Remarks by UNRC Antje Grawe at the event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Ministry of Economy

Excellency, Akylbek Zhaparov, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers,

Minister of Economy, Daniar Amangeldiev,

Excellencies, Development Partners,

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honor to address this conference today, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Kyrgyz Republic – the 100th anniversary of the Ministry of Economy.

Let me start by congratulating Minister Daniyar Amangeldiev and the staff of the Ministry on this special occasion. While a lot has already been said about the Ministry’s role in spurring economic growth and providing for an enabling environment in this regard, let me highlight the instrumental role that the Ministry is playing in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in Kyrgyzstan. And you have been carrying the torch of the SDGs visibly and competently, championing sustainable development and poverty reduction and guiding the path for the Cabinet of Ministers and development partners alike. The United Nations in Kyrgyzstan and its 27 agencies, funds and programmes are a proud partner of the Ministry, in full support of the implementation of the national development strategies and policies devised by you, including the National Development Program 2026 and the 2040 strategy currently under review.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Kyrgyzstan stands at a moment of immense opportunity. With its rich natural resources, its strategic geographic location, and a young and dynamic population, the country is well-positioned to build the foundations for a robust and diversified economy that enables the delivery of prosperity for all, including the most marginalized and vulnerable. Achieving this vision requires more than just economic growth—it demands strategic planning, inclusive policies, and sustainable practices that can withstand global uncertainties and drive equitable long-term development.

In recent years, the Kyrgyz Republic has demonstrated notable progress in diversifying its economy beyond traditional sectors like agriculture and mining together with strong growth rates. Infrastructure development and gradual transition to a green economy have been prioritized. National projects such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and the Kambarata-1 hydroelectric plant, construction of solar power stations and the promotion of public-private partnerships are just few examples of how the creation of a conducive investment environment can contribute to producing common public goods to serve the Kyrgyzstan’s seven million people.

At the same time, Kyrgyzstan has shown a strong commitment to initiatives focused on poverty eradication and job creation, social protection and the improvement of social services including education and healthcare, in line with its commitment to the SDGs. These are not only part and parcel of the country’s national development strategies mentioned earlier, but President Japarov has also reiterated this commitment on numerous occasions including at last year’s SDG Summit where he outlined his vision to accelerate SDG achievement in Kyrgyzstan with the declared objectives of poverty and inequality reduction by focused investments in inclusive quality education and both the green economy and climate action.

The acceleration of the SDGs was also a central theme of this year’s Summit of the Future where global leaders came together under the auspices of the United Nations exactly one month ago today to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism as a means to achieve the SDGs and leave no one behind. The resulting Pact for the Future adopted at the Summit outlines a set of overall commitments and practical steps placing poverty eradication at the center of efforts, strengthening people-centric efforts and finding means to close the financing gap for the achievement of the SDGs in developing countries, including access to climate finance. How much the Summit’s focus on SDG acceleration, including access to finance, in countries like Kyrgyzstan is reflected in President Japarov’s statement at the Summit in which he elaborated on Kyrgyzstan’s “triple challenge = the need to invest in development, reduce poverty and adapt to climate change to achieve carbon neutrality” and proposed innovative finance mechanisms including debt swaps to support Kyrgyzstan in her national efforts aimed at advancing sustainable development and climate action.

And indeed, for Kyrgyzstan’s socio-economic achievements to be sustained and to enable the country’s ambitions to make a quantum leap in SDG achievement by 2030 and reach the 30th rank of SDG achievement globally, as pronounced as goal by the President, multi-layered and cross-sectoral efforts are needed which include access to finance.   

In this regard, the next few months offer a number of opportunities to further consolidate ongoing efforts, many of them spearheaded by the Ministry of Economy, or where the Ministry places a key role within the Cabinet of Ministers:

There is first of all the ongoing revision of the national development strategy 2030. It is very encouraging to see internal discussions about formulating a strategy that goes explicitly beyond economic growth and incorporates social and environmental determinants for sustainable development, inspired by the UN SG’s Beyond GDP concept. Certainly, the ongoing National Voluntary Review of current SDG achievement can also provide inputs. 

While Kyrgyzstan will present the VNR only next year to ECOSOC, in line with the President’s decision, ongoing work can inform the strategy development in particular as it relates to poverty reduction, social protection and gender equality strategies to eradicate poverty without leaving anyone behind. Equally, the upcoming National Development Forum on 5 November with its focus on human capital development that meets both labor market and social development requirements and fosters decent work can be a key source of inspiration, including from best practices in other countries. The United Nations system in Kyrgyzstan supports the development of the national strategy, the VNR and the DF in numerous ways including through the provision of expert-knowledge and best practices, as well as through the organization of consultations that enable contributions from relevant stakeholders including academdia, the private sector and civil society.

Secondly, I’d like to commend the Government for its steps towards identifying national and international financing flows including through the work on an Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF). Diversified funding sources, strengthened public financial management, and improved access to climate finance, as instruments of the INFF, can boost foreign investment, support private sector growth, and foster the transition to a green economy. Aligning national financial strategies with the SDG priorities can further guide SDG achievement.

Third, when it comes to access to finance, two major conferences offer huge opportunities for Kyrgyzsytan: First, COP 29 with its focus on climate adaption and access to climate finance in November in Baku. Second, the fourth international conference on development finance in Spain in July 2025 that has been agreed at the Summit of the Future.

The United Nations with all its agencies stand firmly with Kyrgyzstan and the Ministry on Kyrgyzstan’s journey to achieve the SDGs including through the implementation of sound economic and climate policies embedded in the national development strategies and through supporting the country in identifying access to finance, in partnership with other international DP including the IFIs and the private sector.

In closing, let us remember that economic development is not an end in itself. It is a tool to improve lives, reduce poverty, and promote dignity for all its citizens. The Ministry of Economy’s leadership will be key to ensuring that this progress is shared across all segments of society and that Kyrgyzstan continues to be a shining example of development in the Central Asian region and beyond. 

Thanks you. Chon Rakhmat!