President Japarov - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kyrgyz-Tajik Border

Japarov Credits Mirziyoyev’s in Resolving Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Border Dispute

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has detailed how the long-standing border conflict with Tajikistan was resolved, citing direct diplomacy, enhanced military capabilities, and crucial regional mediation. His remarks came during the second part of the documentary President, aired on Kyrgyzstan’s Region TV. Japarov recounted that after the deadly clashes along the Kyrgyz, Tajik border in April 2021, he opted to visit Dushanbe for direct talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, despite opposition from some members of his inner circle, including State Committee for National Security Chairman Kamchybek Tashiyev. The negotiations, which lasted ten hours, ended without immediate results. “We talked for many hours, but at that time we could not reach an agreement,” Japarov recalled in the film. The 2021 conflict, triggered by disputes over infrastructure near the Kyrgyz village of Kok-Tash, exposed significant weaknesses in Kyrgyzstan’s defense capacity. The two-day confrontation involved heavy weaponry, including mortars, armored vehicles, and helicopter gunships. Official figures reported 54 fatalities, hundreds of injuries, and mass civilian displacement. Japarov said the violence spurred a modernization of the Kyrgyz military. The country began acquiring advanced equipment, including Turkish-made Bayraktar Akıncı and Aksungur drones. By the time renewed clashes broke out in September 2022, the president claimed that the balance of power had shifted. “By then, the forces were already equal, and we had begun to gain air superiority,” he said. Despite these developments, Japarov stressed that diplomacy ultimately brought resolution, and credited Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev with playing a pivotal role. “At summits, I told Rahmon, ‘Let’s sit down and talk.’ At first he refused. The second time, he agreed,” Japarov stated. “I must say that the role of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was very significant. He persuaded us not to miss the moment and to reach an agreement. That’s how we sat down and resolved the border issue.” Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev supported this view, describing Mirziyoyev as a regional leader who consistently urged neighbors to resolve disputes peacefully. He noted that Mirziyoyev had warned unresolved conflicts risk deterring both investors and tourists, who often see Central Asia as a single, interconnected region. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan officially signed a border delimitation agreement on March 13 of last year, following a preliminary signing on March 31 in Khujand during a trilateral meeting involving the leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Kurultai

Japarov Outlines Development Priorities at Fourth People’s Kurultai

Kyrgyzstan’s fourth People’s Kurultai, a national forum for direct dialogue between citizens and state leadership, was held in Bishkek on December 25-26. Addressing delegates, President Sadyr Japarov outlined the government's economic, social, and environmental priorities for the coming years. Sustained Economic Growth Japarov described the past three years as a period of strong economic performance, with average annual GDP growth of 9.8%. Real GDP grew by 10.2% in the first 11 months of 2025. GDP per capita in 2024 reached approximately $2,513. Unemployment dropped to 3.7%, while the poverty rate declined from 29.8% to 25.7% year-on-year. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have emerged as the backbone of the economy, with their contribution to GDP rising from 42.6% to 51.7% during the first nine months of 2025. National Development Program Through 2030 Japarov presented the government’s National Development Program through 2030, which is centered on four key pillars: industrialization, transformation into a regional transport and logistics hub, agricultural and tourism development, and expansion of green energy. The industrialization strategy includes the creation of industrial and technology zones and the construction of new production facilities to double industrial output by 2030. Large-scale investments in railways, highways, logistics centers, and warehouses are expected to bolster Kyrgyzstan’s role as a regional transit corridor. Tourism is also a major focus. Japarov emphasized efforts to modernize the sector in line with international standards, citing the construction of new hotels, roads, airports, tourist routes, and recreational infrastructure. By 2030, the tourism sector is projected to contribute 7% to GDP. Agricultural Development and Food Security With nearly 58% of the population living in rural areas, agriculture remains a strategic priority. Japarov stated that Kyrgyzstan is currently self-sufficient in six of nine key food products, milk, potatoes, vegetables, meat, eggs, and sugar. Agricultural reform centers on the development of agro-industrial clusters that bring together farmers, processors, logistics providers, and financial institutions to create integrated value chains. The goal is to shift from raw-material exports toward higher-value-added production. Climate Change and Water Resources Japarov also warned of worsening climate-related challenges, particularly declining water resources. Over the past 70 years, Kyrgyzstan has lost around 16% of its glacier area, endangering river flows, irrigation systems, and hydropower production. Lake Issyk-Kul is of particular concern. Since the mid-19th century, the lake’s water level has dropped by nearly 14 meters. The number of rivers feeding into the lake has declined from more than 100 to approximately 30-35. The president cautioned that continued degradation could have serious environmental and socioeconomic consequences. Water scarcity, he noted, also threatens food security, with 95% of national water consumption tied to agriculture. He called for more efficient irrigation, glacier protection, and expanded reforestation efforts. From Social Spending to Development Focus Japarov’s remarks were echoed by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev, who addressed parliament a day earlier. Kasymaliev stated that the state has shifted from a “social economy” to a “development economy.” In 2025, 35% of government spending was allocated to the production sector, compared to 23%...

