Chairperson Shaikova stressed the high importance of the Centre: “During the electoral cycle between 2015 to 2017 about 13,000 SRS/CEC experts have been trained on a smooth organization of elections, use of ICT equipment, appropriate delivery of information, effective electoral disputes resolution mechanisms for successful election campaigns. Therefore, the need for having such training centre is still urgent, as skills and knowledge should be updated regularly to be in shorthand with new technologies and innovations”.

Citizens want transparent, effective and accountable governments, with institutions that empower people and are responsive to their aspirations. The SRS, with the support of the UNDP, the Government of Switzerland and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, has addressed this need by introducing these novelty technologies, which demanded a new set of knowledge and skills of SRS staff. Eventually, this cooperative work has led to an opening of the Capacity Development Centre.

“Knowledge and innovation are inseparable from each other - they drive societies and economies around the world. I believe this Capacity Development Centre will become a knowledge hub for the SRS staff, who is working towards building strong institutions and democratic society in the Kyrgyz Republic. UNDP promotes innovation, capacity development, and empowerment through sustainable approaches which we can share with our partners to bring the technologies and innovations for the benefit of people”, said Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo, UN Resident Coordinator/ UNDP Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic.

“Change is the driver of progress and today the SRS demonstrates that change is already taking place in the public services industry in Kyrgyzstan, and the OSCE is proud to be a part of it,” said Ambassador Chiveri, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. Indeed, the Centre will play a significant role in maintaining and upgrading the SRS’s knowledge for improving the provision of public services and heightening inter-organizational communication.

The SRS Capacity Development Centre was an important part of the Kyrgyz Election Support Project 2 (KESP2), which was implemented by UNDP and financed by the Governments of Switzerland and Denmark. The project aimed to support the SRS and CEC in organising free, competitive, and peaceful elections throughout the Kyrgyz Republic. To achieve this goal, the SRS and CEC officials need to be well trained and to have access to modern and safe technology.

Switzerland during the conference made a pledge for a total of € 2 million. 

“The inherited legacy of highly toxic and radioactive waste originating from uranium mining in the last century imposes an imminent threat to parts of the population and to the environment in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Such a contamination may have transboundary consequences and affect the health and living conditions of the population.

We welcome the efforts, which have been undertaken in recent years by the Kyrgyz, Tajik and Uzbek authorities in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the European Commission, Russia, the EBRD and others in order to develop a Master Plan and carrying out feasibility and environmental impact assessments.

Handling this dangerous legacy is both a regional and a global responsibility.

The successful implementation of the projects depend on a number of crucial elements:

(1) the ownership and active involvement of local authorities and the population;

(2) the quality of the monitoring;

(3) and the careful cooperation and coordination with other actors on the ground, like for instance the actors involved in the Aral Sea Conference.

Switzerland will pay great attention to these elements.

Switzerland will be able to contribute with a total amount of € 2 million to the Environmental Remediation Account”.