Kyrgyzstan - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 7 - 12 of 2039

CSTO

Russia Tries to Keep the CSTO Relevant in Central Asia

Russia used the November 11 CSTO summit in Moscow to promote closer military cooperation with allies increasingly looking elsewhere for partners. Plans to develop the collective aviation force and supply equipment for Tajikistan's Afghan border would keep their militaries working with Russia, but Armenia's estrangement shows how far confidence in Russian protection has fallen. The summit barred Armenia from voting and appointing representatives to senior posts in the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced the restrictions, citing its failure to meet its membership obligations. Armenia remains a member, but has withheld contributions and frozen participation after accusing the alliance of failing to defend it. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan continue to participate. They still want military training, cooperation against terrorism, and help securing the region's southern border with Afghanistan. Moscow can offer those services, even as the Ukraine war damages its standing and China, Europe, and the U.S. expand their economic presence. At the previous summit in Bishkek, Russian President Vladimir Putin promoted Russian weapons and closer military integration. The Moscow meeting continued that effort. Equipment and joint operations keep Russia involved in its neighbors' defense planning, while agreed declarations allow it to claim diplomatic support beyond Belarus. The Damage in Armenia Armenia's break with Moscow developed through successive security failures. The CSTO provided no military assistance after Azerbaijani attacks on Armenian territory in 2022, leading Yerevan to freeze its participation in 2024. The dispute over unpaid contributions followed the loss of confidence in the alliance, rather than causing it. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict deepened that rupture. Russian peacekeepers deployed after the 2020 war did not prevent Azerbaijan's September 2023 offensive. More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians fled, leaving Moscow's claim to be a reliable protector badly damaged. Nagorno-Karabakh was internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory and fell outside the CSTO's collective-defense guarantee. Russia's peacekeeping mission there was separate from the alliance. But that distinction offered little reassurance to an Armenian government that had already failed to obtain military assistance after attacks on Armenia itself. Kazakhstan has a different experience. During the January 2022 unrest, CSTO troops guarded key facilities. Moscow can therefore point to an actual deployment when arguing that membership remains useful, though Armenia's experience makes it harder to promise that help will arrive whenever another member requests it. The Border Program in Tajikistan Tajikistan takes over the CSTO chairmanship in January 2027, and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon used the summit to call for closer attention to carrying out existing commitments. Strengthening the organization should rest on “mutual trust, consideration of the interests of member states and consistent fulfillment of commitments undertaken,” Rahmon said. The Afghan border program has taken years to negotiate. The CSTO decided to develop it in 2013, but leaders approved it only in November 2024. Its published timetable assigned preparations to 2025, priority deliveries to 2026–2027, and further reinforcement through 2029. The border equipment program was still awaiting financing arrangements in April. On October 21, Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov said Tajikistan had selected suppliers and...

Bilateral Trade

Japan Sets Sights on Deeper Economic Ties with Kyrgyzstan

In an interview with AKI.TV, Japan’s Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, Ryuichi Hirano, said that Japan intends to move its longstanding relationship with Kyrgyzstan toward a broader economic partnership based on shared interests. Ambassador Hirano pointed to Kyrgyzstan’s growing economic and diplomatic weight. “I know that Kyrgyzstan’s economy is growing rapidly. Moreover, Kyrgyzstan is strengthening its presence in the international community, particularly as a prospective new member of the UN Security Council,” he said. Kyrgyzstan was elected to a non-permanent Security Council seat on June 3, 2026 for the 2027–2028 term, and will serve on the Council for the first time. Economic data for Kyrgyzstan has been robust in recent years. Official figures put Kyrgyzstan’s real GDP growth at about 11.1% in 2025, the second consecutive year above 11% and well above the 2025 forecasts of the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank. Ambassador Hirano stressed the need for more reciprocal cooperation. “I believe we already have a solid foundation for developing our bilateral relations on a mutually beneficial basis, and I would like to do my part to advance them,” he said. President Sadyr Japarov’s visit to Japan gave fresh impetus to deepening bilateral relations. On December 20, 2025, he met Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and the two leaders signed a joint statement on the further development of relations through mutually beneficial cooperation. In the interview, Ambassador Hirano said he attended the meeting and described it as productive and positive. The statement builds on the 2023 Joint Statement on Friendship and Comprehensive Partnership in the New Era, signed during Japarov’s November 2023 visit to Japan. The agenda has since shifted toward trade, investment, and commercial opportunities. Japan’s recorded exports to Kyrgyzstan reached ¥13.01 billion (US$82.1 million) in 2025, while imports from Kyrgyzstan totaled ¥79.2 million (US$ 505,000). Bilateral trade therefore remains small and heavily weighted toward Japanese exports, which leaves considerable room for diversification and growth, especially on the Kyrgyz side. Five areas stand out for the emerging partnership: critical minerals, including antimony and silicon; energy, especially hydropower and renewable electricity; transport infrastructure; agriculture and food processing; and digital technologies, satellite applications and education. Transport connectivity also has a regional dimension. The Tokyo Declaration adopted at the Central Asia plus Japan summit in December 2025 made stronger links between Central Asia and international markets a priority, including support for the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Kyrgyzstan’s role in the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, with tunnels now under construction, could strengthen its position not only in trade between China, Central Asia and Europe, but also in trade with Japan. While not mentioned directly by Ambassador Hirano, stronger institutional groundwork is also being laid. Japan and Kyrgyzstan signed a new double-taxation agreement on December 19, 2025. It entered into force on July 26, 2026, although most of its provisions apply from January 1, 2027. At their December meeting, the two leaders also agreed to establish an intergovernmental commission on trade, economy, culture and human exchange. They said they wanted to conclude a...

