UNRC calls on Government to prioritize supporting vulnerable groups in the Government’s anti-crisis plan

The Chair of the Cabinet of Ministers thanked the UN for the long-standing and trustful partnership and discussed how new emerging realities call the Cabinet of Ministers to adjust the strategic mid-term development plans and commitments the Government made to the people of Kyrgyzstan.

 

The Chair of the Cabinet of Ministers informed that the Government adopted a set of anti-crisis measures aimed to stabilize the economy and protect the most vulnerable groups with total budget of 126 billion soms. In particular, the Government has made additional budget allocations to increase the salaries of the low paid groups: salaries of teachers will be increased by 30-50%, especially teachers of science, math and languages. Additional budget allocations in the amount of 26 million of soms have been made available to support the 500,000 small farmers with low-cost (6%) loans. He also shared plans of the Cabinet of Ministers to raise the size of the monthly benefit package payments to the vulnerable groups from 800 to 1200 soms.

The Chair of the Cabinet of Ministers informed that a new agreement over the Kumtor gold mine was successfully reached and will be signed soon, and that significant funds from the mine revenues might be re-located to support 112,000 most vulnerable households to help them engage in income-generating activities including through the use of alternative sources of energy. The Chair of the Cabinet of Ministers encouraged the UN to repurpose its programmes for 2022 to support the government’s anti-crisis measures.

He also noted that the UNSDCF development process has been a whole-of-the-Government process that was inclusive and assured that the on-going and future UN support will be used efficiently to assist the Government to overcome the challenges and negative impacts on the country’s development.

UN Resident Coordinator Ozonnia Ojielo congratulated the Cabinet of Ministers on the significant progress of the Kumtor mine talks and called on the government to prioritize supporting vulnerable groups, through a strong social protection measures in the Government’s anti-crisis plan. UNRC expressed reassurances that the UN stands ready to continue its support to the Government and people in Kyrgyzstan and to collaborate closely with the partners to offer policy options and solutions that will help to retain the Country’s development trajectory on the sustainable path. Ozonnia Ojielo informed that the UN is preparing to submit to the Government a set of recommendations to mitigate short and long-term effect of the sanctions imposed on Russia on Kyrgyzstan. UNRC briefly elaborated on some immediate recommendations, including a need for more targeted social assistance, strong measures to mitigate the consequences of potential inflow of returning migrants, while prioritizing innovative governance, the green economy and investments into building the human capital, including through a stronger digital agenda, as accelerators to enable economic transformation and advance the national SDGs progress.