Sanctions

Kyrgyz President Denounces “Politicized” Sanctions on Banks

President Sadyr Japarov has sharply criticized the United States and United Kingdom for imposing what he has called unfounded sanctions on Kyrgyz financial institutions, urging Western leaders to stop “politicizing the economy.” In an interview with state news agency Kabar, Japarov defended two state-owned banks – Keremet Bank and Capital Bank – against allegations that they helped Russia skirt international sanctions, insisting that no evidence of violations has been presented. Neither the UK nor the U.S. has provided a single fact of violation… such facts simply do not exist,” Japarov said, dismissing the sanctions as politically motivated. UK and U.S. Target Kyrgyz Banks for Russia Sanctions Evasion Japarov’s comments come after a new wave of Western measures targeting Kyrgyzstan’s banking and crypto sectors for purported links to Russian sanctions evasion. On August 20, London sanctioned Kyrgyzstan-based Capital Bank – along with its director, Kantemir Chalbayev – alleging the bank was being used by Moscow to pay for military goods as part of a “convoluted scheme” to evade sanctions. The British authorities also blacklisted two Kyrgyz cryptocurrency exchanges - Grinex and Meer - that ran the infrastructure for a new rouble-backed crypto coin called A7A5, which moved an estimated $9.3 billion in just four months and was “intentionally created to evade sanctions.” The UK’s sanctions minister, Stephen Doughty, warned that “laundering transactions through dodgy crypto networks” would not soften the blow of Western sanctions. These steps followed a U.S. Treasury designation in January 2025 against Keremet Bank, a mid-sized Kyrgyz lender, for creating a hub for trade payments that helped Moscow evade restrictions. U.S. officials allege that Keremet Bank facilitated cross-border transactions for Russia’s sanctioned Promsvyazbank and even sold a controlling stake to a firm linked to a pro-Kremlin oligarch – moves Washington viewed as part of a secret channel to re-export dual-use goods and finance Russia’s defense sector. Those actions marked one of the first instances of Western “secondary sanctions” against Central Asian entities – penalties on third-country institutions accused of abetting a sanctioned nation’s activities. Kyrgyz Government’s Defensive Measures President Japarov contends that Kyrgyzstan has been proactive in compliance and that the West’s suspicions are misplaced. He noted that 21 banks operate in Kyrgyzstan, and authorities deliberately limited all Russian rouble transactions to just two state-controlled banks to shield the rest of the financial sector from any inadvertent sanctions breach. “To prevent any of them from falling under sanctions, we decided that only the state-owned Keremet Bank would work with the Russian rouble… All operations are under state control, and the income goes directly to the state treasury,” Japarov stated. Earlier this year, the government expanded this approach by channeling rouble remittances and payments through Capital Bank, which was brought under 100% state ownership in April. The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan ordered that all cross-border transfers in roubles – including the billions of roubles sent home by Kyrgyz migrant workers each day – be processed exclusively via Capital Bank. Kyrgyz officials argued this centralization was meant to “ensure transparency of...

