Speech of UN RC a.i. Andrea Bagnoli at UN-UCA Development Dialogue IV

Your Excellency, Mr Ekmat Dzurukbaevich, Member of Parliament

Your Excellency, Mr Sohail Naqvi, Rector of the University of Central Asia,

Distinguished guests and participants,

On behalf of the United Nations system in Kyrgyzstan it is my pleasure to welcome you to the fourth Development Dialogue on Industrial and Technological Development in Kyrgyzstan.

This is the 4th event in a series of multi-stakeholder dialogues on issues that are most critical for sustainable development of Kyrgyzstan.

The Development Dialogues are a joint initiative of the United Nations system in Kyrgyzstan and the Institute of Public Policy and Administration of the University of Central Asia, that aims to support evidence-based integrated policy formulation in Kyrgyzstan.

We launched Development Dialogues to provide a platform for discussion, exchange of analyses and to share best practices on key development issues.

This follows one of the cross-cutting ideas of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 – the idea of partnership, enshrined in Goal 17 – Partnerships for Development, and multi-stakeholder cooperation.

Through the Development Dialogues initiative, we as One UN system will be continuing our policy support to advise the national partners on long-term focus on approaches for inter-related dimensions of sustainable development, ensuring underlying emphasis on the commitment to leave no one behind, applying multi-stakeholder approaches and boosting implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Let me re-assure you of our strong intention to continue working with various stakeholders to turn discussions and exchange of substantive inputs into concrete and coherent policy action so that we can achieve better policy coordination in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the “Unity.Trust.Creation” Programme of the Government and sectoral strategies in the coming years.

Today we welcome the participation of distinguished representatives of Jogorku Kenesh, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, State Committee on Industry, Energy and Mining, academia, experts, business and development associations.

Bringing you all together is especially important for us to create a platform for discussion where we all can exchange inputs on industrial development from different perspectives, share opinions and establish a fruitful discussion to reduce traditional sector silos, improve policy coherence and establish a platform for integrated policy formulation in Kyrgyzstan.

Today we will be discussing industrial and technological development as a means to achieve the economic growth in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Kyrgyzstan was an industrial-agrarian republic of the Soviet Union but lost most of its industrial potential during the initial years of independence, except mining sector, and was more focused on trade and services.

Lack of industries is one of the reasons behind lack of decent jobs in the country and unemployment in general, that also triggers mass labour migration abroad.

No country has ever reached a high level of economic and social development without having developed an advanced industrial sector.

Industry, supported by innovation, is the most dynamic driver of prosperity and collective wellbeing.

In this regard, Sustainable Development Goal 9 acknowledges that industry and industrialization are the main drivers of sustained economic growth, environmental sustainability and shared prosperity.

Inclusive and sustainable industrialization will help Kyrgyzstan achieve other Sustainable Development Goals, such as reducing poverty and inequality, ensuring sustainable economic growth and promoting social justice.

The current leaders of Kyrgyzstan have been making efforts and included re-industrialization in most of the strategic development plans.

Industrial development in Kyrgyzstan is mainly framed by the Concept of regional policy of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2018-2022, approved by the President in 2017, the Plan for Implementation of Measures developed in that concept and the Decree of the President of Kyrgyz Republic about the implementation of the concept of regional policy for 2018-2022.

In the end of 2018 President S. Jeenbekov established the Committee on Development of Industry and Entrepreneurship, and this morning some of the participants here attended this Committee’s meetings.

We note that Kyrgyzstan is currently in the process of formulating its Industrial Development Strategy for 2019-2024, together with its Action Plan with a strong focus on regional development.

A Programme for Country Partnership for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development will also be drafted in implemented.

So how can we enhance our efforts in innovative industrial and technological development in Kyrgyzstan?

How can we better coordinate the work of line ministries, government agencies, industrial and manufacturing enterprises, including private sector, development partners, researchers and civil society to ensure inclusive and sustainable industrial development?

Dear distinguished participants, I invite all of you at this Dialogue to share your thoughts, challenges, best practices, ideas and recommendations for addressing the gaps and supporting Kyrgyzstan’s efforts in industrial development.

We are here today to establish an interactive environment and I have no doubt that this Dialogue will provide a great opportunity to advance our joint work on this key development issue.

Thank you very much.

Photos are available HERE