Air Cargo

Kyrgyzstan Plans to Open New Jalal-Abad Airport in Fall 2027

Kyrgyzstan plans to expand its air cargo capacity with a new international airport in the Jalal-Abad region and a cargo terminal near Bishkek. The new airport is expected to open in fall 2027 near the route of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. The cargo terminal would handle goods arriving by road from China for onward flights to Europe and the Middle East. Jalal-Abad International Airport is under construction in the Bagysh area of Suzak District, near the city of Manas, formerly Jalal-Abad. On November 11, Manasbek Samidinov, chairman of the management board of Airports of Kyrgyzstan, put the preliminary construction cost at $60 million. The contractor is Kyrgyzstroyservis, a state enterprise under the Presidential Property Management Department. The project includes a 3,600-meter runway, two taxiways, an apron with room for four aircraft, and a 12,000-square-meter passenger terminal. The airport is designed to handle aircraft in the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families, including freighter versions. Domestic passenger flights are planned initially. The operator then intends to hold talks with foreign airlines about international routes. Samidinov said the railway could help the airport develop as a cargo hub. The line, designed to carry up to 15 million metric tons of freight a year, will connect Kashgar in China with Andijan in Uzbekistan. Construction formally began in December 2024, and the Kyrgyz section is estimated to cost $4.7 billion. At the planned Makmal transshipment hub, containers would be transferred between trains that run on tracks of different widths. At Manas International Airport near Bishkek, the operator plans to use its own funds to build a 40,000-square-meter cargo terminal. The facility would include bonded warehouses, where goods can be stored before customs duties are paid, and specialized storage for pharmaceuticals, perishable foods, plants, and hazardous cargo. Samidinov said Chinese partners and international logistics operators had expressed interest in the project. Kyrgyzstan will have to compete for this traffic with airports in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan that already have cargo facilities. Air freight costs considerably more than rail or road transport, so the most likely customers are shippers of time-sensitive or high-value goods and products that require specialized storage.

Sadyr Japarov

Kyrgyzstan Presidential Election: Sadyr Japarov Seeks Second Term

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has applied to run for a second term in the January 27, 2027, presidential election. Since he came to power in October 2020, Kyrgyzstan has shifted to a presidential system of government, recorded strong economic growth, and seen several prominent politicians and journalists face criminal prosecution. Less than 24 hours after Japarov filed on November 10, the electronic system had recorded 60,000 signatures in his support, the maximum a candidate can submit. Kyrgyzstan’s Central Commission on Elections and Referenda (CEC) must still verify the signatures. By November 11, the commission listed nine applicants, all self-nominated. Alongside Japarov were former members of parliament Iskhak Masaliev and Baktybek Kalmamatov, former financial police chief Syiymyk Japykeev, and Bakytbek Adylov, who previously headed the State Migration Service. Akai Kydyrov, Aimen Kasenov, Azamat Esenbekov, and Aiba Amur also applied. A Second Term Under the New Constitution Mass protests over the results of the October 2020 parliamentary elections brought Japarov to power as acting president. In January 2021, he won an early presidential election with 79.2% of the vote on a turnout of 39.16%. In April of that year, voters approved a new constitution, replacing Kyrgyzstan’s mixed parliamentary and presidential system with a presidential one. The president gained direct control over the executive branch, and the number of seats in the Jogorku Kenesh, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, fell from 120 to 90. The new constitution allows two five-year terms in place of a single six-year term. Because Japarov was elected before the reform, a dispute arose over the length of his mandate. In February 2026, the Constitutional Court ruled that his six-year term would run to 2027 and count as his first term, allowing him to run again. The vote was originally expected in October 2026. Lawmakers moved it to January 2027 and later set election day for the fourth Wednesday of the month rather than the usual Sunday. Criminal Cases and Political Competition The presidential campaign is taking place under restrictions on rallies and pickets in central Bishkek. In February 2026, Japarov dismissed Kamchybek Tashiyev, his longtime political ally, as head of the State Committee for National Security. In September, the Bishkek City Court found Tashiyev guilty of obstructing electoral rights. Under Kyrgyz election law, the conviction bars him from running for president even if his criminal record is expunged. Opposition politician Adakhan Madumarov, leader of the Butun Kyrgyzstan party, was detained in September 2023 on treason charges related to a 2009 protocol on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. In March 2024, a court found him guilty but imposed no punishment because the statute of limitations had expired. The Supreme Court upheld the ruling in October 2026. Madumarov denies the charges. In September 2025, a court convicted four former employees of the independent news outlet Kloop of inciting mass unrest. Two camera operators received five-year prison sentences, and two accountants received noncustodial sentences. An appeals court released the camera operators on probation that November. Human Rights Watch cited the case as part of a crackdown...