Polygamy

Kyrgyzstan Parliament’s Secret Polygamy Law Repeal Blocked by President Japarov

On June 25, 2025, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh, voted to repeal Article 176 of the Criminal Code, which criminalizes polygamy. The initiative was debated behind closed doors, without public hearings, and only came to light after the bill was submitted to President Sadyr Japarov for approval. According to the presidential administration, Japarov returned the bill for further revision. Before doing so, he sought official assessments from several key state bodies, including the Ombudsman’s Office, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the National Agency for Religious Affairs, the National Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Justice, and the Constitutional Court. These institutions concluded that the proposal was incompatible with Kyrgyzstan’s Constitution and its international commitments, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). In an explanatory note, the president stated that retaining criminal liability for polygamy "demonstrates a commitment to the principles of gender equality and the rule of law, protects women and children from legal and social inequality, and contributes to strengthening the institution of the family.” Under the current law, polygamy in Kyrgyzstan is classified as a minor offense. It is punishable by a fine ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 KGS (approximately $570 - $1,140), and criminal proceedings can only be initiated at the request of the victim. The Family Code permits only one officially registered marriage, and the civil registry office is not authorized to record second or subsequent unions.

Energy

Turkish Company Reaffirms Commitment to Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Projects

At a meeting on April 16 with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Bishkek, Ahmet Mücahid Ören, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Turkey’s İhlas Holding, reaffirmed his company’s commitment to implementing two major energy projects in Kyrgyzstan: the construction of the Kazarman cascade of hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) on the Naryn River, and a 250 MW natural gas-fired combined heat and power plant (CHPP-2) in Bishkek. İhlas Holding has previously established an open joint-stock company, Orta Asya Investment Holding (Central Asian Investment Holding), to facilitate its operations in Kyrgyzstan. “We consider these projects in the fields of hydropower and thermal power generation as strategically important and a priority. We are confident that their implementation will serve as the basis for the sustainable development of the country's energy sector and create conditions for subsequent investment initiatives,” Ören stated, according to the Kyrgyz president’s press service. Japarov noted that preliminary research has been completed at the construction sites for the Kazarman cascade in the Jalal-Abad region. The studies were conducted by Central Asian Investment Holding in cooperation with the Kyrgyzhydroproject Institute. In February 2025, Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Energy and Central Asian Investment Holding signed a protocol of intent to build the Kazarman cascade, which will have a total capacity of 912 MW. The Turkish company has committed to constructing three hydropower plants as part of the project: Ala-Buga HPP – 600 MW Kara-Bulun-1 HPP – 149 MW Kara-Bulun-2 HPP – 163 MW Combined, these plants are expected to generate 3.746 billion kWh of electricity annually, significantly bolstering Kyrgyzstan’s power supply. The meeting also addressed the construction of a second thermal power plant in Bishkek. Japarov emphasized that once operational in 2028, the new 250 MW natural gas-fired CHPP-2 will improve not only the capital’s heating and electricity supply but also its environmental conditions. The new facility aims to reduce reliance on the city’s aging coal-fired Thermal Power Plant, which currently serves as the primary source of electricity and heating. Once completed, CHPP-2 is expected to meet Bishkek’s growing heating demands and reduce the risk of energy shortages.

Politics

Kyrgyzstan Sets Date for 2027 Presidential Election

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has submitted a draft law to parliament establishing the official date for the country’s next presidential election. The parliamentary committee on constitutional legislation has approved the proposal in all three readings. According to the newly adopted law, the presidential election will take place on January 24, 2027, in line with amendments that designate the fourth Sunday of January as the official election date in the year the president’s term expires. Under the current Constitution, the president of Kyrgyzstan is elected for a single six-year term, with no possibility of re-election. President Japarov was elected on January 28, 2021, and later initiated constitutional reforms, including a nationwide referendum that expanded presidential powers. Changes to Parliamentary Elections The same parliamentary committee has also approved a second reading of a draft law altering the electoral system for members of the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament). The reforms would eliminate single-mandate constituencies, moving to an entirely majoritarian, multi-member district model. Under the new system, 30 electoral constituencies will be established, with three deputies elected in each, bringing the total to 90 MPs, all elected on a majoritarian basis. Both political parties and self-nominated individuals will be able to field candidates. Notably, 30 of the 90 seats will be reserved for women, aimed at enhancing gender representation. Currently, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament is composed of 54 deputies elected by party lists and 36 by single-mandate districts. If approved in its final reading, the draft law would overhaul the country's mixed electoral model in favor of a purely constituency-based approach.