Our People > Sergey Kwan

Sergey Kwan

Journalist

Sergey Kwan has worked for The Times of Central Asia as a journalist, translator and editor since its foundation in March 1999. Prior to this, from 1996-1997, he worked as a translator at The Kyrgyzstan Chronicle, and from 1997-1999, as a translator at The Central Asian Post.
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Kwan studied at the Bishkek Polytechnic Institute from 1990-1994, before completing his training in print journalism in Denmark.

Articles

Government Securities

Kyrgyzstan’s President Urges Citizens to Invest in Government Securities

President Sadyr Japarov has called on citizens of Kyrgyzstan to invest in government securities, describing them as one of the country’s most reliable investment instruments because they are backed by the state. In a statement on his Facebook page, Japarov announced what he described as “an important initiative that will allow every citizen to improve their financial situation while contributing to the development of Kyrgyzstan.” The Cabinet of Ministers has made government securities available to the public with an annual interest rate of 17%, according to Japarov. The securities can be purchased through a mobile app, he said. Invested funds will be repaid in full after two years, with interest payments made every three months. Japarov said returns on government securities would exceed those offered by most bank deposits. Deposit rates at commercial banks in Kyrgyzstan generally range from around 10% to 14% per year for deposits in the national currency, depending on the bank and product. Some microfinance organizations offer higher rates. Two types of government securities are available through the Kyrgyz Stock Exchange: state treasury bills and state treasury bonds. The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic also publishes auction results for government securities, with recent state treasury bond yields ranging from 12.86% to 16%, depending on maturity. Government securities are issued to finance national projects, cover budget deficits, and refinance maturing government debt.

3 hours ago

Gold Mining

Kyrgyzstan Launches Gold Mining Project at Togolok Deposit

Kyrgyzstan has launched development of the Togolok gold deposit, in what officials describe as the first large-scale mining project since independence to be implemented entirely using domestic resources. Kumtor Gold Company said its subsidiary, Kumtor Operating Company, has begun work on the deposit, located in the remote, high-altitude Jeti-Oguz district of the Issyk-Kul Region. The Togolok deposit was first discovered in 1978. It lies in a mountainous area with harsh weather conditions and steep terrain. The nearest settlement, Ak-Shyirak village, is located nearly 3,200 meters above sea level and about 35 kilometers from the site. The deposit is approximately 560 kilometers from Bishkek. Kumtor Operating Company received a license to develop Togolok in August 2023, and a feasibility study completed a year later confirmed the project’s commercial viability. Preparatory work has included expanding narrow access roads to accommodate heavy trucks, building a new bridge over the Kaichy River, and constructing housing facilities for 85 workers. Kanimet Toktosunov, chairman of the board of Kumtor Operating Company, said mining operations began this spring. “Stripping operations are currently underway, and first ore extraction will begin in the coming months,” Toktosunov said. “Eight large mining trucks, two excavators, a loader and a grader for road maintenance have already been delivered to the site.” To support construction of the mining complex, Kumtor held an international tender and selected China Nerin Engineering Co., Ltd. as the contractor. The parties signed an agreement in April 2026 for the construction of industrial facilities needed to launch production. The company said the project is expected to become a milestone for Kyrgyzstan’s mining sector and add to the country’s industrial capacity. Kumtor Gold Company, fully owned by state-owned Kyrgyzaltyn, operates the Kumtor mine, Kyrgyzstan’s largest gold deposit, located in the Issyk-Kul Region at an altitude of around 4,000 meters. One of the world’s largest high-altitude gold mines, Kumtor was nationalized in 2021 after previously being operated by Canada’s Centerra Gold. According to Kyrgyzaltyn, the company produced 12,081 kilograms of gold in 2025, generating revenue of $1.434 billion and net profit of more than $706 million, while paying $246.5 million in taxes and other payments. Gold remains Kyrgyzstan’s main export commodity. In 2025, the country exported 6.2 tons of gold worth $682.8 million, accounting for nearly 24% of total exports, according to official data and previous reporting by The Times of Central Asia.

