic meters. As reported by Rosatom, there are currently more than 40 large legacy nuclear...

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Artificial Intelligence to Monitor Kyrgyzstan’s Glacial Lakes to Prevent Outburst Flooding

In Kyrgyzstan, an innovative IT module will monitor for glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and provide early warnings about their outbursts to prevent natural disasters, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The new IT module with artificial intelligence (AI) was shown to Kyrgyz officials as part of a program titled "Reducing Risks and Vulnerability From Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in Kyrgyzstan by Strengthening the National Disaster Monitoring System and Community Adaptive Capacity". According to the UNDP, Kyrgyzstan faces the threat of more than 300 high-mountain lakes bursting -- a threat fully attributed to climate change and permafrost degradation. International experts say the instability of natural dams and melting ice pose a risk to the population, infrastructure and the environment. The last serious flooding due to a breach of a high mountain glacial lake occurred in July 2022 in the mountains of the Issyk-Kul region. "By harnessing the power of innovation and collaboration, we are paving the way for sustainable progress. Through proactive risk identification, assessment and vigilant monitoring, we are not only preventing crises, but also laying the foundation for economic prosperity and community resilience. The use of artificial intelligence in monitoring emergency forecasting not only marks an important milestone for Kyrgyzstan, but also sets a precedent for the entire Central Asian region," said Alexandra Solovieva, the UNDP Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan. This innovative module, as the specialists emphasized, combines AI technology with the use of machine-learning processes to improve the accuracy of forecasts, and provides timely information to effectively reduce the risks of lake outbursts. The IT module calculates the surface area of the lake, assesses the state of the ice cover, makes an analysis, and assesses the risks of lake breakthrough -- and in case of potential threats, warns the relevant government agencies. "The unified system of integrated monitoring and forecasting of emergency situations is an invaluable tool to protect the life of the population and the environment. Expansion and addition of functionality on glacial lake monitoring with integration with satellite and meteorological data will ensure timely, accurate data collection, data analysis and disaster forecasting," said Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Edelbek Kulmatov. At the presentation of the IT module in Bishkek, specialists also introduced the mobile application developed for it . With its help, Kyrgyz EMERCOM specialists will be able to monitor glacial lakes in real time and receive all the necessary data. The IT module was purchased with the financial support of the Government of Japan through the UNDP.

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The C5+1 Concept: The Idea Behind This Week’s B5+1 Forum in Almaty

Recognizing that the Central Asia region could benefit more from initiatives in global security, business and trade if its countries strengthened their cooperation in key areas, the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) created the ‘C5+1’ platform last year for just this purpose. The Center’s 5+1 group features the governments of the five Central Asian republics – Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – plus the United States, whose State Department and international chambers of commerce are central to the platform’s work. An inaugural C5+1 Summit was held in September 2023, on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. At this high-level meeting, the presidents of each of the Central Asian nations joined US president Joe Biden in dialog on enhancing the region’s stability and prosperity through economic, energy, and security partnerships within the C5+1 framework. Building on this start made by C5+1, CIPE is now launching the ‘B5+1’ format, focused on cooperation in the global business context. The inaugural B5+1 Forum will take place this week in Kazakhstan’s business capital of Almaty, and will include presentations and panel discussions with policy makers from the United States, Central Asia and several other countries. On 14 and 15 March leaders from the public sector will discuss Central Asia’s economic integration, international trade and investment alongside dozens of influential private companies. The B5+1 Forum will pick up where the C5+1 Summit left off in exploring opportunities for American companies in Central Asia. This potential lies in key sectors such as critical minerals, renewable energy and manufacturing. The Almaty event will also continue the conversation on enhancing regional connectivity via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Trans-Caspian Corridor. At a time of geopolitical upheaval and disruption of existing supply chains, international investment in this trade route is being sought through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. The B5+1 Forum forms part of CIPE’s program called “Improving the Business Environment in Central Asia” (IBECA). CIPE themselves are affiliated to the US Chamber of Commerce – the catalyst behind the B7 and B20 platforms – and receive funding from the US Department of State. The establishment of B5+1 is closely aligned with commitments made during the C5+1 Summit last September, and outlined in a document called the New York Declaration. The upcoming Forum aims to deliver on two key commitments in the declaration. The Times of Central Asia will be in attendance at the B5+1 Forum on 14-15 March, and will be publishing insight and analysis from the event.

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US Policymakers and Central Asian Business Leaders Gather in Almaty for the CIPE B5+1 Forum

Cooperation and trade with Central Asia still holds much unrealized potential. The region is developing fast and offers opportunities for companies and agencies, both international and local. As the global geopolitical landscape changes and supply chains are disrupted, the importance of Central Asia as a business and transit hub, through initiatives such as the Trans-Caspian Corridor, is growing. There are therefore great incentives for the five countries of the region – Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – to find ways to function as a single integrated market, in order to capitalize on opportunities for foreign and local companies, and attract more international investment and business. For this reason the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is inviting policymakers from Central Asia, the United States and other countries to its B5+1 Forum this week. On 14 and 15 March in Kazakhstan’s business capital of Almaty, leading minds from the public sector will discuss Central Asia’s economic integration, international trade and investment, alongside dozens of high-profile private companies. An event on 14 March entitled “Looking within Central Asia” will introduce the objectives and expected outcomes of the B5+1 format. Presentations by representatives of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy, the Caspian Policy Center, the US Department of State and Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce will give business-focused perspectives on improving economic integration and the investment climate. The discussion on 15 March will center on the theme of “Central Asia’s place in the world economy”. Talks from representatives of the US-Kazakhstan Business Council, the American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will give an international perspective on promoting trade and investment flows in Central Asia. The B5+1 Forum forms part of CIPE’s program “Improving the Business Environment in Central Asia” (IBECA). CIPE themselves are affiliated to the US Chamber of Commerce – the catalyst behind the B7 and B20 platforms – and receive funding from the US Department of State. The establishment of B5+1 is closely aligned with commitments outlined in a document called the New York Declaration to strengthen the republics' economic relations, and improve the business environment for regional economic integration and investments. The upcoming Forum aims to deliver on two key commitments in the declaration. The Times of Central Asia will be in attendance at the B5+1 Forum on 14-15 March, and will be publishing insight and analysis from the event.