Jogorku Kenesh of the KR, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and UNDP intend to work together to strengthen parliamentary democracy in the Kyrgyz Republic

Local news, 03.07.2017

On June 30, 2017, Deputy Speaker of Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic Altynai Omurbekova, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Kyrgyz Republic René Holenstein and Acting Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Aliona Niculita signed a memorandum of understanding to support the consolidation of a strong and inclusive parliamentary democracy in the Kyrgyz Republic. The signing ceremony took place in Jogorku Kenesh with participation of members of parliament, management of the apparatus of Jogorku Kenesh as well as representatives from international donor community.

Signing of Memorandum of Understanding

The memorandum of understanding foresees cooperation and commitment to promote the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda and its goal 16 aiming at the creation of peaceful, just and strong institutions, to support the implementation of the Strategy of Development of the Jogorku Kenesh in line with the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic.  

“Switzerland's rich experience with democratic governance can serve as a basis for exchange and collaboration between our two countries. I am very glad to announce that Switzerland has responded favorably to the request of the Kyrgyz Parliament to assist in strengthening parliamentary democracy and improving citizens’ engagement in decision-making processes,” – said Ambassador Holenstein.

With financial support of Switzerland, UNDP will implement a ten-year prospective project “Strong and Inclusive Parliamentary Democracy”, primarily aimed at further enhancing parliamentary democracy in the Kyrgyz Republic by making it more inclusive, accountable and responsive to the needs of the citizens. The first phase of the project foresees close collaboration and expert support to the activities of three parliamentary committees, namely the committee on constitutional legislation, state structure and judicial legal affairs, the committee on social affairs, education, science, culture and healthcare as well as the committee on finance and budget.

In addition, the project will work actively on enhancing capacity of Public Councils and will launch a special Civic Action Fund to provide citizens with an opportunity to participate in the decision- and policy-making process, ensure effective monitoring and influencing the performance of parliamentary and state accountability institutions. This will allow citizens to hold the Parliament and government accountable and benefit from a more accessible, effective and responsive government.

Contact information:

Aigul Baiburaeva, UNDP Policy Advisor, tel.: 0312 394140 (ext. 152), email:  aigul.baiburaeva@undp.org

Elena Zakirova, Program Officer of the Embassy of Switzerland, tel. 0312 301036, email: elena.zakirova@eda.admin.ch

 

***

 

The Government of Switzerland provides assistance for the development of the Kyrgyz Republic and supports projects in areas such as health, private sector development, public sector reform, and infrastructure.

Local news, 13.12.2017

On December 12, 2017, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, released the results of a five-year program which aimed to help the Kyrgyz Republic to improve the business environment and to promote private investments in order to create jobs and support sustainable economic development. The initiative is part of the IFC Central Asia Investment Climate Program, which is funded by the government of Switzerland and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development.

The project implemented by IFC in close collaboration with State agencies and the Ministry of Economy has helped the Kyrgyz government to introduce risk-based inspection system that has reduced the inspections burden: compliance costs for the private sector have been reduced by an estimated $5 million over the past few years. IFC support to investment policy reforms has generated an estimated $14 million additional investment to the economy. The tax system reforms, which was another component of the project has enabled businesses to save $ 2.2 million in 2016 only.

The Program has also ensures the development of relevant legislation as regards food safety, and initiated a number of important reforms to help local food producers to access new markets.  

“The government of the Kyrgyz Republic has been working on improving the business climate and we have positive results. With inspection numbers significantly reduced, the risk level assessments and planning of inspections are now fully automated,” said Daniyar Imanaliev, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic. “However, making the country a better place for businesses is a long-term, continuous process. We thank IFC for its long-standing support and hope to work together on the next reforms.”

“Switzerland, through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), has been supporting since 2008 initiatives that aim to create a favourable business environment. This was done by supporting reforms in the field of tax administration and business regulation. A necessary condition for successful reform process is the involvement of the private sector in the project design and monitoring,” said Véronique Hulmann, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Kyrgyz Republic.

“An attractive investment climate is a prerequisite for an economy that wants to grow and create jobs”, said Martin Naegele, IFC Country Officer. “IFC, together with the World Bank, has been helping the Kyrgyz government resolve legal and policy weaknesses, to improve the operating environment for business and unlock the country’s potential to attract new investment.”

The Swiss Government and WBG/IFC will continue supporting the Kyrgyz Republic to create more favorable business environment, attract and retain foreign direct investment, and unlock new markets for the local businesses. 

About the World Bank Group

The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It comprises five closely associated institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Each institution plays a distinct role in the mission to fight poverty and improve living standards for people in the developing world. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org, www.miga.org, and www.ifc.org

About Swiss assistance

The Government of Switzerland provides assistance for the development of the Kyrgyz Republic. The overall objective of its cooperation program is to promote peace and social cohesion as well as responsive and inclusive institutions and a sustainable development to improve the well-being of the population. Over the last 25 years Switzerland has granted more than CHF 360 million to Kyrgyzstan to support the transition process. For more information, please visit https://www.eda.admin.ch/bishkek. 

To learn more about the UK’s Department for International Development, please visit:  https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development