1 day ago

Irrigation

International Donors Commit $172 Million to Upgrade Kyrgyzstan’s Irrigation System

International financial institutions and development partners have committed $172 million to a major irrigation modernization project in Kyrgyzstan, aimed at improving water security and farm productivity as climate pressures grow. The World Bank approved $95.75 million in financing on June 12 for the Kyrgyz Republic National Irrigation Investment Program, which seeks to improve irrigation services in selected areas across the country. The financing package also includes $50 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, $20 million from the OPEC Fund for International Development, and a $6.25 million grant from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The project is also expected to mobilize an additional $11 million in private capital. “The Kyrgyz Republic has set out a clear vision to modernize irrigation services and make water access more reliable for farmers and rural communities,” said Hugh Riddell, World Bank Group Country Manager for the Kyrgyz Republic. “By bringing together public and private financing, this program helps turn that vision into a long-term investment platform.” Agriculture remains one of Kyrgyzstan’s main economic sectors and a major source of employment, but outdated irrigation systems and high water losses continue to limit productivity. Climate change has added to these pressures, with rising temperatures, more frequent droughts, floods, and sedimentation putting greater strain on water resources. The new investment program aims to address these risks through infrastructure upgrades, institutional reforms, and better irrigation management. Authorities say the project will benefit more than 450,000 people, improve irrigation services across about 82,000 hectares of farmland, and raise water conveyance efficiency from 35% to at least 70%. Improved irrigation services are also expected to support around 85,000 additional jobs across agricultural value chains. The project will modernize irrigation and drainage infrastructure, improve water regulation and storage, and increase dam safety through smart water monitoring systems. It will also improve irrigation service delivery by upgrading operations and maintenance and raising the capacity of national and local institutions. Technical assistance and environmental oversight will support the preparation of future investments. The project will run through 2032 under the Water Resources Service of Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry. It forms part of a multi-phase government program expected to mobilize $540 million over the next decade. That wider initiative aims to modernize irrigation services on more than 200,000 hectares and benefit nearly one million people. Water-saving technologies remain central to Kyrgyzstan’s irrigation strategy. Earlier this year, the Cabinet of Ministers amended the country’s Medium-Term Electricity Tariff Policy for 2025-2030, freezing electricity tariffs for farmers using drip and sprinkler irrigation systems under state water conservation programs until May 2030. To encourage adoption, the government is also offering concessional loans at a 2% interest rate for farmers investing in water-saving irrigation methods. Although adoption remains relatively limited, it is accelerating. According to the ministry, modern irrigation technologies currently cover around 16,000 hectares, with plans to expand coverage by 30,000-40,000 hectares annually and reach 200,000 hectares under water-saving irrigation by 2030.

1 day ago

railway construction

Balykchy-Cholpon-Ata Railway Construction Begins in Kyrgyzstan

On June 14, Kyrgyzstan launched construction of the new Balykchy-Cholpon-Ata railway, a project aimed at extending rail access along Lake Issyk-Kul’s northern shore and strengthening Balykchy’s role as a transport hub. At present, the railway connecting Bishkek with Lake Issyk-Kul ends in Balykchy, at the western edge of the lake. Passengers traveling onward to Cholpon-Ata, the main resort city on the lake’s northern shore, must continue by road. The new Balykchy-Tamchy-Cholpon-Ata railway will stretch 86 kilometers. The line will pass through the village of Tamchy, home to Issyk-Kul International Airport, and is expected to become part of a multimodal transport and logistics hub on the lake’s shore. The Eurasian Development Bank said in August 2025 that it would provide a $275,000 technical-assistance grant for a preliminary feasibility study for the Balykchy-Cholpon-Ata railway, a project it estimated at about $500 million. At a launch ceremony for the project, President Sadyr Japarov said the project would support the country’s economy, tourism, and transport infrastructure. “Once fully operational, the project will be capable of transporting up to 5 million tons of cargo annually. It is especially significant given the large-scale investment initiatives currently underway on the shores of Issyk-Kul. The new railway will facilitate the delivery of construction materials and other cargo, contribute to the development of the region’s tourism potential, and expand passenger transportation,” Japarov said. Official figures cited at the ceremony showed rail freight volumes in Kyrgyzstan reached 10 million tons in 2025, up 36% about 7 million tons in 2021. Rail passenger journeys over the same period rose from 255,000 to 432,000, an increase of about 70%. The figures point to growth from a low base: 432,000 journeys works out at roughly 1,180 per day nationwide. The project adds to a series of rail and logistics schemes centered on Balykchy. The city lies on the key corridor linking Bishkek with Naryn and the Torugart Pass on the Chinese border. On May 28, the city opened a new international trade and logistics center, Altyn Logistic, aimed at strengthening transport links between China, Central Asia, and wider post-Soviet markets. Balykchy is also the starting point of the Balykchy-Kochkor-Kara-Keche railway, a 186-kilometer line under construction since 2022. The route is expected to connect the northern rail network with Kochkor and the Kara-Keche coal deposit in Naryn region, one of the main coal suppliers for Bishkek’s thermal power plant. Kyrgyz officials have also linked the Balykchy-Kochkor-Kara-Keche line to plans for wider rail integration with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which is under construction. If those projects are completed, Balykchy would become a more important junction in a network connecting northern Kyrgyzstan with routes through Naryn, Jalal-Abad, and onward to Uzbekistan. Balykchy also remains the main rail gateway to the Issyk-Kul resort area. The national railway company, Kyrgyz Temir Jolu, has introduced luxury and VIP compartment cars on the Bishkek-Balykchy line, while last year the route was extended to the Balykchy Beach stop, giving passengers direct access to the lakeshore during the summer season. In 2025, the...

