Issyk-Kul region - The Times Of Central Asia

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Yak Farming

Kyrgyzstan Registers New White Yak Breed to Boost Mountain Livestock Farming

Kyrgyzstan has officially recognized the Kyrgyz White Yak as a new livestock breed after more than a decade of selective breeding. The move is intended to support high-altitude livestock farming and create new export opportunities. The breed was unveiled on July 20 at the high-altitude Syrt pasture in Issyk-Kul Region. Developed between 2014 and 2026, the Kyrgyz White Yak is the result of years of breeding work led by veteran livestock breeder Tashtanbek Akmatov. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry, the animals combine high productivity with strong adaptation to harsh alpine conditions. Unlike traditional dark-coated yaks, the new breed produces naturally white wool and down that can be processed without dyeing, giving it added value for textile manufacturers. Officials say this could help create new export opportunities for Kyrgyz livestock products. Yak farming has been gaining importance in Kyrgyzstan as climate change places increasing pressure on conventional livestock production. At the beginning of 2026, the country had 61,650 yaks, most of them raised in the mountainous Naryn, Issyk-Kul, and Osh regions. Yaks remain on mountain pastures throughout the year and can withstand temperatures as low as -40°C. They are raised for meat, milk, and wool while remaining productive at elevations between 2,000 and 4,500 meters, where other livestock struggle to survive. Officials increasingly see yak farming as a climate-resilient branch of agriculture capable of making use of remote high-altitude pastures while reducing pressure on lower grazing lands. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan has expanded pasture restoration and forage production in response to rising livestock numbers. The programs also support farming in mountain regions.

Public health

Kyrgyzstan Tests Public Health Emergency Response Ahead of World Nomad Games

Kyrgyzstan has carried out large-scale interagency public health emergency exercises as part of preparations for the sixth World Nomad Games, which will take place from August 31 to September 6. Authorities say health security has become one of the key components of planning for what is expected to be the country's largest international event of the year. The two-day simulation exercise was held on July 14-15 in Cholpon-Ata, in the Issyk-Kul region. It brought together representatives of the Ministry of Health, healthcare institutions, the World Health Organization (WHO), other government agencies, and international development partners. Participants rehearsed the response to a simulated outbreak of acute intestinal infection and cases of an unidentified illness during a major international gathering. Field exercises were conducted in the Kyrchyn Gorge, one of the main venues for the upcoming Games, and at the infectious diseases department of the Issyk-Kul District Center for General Medical Practice. The drills tested early detection of health threats, laboratory diagnostics, medical response, interagency coordination, and crisis communication. According to Gulbara Ishenapysova, Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Minister of Health and Chief State Sanitary Doctor, the exercises provided an opportunity to assess the country's emergency response system under conditions closely resembling a real public health crisis and to identify areas requiring further improvement. Acting WHO Representative in Kyrgyzstan Zhanara Bekenova said such exercises are essential for evaluating coordination, information sharing, and decision-making mechanisms ahead of large international events. Preparations for the Games extend well beyond sports infrastructure. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the 2026 World Nomad Games mark the event’s return to Kyrgyzstan. The event is also intended to promote tourism and the country’s nomadic cultural heritage internationally. Following the exercises, the Ministry of Health plans to prepare recommendations to improve interagency cooperation and the preparedness of healthcare institutions. The recommendations will also cover risk communication and revisions to national public health emergency response plans. The sixth World Nomad Games are expected to attract participants from more than 95 countries. More than 3,000 members of sporting delegations and delegations representing culture and science are expected to attend. The event is also expected to draw more than 600 domestic and international media representatives.

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.

North-South Highway

Kyrgyzstan to Temporarily Open Alternative North-South Highway from June to November

Kyrgyzstan’s alternative North-South highway will be open to traffic from June to November 2026, the Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced. Preparatory work for the seasonal opening is currently underway, including the implementation of additional safety measures. The long-anticipated 433-kilometer highway is a strategic transport corridor linking Balykchy in the Issyk-Kul Region with Jalal-Abad in southern Kyrgyzstan. Approximately 200 kilometers of the route pass through areas where no roads previously existed. Key engineering achievements along the route include Kyrgyzstan’s longest tunnel, located at the Kok-Art mountain pass, and two major overpass bridges. Once operational, the highway is expected to reduce travel time between Jalal-Abad and Balykchy from 13 hours to just six. Currently, the only route connecting Kyrgyzstan’s northern and southern regions is the Bishkek-Osh highway. The new North-South corridor is expected to improve both passenger and freight transportation between the regions, particularly given the absence of a direct railway connection. Construction of the North-South highway began in 2014, but the opening has been repeatedly postponed. The highway is expected to become fully operational year-round in 2028, according to Minister of Transport and Communications Talantbek Soltobaev. He said that in 2026 the highway would only operate during the summer season. “Until we resolve safety issues, we will be closing the highway for the winter,” the minister said, referring to the need to eliminate risks associated with rockfalls, avalanches and other natural hazards along certain sections of the road.

