EBRD to assist Kyrgyzstan to improve irrigation in Osh Oblast

Bishkek, July 12, 2022. /Kabar/. During the working visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev met with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso. During the meeting, the sides discussed current and prospective spheres of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the EBRD, the press service of the Kyrgyz Cabinet reported. Adylbek Kasymaliev informed that Kyrgyzstan adopted a national development program until 2026, which is an integral part of the national development strategy until 2040, and acceleration of economic growth and integration of national economy into the world processes remain the main challenges. "As part of the Kyrgyz Republic's commitment to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050, the transition to a green economy has been identified as a priority going forward. A new law on renewable energy has been adopted recently, which regulates the legal norms for small hydropower, and establishes preferential tariffs for the transition to carbon-free energy sources," he said. The deputy head of the Kyrgyz Cabinet stressed that many investors are already interested in the possibility of building small hydropower plants and solar plants. "The implementation of these projects will be facilitated by the norms in the new tax code of the Kyrgyz Republic to support green economy and low-carbon technologies. Taking this into account, we invite the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to cooperate through investing not only in hydropower and its alternative sources, but also in other mutually beneficial areas in the field of "green" economy", Kasymaliev added. EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso thanked the Kyrgyz delegation for participation in the Forum of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and stressed that all past years, the financial institution has been assisting Central Asian countries, including the Kyrgyz Republic, in key areas of development. "Currently, business companies, which are our clients, are interested in green projects in Central Asian countries and we need to create favorable conditions for them in key positions. We also need to continue our efforts in the field of agricultural development, given the growing global food crisis. Another area of common efforts is the area of digitalization, given the potential of the younger generation," she stressed. As a result of the meeting, a new agreement was signed between the Kyrgyz Republic and the EBRD to implement a project to improve irrigation in Osh Oblast to the amount of EUR 17.87 million. According to this project, the irrigation system will be modernized and irrigation water supply to farmers and agricultural farms of Aravan region of Osh Oblast will be improved.