2 days ago

Waste Management

Bishkek Launches Second Phase of Waste-to-Energy Plant

Bishkek has begun construction of the second phase of its waste-to-energy plant, a project city officials say will significantly expand waste processing capacity and add to the Kyrgyz capital’s energy supply. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on June 11. The facility, located at Bishkek’s main sanitary landfill, is the first waste-to-energy plant in Central Asia. Its first phase was officially inaugurated in December 2025 and was designed to process 1,000 tons of municipal solid waste per day. The plant was built by China’s Hunan Junxin Environmental Protection Co., Ltd., which invested $95 million in the project. The second phase will include a second production unit with capacity of up to 2,000 tons of waste per day and a 60-megawatt power generation complex. According to Bishkek’s city administration, once the second phase is completed, the facility will generate around 307 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to supply roughly 100,000 homes. Officials say the project uses modern thermal waste processing technologies and a multi-stage emissions treatment system that complies with international environmental standards. The expansion is expected to improve waste management in Bishkek, reduce pressure on the city’s overburdened landfill, and improve environmental conditions in the capital. Construction of the second phase is expected to take three years. Once fully completed, the plant will be able to process up to 3,000 tons of municipal solid waste per day and generate up to 90 megawatts of electricity. The launch ceremony was attended by Kyrgyz Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev, Bishkek Mayor Aibek Junushaliev, and Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Liu Jiangping. Kasymaliev described the project as strategically important for Bishkek’s environmental future. “The start of the second phase continues a large-scale initiative aimed at radically improving the environmental situation in Bishkek and creating a green, clean and modern metropolis,” he said. Kasymaliev said the project would help solve Bishkek’s waste disposal problem while adding a source of green energy and improving air quality and public health. He also said the second phase is expected to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 312,000 tons. The project forms part of Kyrgyzstan’s efforts to modernize urban infrastructure and address environmental challenges as Bishkek’s population and waste volumes continue to rise.

5 days ago

Renewable energy

Central Asia’s Renewable Energy Boom Faces Growing Grid Challenges

Central Asia is rapidly expanding its renewable energy sector, with solar power emerging as one of the key drivers of the region’s energy transition. However, a new report by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) warns that accelerated deployment of renewable energy, without matching investment in grid infrastructure, reserve capacity, storage systems, and market reforms, could increase systemic risks and raise overall electricity costs. The warning comes as electricity demand across Central Asia continues to grow steadily. The region’s population now exceeds 80 million, and power consumption is rising by 3% to 6% annually. According to the EDB, electricity demand could increase by nearly 40% by 2030, reaching 370 billion kilowatt-hours annually, up from approximately 270 billion kilowatt-hours today. Governments across the region have announced ambitious renewable energy targets for the coming decade. Uzbekistan plans to install more than 25 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030, including solar and wind generation. Kazakhstan aims to commission 8.4 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2035, while Kyrgyzstan plans to add 3.65 gigawatts of solar capacity and 400 megawatts of wind power over the same period. Tajikistan is targeting 2 gigawatts of solar and wind generation by 2030, while Turkmenistan has announced plans for 300 megawatts of solar power capacity. Yet the region’s transition toward cleaner energy sources presents a growing challenge: electricity demand is increasing faster than power systems are adapting to accommodate large volumes of variable renewable generation. Solar energy production peaks during daylight hours, creating fluctuations that conventional power systems must manage. In the morning, before solar panels begin generating at full capacity, electricity demand is largely met by hydropower plants and thermal generation fueled by coal or natural gas. As solar output rises during the day, conventional plants must reduce generation or temporarily shut down. After sunset, when electricity consumption remains high but solar production falls to zero, conventional generators must rapidly increase output to stabilize the system. These abrupt shifts create operational challenges and increase costs for grid operators. According to the EDB’s report, Power Sector of Central Asia: Modernization and Energy Transition, the main obstacles to integrating renewable energy are technical and institutional, not simply financial. If sudden drops in solar or wind generation caused by weather changes are not immediately offset, power systems risk instability and, in extreme cases, blackouts. As renewable capacity expands, grids require more flexible generation, larger reserve margins, energy storage systems, and more sophisticated operational management tools. The report notes that renewable generation is being introduced faster than supporting infrastructure can be developed. In many countries, transmission networks were not designed to accommodate a high share of variable energy sources. Weather forecasting systems also remain insufficiently accurate to support reliable real-time balancing of renewable output. Market reforms have lagged as well. Capacity markets, reserve markets, and tariff systems in several Central Asian countries have yet to evolve in ways that encourage investment in flexible backup generation and storage technologies. As a result, the report argues, the real system-wide cost of renewable energy may...