Homelessness

Bishkek Homeless Shelters Prepare for Winter Amid Uncertainty Over Numbers

Bishkek has prepared shelter accommodation for up to 150 homeless people this winter, but City Hall’s November 9 announcement gave no updated estimate of how many need help. The seasonal shelter in the Oktyabrsky district has 80 places and will remain open until April 1, 2027. Kolomto, the city’s year-round shelter in the Pervomaysky district, takes in 70 to 100 people a night despite having just 70 beds. The shelter, whose name means “hearth” in Kyrgyz, provides one meal a day and medical examinations. The nonprofit Mercy Center has a further 40 places reserved for women with children in crisis. That brings the combined capacity of the three facilities to 190. How Many People Are Homeless in Bishkek? Bishkek’s difficulties in counting its homeless population long predate this winter. In 2012, about 500 people were officially registered as homeless, while unofficial estimates exceeded 3,000. An April 2016 report put the figure at about 3,500, citing the state news agency Kabar. In 2022, City Hall told a council committee that more than 1,300 people were homeless in Bishkek. The city gave no details of how it arrived at that figure, making comparisons with earlier years difficult. Why People Lose Their Homes When Kloop interviewed Kolomto residents in 2016, one man described how hard it was to find work after leaving prison. A woman said she had lost her home and identity documents in a fire. Without identification, people can struggle to obtain medical care, receive social benefits, or find formal employment. Kolomto’s staff help visitors replace documents, locate relatives, and arrange long-term residential care for older people. According to figures in the city’s 2026–2028 social protection program, Kolomto assisted 2,442 people in 2024. Of those, 284 recovered their identity documents and 149 were reunited with their families. The city allocates 70 soms (about $0.80) per person per day for food at Kolomto, the same amount officials reported in 2022. Winter Cold and the City's Plans for More Shelters During the January 2018 cold snap, temperatures in Bishkek approached −30°C (−22°F). Shelters were full, and at least 15 homeless people died of hypothermia that month. In 2019, City Hall outlined plans for a shelter with 250 to 300 places. The city’s development plan earmarked 37 million soms for construction in 2021. The social protection program that the city council adopted in December 2025 calls for a 200-place rehabilitation center to help people return to independent living. For now, Kolomto has the same number of beds it had a decade ago. How Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Address Homelessness In Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, the Demeu center for social rehabilitation has 180 beds for stays of up to a year and 50 overnight places. City officials told NewTimes.kz that the center helped 1,571 people in 2025. On September 9, Almaty police said they had taken 388 people to the Pana social adaptation center since the start of the year. Of those, 54 chose to stay for further assistance. The others declined after an initial examination. In...

Berry Exports

China Opens Market to Fresh Kyrgyz Berry Exports

China has approved imports of fresh raspberries, blackcurrants, and blackberries from Kyrgyzstan, the latest step in a series of agreements opening the Chinese market to Kyrgyz agricultural products. China’s General Administration of Customs announced the decision on October 20. It follows a plant health agreement signed by the two countries on August 31, according to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry. The decision could give Kyrgyz berry growers an alternative to their traditional markets in Russia and Kazakhstan. From January through May 2026, Kyrgyzstan exported approximately 5,358 metric tons of berries, almost entirely strawberries. Russia received around 3,076 tons of strawberries and Kazakhstan 2,264 tons. However, the new agreement does not cover fresh strawberries, despite their dominance of Kyrgyzstan’s berry exports. A list of fresh fruits authorized for import into China, updated on October 6 before the latest approval, included Kyrgyz cherries, melons, grapes, peaches, and apricots, but neither strawberries nor apples. Kyrgyzstan exported more than 8,300 tons of apples in the first five months of 2026, making them its largest fruit export during that period. Producers of the newly approved berries must meet China’s plant health standards and have their farms and packing facilities registered with Chinese customs. Kyrgyz authorities must inspect a sample representing 2% of each shipment, although the sampling rate can fall to 1% after two years without plant health problems. The agriculture ministry has invited interested producers to apply for registration. Exports from Kyrgyzstan’s agriculture, food, and processing industries were worth approximately $378 million in 2025, including $80.7 million in crop products. Earlier agreements with China covered beans, poultry meat, wool, and cashmere. In July 2025, Kyrgyzstan began exporting dried apricots to China with a shipment of 23 metric tons. In March 2026, Chinese customs confirmed that Kyrgyz companies could export certain frozen fruits and berries, including raspberries and strawberries, after registering through the China Import Food Enterprises Registration system. Unlike fresh fruit, these frozen products do not require a separate quarantine permit.