BISHKEK (TCA) — A 5.7 million euro budget support grant for education was transferred on December 29 by the European Union to the treasury account of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Delegation of the European Union to Kyrgyzstan said.
This is part of a 20 million euro budget support programme to help the Kyrgyz Government implement its Education Development Strategy 2020 and the Action Plan 2012-2014. The aim is to reform the general and vocational education systems, improving educational quality and pedagogic standards, and strengthening public financial management.
In addition, the European Union provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to the staff of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Agency for Vocational Education and Training as a complement to the budget support.
The European Union is currently discussing with the Government the possibility of a new 36 million euro sector budget support programme to support the next phase of the Government’s reforms after the current programme expires next year. These reforms are to be defined in the Education Development Strategy Action Plan 2016-2017.
The Delegation of the European Union also said on December 29 that the EU had contributed €15 million to the Kyrgyz state budget for macro-financial stability.
In June and October 2015, the European Union disbursed the total amount of €15 million to the Kyrgyz Republic as part of the EU Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) for the country. This amount is part of the first tranche of the €30 million MFA programme. The objective of this assistance is to support the restoration of a sustainable external financial situation for the Kyrgyz Republic, to alleviate its balance of payments needs and thereby support its economic and social development.