6 days ago

Caspian Sea

Kazakhstan and Russia to Launch Ferry Service for Trucks Across Caspian Sea

Kazakhstan’s port of Kuryk and Russia’s port of Makhachkala have signed an agreement to organize a vehicle ferry service across the Caspian Sea, according to Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy. The collaboration aims to attract cargo flows currently moving from China through Central Asia and the port of Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan to the Kuryk-Makhachkala route. The port of Kuryk is located on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, south of the port of Aktau. Its ferry complex is focused on the transshipment of grain, petroleum products, fertilizers, chemicals, and other cargo. The port of Makhachkala is Russia’s only ice-free deepwater port on the Caspian Sea, serving as a link in the transport system between southern Russia and the countries of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Iran. The Kuryk-Makhachkala route creates additional logistical options for cargo transportation across the Caspian region. The route also adds another Caspian Sea connection to regional transport networks. Unlike the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or Middle Corridor, which links China and Europe through Central Asia and the South Caucasus while bypassing Russia, the Kuryk-Makhachkala route adds a Russian component to Caspian transit logistics. To ensure year-round navigation and strengthen competitiveness, Kazakhstan is investing in infrastructure on the Caspian Sea coast. Dredging has been carried out at Kuryk Port, while similar work is planned at Aktau Port to increase depth and improve vessel access. Construction is also underway at Kuryk on the Sarzha multifunctional terminal, a project being implemented in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Ports Group from the United Arab Emirates. The terminal is expected to have an annual capacity of five million tons. Under Kazakhstan’s comprehensive maritime infrastructure development plan for 2024-2028, the country intends to establish a major transport and logistics cluster based on the ports of Aktau and Kuryk. The plan includes expanding container handling capacity, developing cargo terminals and international shipping logistics, and reducing administrative barriers. By 2028, total cargo throughput at the ports is expected to increase by 50%, while container handling volumes are projected to triple.

1 week ago

Tourism

Passenger Bus Service Connects Tashkent and Lake Issyk-Kul

A seasonal passenger bus service connecting Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, with Cholpon-Ata, the main resort city on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, has been launched, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport has announced. The route, operated by Uzautotrans Service using Yutong buses, opened on June 8. The service will depart from Tashkent’s main bus station on even-numbered days in June. Return trips from Issyk-Kul to Tashkent will run on odd-numbered days. Tickets cost 365,000 Uzbekistani sum, or about $30. Lake Issyk-Kul is Kyrgyzstan’s premier tourism hub and is especially popular with visitors from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Russia. According to data from Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce and the 2GIS mapping service, tourism activity in the Issyk-Kul region has tripled over the past six years. By the end of August 2025, which marked the close of the summer resort season, the volume of tourist services along the lake’s shores had tripled compared with 2019.