Energy Infrastructure

Kyrgyzstan Expands Issyk-Kul Energy Infrastructure Ahead of SCO Summit

Kyrgyzstan has launched a large-scale modernization of energy infrastructure in the Issyk-Kul region as part of preparations for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, scheduled to take place this autumn in Cholpon-Ata. According to the Energy Ministry, authorities are upgrading power grids, expanding substation capacity, and installing new transformers across the region. In several villages in the Issyk-Kul region, self-supporting insulated wires are being installed to improve reliability and safety while reducing maintenance costs. Aging power networks are also being replaced. Particular attention is being given to the village of Baktuu Dolonotu near Cholpon-Ata, where some summit-related events are expected to take place. “Under the project, the existing 10 and 16 Megavolt-Ampere (MVA) transformers will be replaced with two new 40 MVA transformers, creating a modern high-capacity substation. The equipment has already been delivered, and preparations for installation are underway,” the ministry said. The modernization drive is also linked to the development of tourism infrastructure in the region. Several major projects are underway in Issyk-Kul, including the Ala-Too Resort ski complex and tourism facilities in the Jyrgalan Valley. To supply electricity to these new facilities, authorities are constructing a 110 kV transmission line from Karakol to Jyrgalan and replacing existing 35 kV overhead lines with underground cable systems. According to the Energy Ministry, trenches extending more than 100 kilometers have already been prepared for the new transmission line. Last year, a new substation was commissioned in the region, and 12.8 kilometers of cable lines were laid. “Work on the electricity supply for the cable car at the Ala-Too Resort ski base has been completed one hundred percent. The cable car could be launched right now,” Aslan Ibraev, deputy director of the Issyk-Kul Electric Grid Enterprise, told The Times of Central Asia. According to Ibraev, the first phase of infrastructure work for the ski resort has already been completed. “In total, we installed four transformer substations in Jyrgalan and laid 60 kilometers of underground electric cables,” he added. Kyrgyz authorities say the infrastructure upgrades are intended not only to ensure the successful hosting of international events, but also to support the long-term development of the region’s tourism sector. Construction of the ski resort is expected to be completed later this year. Authorities have also begun selling land plots for new tourism facilities near the resort area.

Electric Vehicles

Kyrgyzstan to Install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Key Tourist Region

State-owned Chakan GES OJSC will install 10 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the Issyk-Kul region, Kyrgyzstan’s primary tourist destination, and home to Lake Issyk-Kul and the country’s largest mountain ski resort in Karakol. The initiative is being implemented with support from the Ministry of Energy as part of ongoing efforts to promote environmentally friendly transportation and enhance tourism and transport infrastructure in the region. The new stations will be located in Karakol, the administrative center of the Issyk-Kul region (2 stations); Cholpon-Ata, the main resort hub (2); Balykchy (2); and the villages of Bokonbaevo (1), Kyzyl-Suu (1), and Tyup (2). All are scheduled to begin operations later this year. The number of electric vehicles in Kyrgyzstan is steadily rising. According to First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Amangeldiev, more than 200 EVs are imported into the country daily under a VAT exemption scheme. As a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Kyrgyzstan has an annual quota allowing for the duty-free import of up to 15,000 electric vehicles. Despite this growth, EVs still make up a small share of the national vehicle fleet. According to Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision Meder Mashiev, Kyrgyzstan had over 1.9 million registered vehicles as of early 2026, a 13% increase from 2024. Of these, 972,000 run on gasoline, 339,000 on diesel, 56,900 on gas, and 37,000 are hybrids. Electric vehicles account for just 0.8% of the total, or approximately 15,200 units. The government is also advancing plans to localize EV assembly as part of its broader strategy to expand eco-friendly transport options and combat air pollution, particularly in cities like Bishkek. In June 2025, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korean firms EVSIS, NGS, and the Korea Automobile Environment Association. The agreement focuses on developing EV charging infrastructure in Bishkek. As The Times of Central Asia previously reported, South Korean partners also intend to launch production of EV charging stations in Kyrgyzstan, aiming to establish local manufacturing and create a nationwide charging network across major cities and regions.