Opening Remarks of the UN Resident Coordinator at the National Workshop on SDG Data Analysis in Support of the VNR Preparation in Kyrgyzstan

Mr. Bakyt Sydykov, 

Honorable Member of Parliament Chingiz Aidarbekov,

Chairman of the Statistics Committee Mr. Baktybek Kudaibergenov, 

Honorable Deputy Ministers, Government Officials, 

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honor to speak at this workshop today devoted to the strengthening of Kyrgyzstan’s ability to monitor SDG progress, develop data-driven policies and ensure accountability in real time through the National SDG Tracker, developed by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP).

Today’s workshop is very timely. Not only does it come right after world leaders, including President Japarov, came together in September 2024 in New York for the Summit of the Future to acknowledge the need for accelerated efforts for SDG achievements, but also in Kyrgyzstan, the issues discussed today are critical with regards to the preparations of the Voluntary National Review (VNR) and National Development Strategy. 

The SDG Tracker equips Kyrgyzstan with a data-based robust platform to make evidence-based decisions, essential for sustainable development. Its primary function is to strengthen national SDG efforts by:

1. Monitoring Progress with Precision: Real-time tracking of SDG targets offers Kyrgyzstan accurate data to assess its development journey, enabling timely adjustments to stay aligned with the 2030 Agenda.

2. Enabling Data-Driven Decision-Making: By providing reliable data, the tracker empowers policymakers to make informed decisions on resource allocation and prioritization, ensuring every effort counts.

3. Promoting Transparency and Accountability: The tracker makes progress visible to all—government agencies, the Parliament civil society, and the public—fostering transparency and strengthening accountability in delivering SDG commitments and enable a whole-of-government and whole-of-society effort to achieve the SDGs. 

4. Optimizing Resource Allocation: With the ability to identify areas of progress and those needing support, the tracker helps optimize resource allocation, preventing duplication and ensuring that no one is left behind.

5. Supporting Policy Coherence and Synergy: The tracker helps to highlight interconnections among SDG goals, ensuring that advancements in one area, such as education or gender equality, reinforce gains in others, such as economic growth.

6. Bolstering Global and Regional Leadership: As the first country here in the region to fully implement the tracker, Kyrgyzstan is setting an example of how national tools can drive collaboration and inspire best practices across the region.

Looking forward, the SDG Tracker will also be instrumental as Kyrgyzstan prepares for its 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR). It provides the robust data needed to inform about national achievements on SDGs and share progress with global partners. Following the kick-off seminar in May 2024, held jointly with the Government, we expect an upcoming Government Decree to formalize the VNR’s coordination mechanism, ensuring clear collaboration throughout the process, including with Parliament and other key partners.

Beyond the VNR, the insights generated by the tracker will guide Kyrgyzstan in creating a development strategy that moves beyond GDP. Such strategy, currently under preparation, can reflect a fuller picture of sustainable progress across social, economic, and environmental dimensions. 

The United Nations, through all its agencies, remains a committed partner in Kyrgyzstan’s SDG journey. Through programmatic interventions, partnerships, funding, and technical assistance we will continue to ensure that development in Kyrgyzstan is inclusive, sustainable, and leaves no one behind.

I extend my gratitude to the Presidential Administration, the Ministry of Economy, the National Statistical Committee, and all participating agencies for their leadership in implementing the SDG Tracker and applying it moreover. Following today’s workshop, I hope all participants will become even more engaged in tracking SDG indicators and working with the National Statistical Committee to close data gaps and reinforce the national SDG database.

Thank you to UN ESCAP for developing this essential tool, I wish you a productive workshop and I look forward to the first analysis with the SDG Tracker.

Thank you.