1 week ago

Caspian Sea

Kazakhstan Channels Billions of Cubic Meters Into Caspian Sea

Kazakhstan has channeled 6.16 billion cubic meters of water into the Caspian Sea since the beginning of 2026 as regional governments confront mounting concerns over the long-term decline of the world’s largest inland body of water. The figure was announced by Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, who said more than 35 billion cubic meters of water had been channeled into the Caspian Sea over the past two and a half years. Nearly half of that volume, more than 17 billion cubic meters, came from floodwaters redirected from the Zhaiyk, or Ural, River during the severe spring floods that affected northern and western Kazakhstan in 2024. The Caspian Sea, bordered by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan, has experienced a sustained decline in water levels in recent decades, raising concerns about both environmental degradation and economic losses across the region. TCA has previously reported that the Caspian Sea fell to its lowest recorded level in July last year, with the northern basin bordering Kazakhstan and Russia shrinking particularly rapidly. This poses both ecological and economic risks, including pressure on marine ecosystems, port infrastructure, fisheries and coastal settlements. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, there is increasing evidence that water levels in the Caspian could continue to fall significantly over the next half-century. Researchers say the decline is driven by a combination of factors, including reduced river inflows, changing precipitation patterns and increasing evaporation linked to rising temperatures and shifting wind regimes. Historically, the Caspian Sea has experienced substantial fluctuations in water levels. During the 20th century alone, levels varied by more than three meters. After reaching a historic low in 1977, the sea recovered by approximately 2.5 meters between 1978 and 1995 before entering another prolonged decline. UNEP researchers note that the downward trend has accelerated since 2006. Scientists stress that coordinated regional research is needed to better understand the interaction between climate change, river discharge, water consumption, evaporation and other factors influencing the Caspian’s future. The challenge has prompted increasing calls for cooperation among the five littoral states. Such collaboration is formally guided by the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, commonly known as the Tehran Convention, which was signed by all five countries in 2003 and entered into force in 2006. Kazakhstan has also sought to frame water management as a broader strategic issue. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation says the country’s updated Water Code requires industrial enterprises to prepare five-year plans for switching to recycled water supply, while the pace of introducing water-saving irrigation technologies rose from about 30,000 hectares a year before 2024 to 150,000 hectares annually in 2024 and 2025.

1 week ago

Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

Kyrgyzstan Climate Resilience the Target of New Forest Restoration Project

In spring 2026, more than 400,000 forest and fruit tree seedlings were planted over roughly 500 hectares of land across Kyrgyzstan under a project overseen by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The project, Carbon Sequestration through Climate Investments in Forests and Pastures in the Kyrgyz Republic, began in 2023. Financed by the Green Climate Fund, it aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, while supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation. According to FAO in Kyrgyzstan, the community-based planting activities included a wide variety of trees – Tian Shan spruce, juniper, walnut, almond, poplar, apple, apricot and plum. The species were selected because they are well adapted to Kyrgyzstan’s climatic conditions and have high resilience and carbon-sequestration potential. The project gives special attention to strengthening the capacity of local communities. It provides seedlings, fencing materials and, where required, drip irrigation systems, while local communities contribute labor and participate in establishing planting sites. Planting on municipal land is organized by local self-government bodies, while work inside the State Forest Fund is carried out by local forestry units. The four districts selected for the project – Ak-Talaa, Suzak, Toguz-Toro and Uzgen – were chosen because of their high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change in Kyrgyzstan’s Naryn, Jalal-Abad and Osh regions. According to climate observations covering the past 27 years, the average annual temperature in these areas has increased by 1.5°C. Several districts have experienced declining precipitation levels, alongside an increasing frequency of climate-related disasters, including landslides and mudflows. The project is part of a wider effort to help rural communities adapt to climate pressure in Kyrgyzstan. In 2025, TCA reported on the use of artificial glaciers to support farmers in water-scarce areas, where controlled winter ice accumulation can provide additional irrigation water during the growing season. Nor is this Kyrgyzstan’s only collaboration with the FAO on climate and land management. In April 2025, the FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development launched a separate initiative, Greening Kyrgyzstan’s Economy: Know More, Act Better, Enhance Results, which uses geographic information system technology to improve farmland monitoring, support climate-smart agriculture and strengthen food security. Climate concerns have also become increasingly visible around Lake Issyk-Kul, one of Kyrgyzstan’s most important natural landmarks. TCA has reported that melting glaciers, changing precipitation patterns and more frequent extreme weather pose long-term risks the Issyk-Kul basin, with possible consequences for water resources, agriculture, tourism and energy security. Although the latest planting figures concern forests and orchards, the wider project also covers pasture management, a central issue in rural Kyrgyzstan, where overgrazing and land degradation have put pressure on mountain ecosystems. Planned measures include rehabilitating access roads and bridges to remote pastures, building livestock watering points, establishing shelterbelts, developing pasture grass seed nurseries, and introducing rotational grazing practices. The project is expected to sequester more than 19.8 million tons of CO₂ equivalent over a 20-year period. This represents 7.6% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions and 22.6% of emissions from the agricultural sector. Under the...

1 week ago

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