Today we celebrate the people who have shaped the country’s information landscape for decades — the professionals who tell the stories that matter, connect our regions, and serve as trusted voices for millions.

In the Kyrgyz Republic, the first radio broadcast went on air 94 years ago, and television began its work in 1958. By the late 1970s, almost the entire country was covered by radio and TV, and the first televisions at home signaled the arrival of a fast-moving new era.

Reporters, camera operators, sound engineers, editors, presenters — everyone who stands on either side of the broadcast — plays a vital role in ensuring that society receives accurate information, preserves cultural values, and stays united. In a time when technology is transforming media at lightning speed, your mission is more important than ever.

Thank you for your dedication, your creativity, and your service to the public. May your work continue to inspire and strengthen our country.

Photo: November 1972. On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the USSR, the Osh Regional Television Studio aired its first broadcast. The image shows the live transmission of an amateur arts concert. Source: foto.kg.

On 4 December 2025, the city of Manas hosted an expanded meeting of the Regional Investment Council of Jalal-Abad Province, chaired by Nurlan Ermatov, First Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in Jalal-Abad Province.

The discussion focused on the region’s growing need to accelerate economic development and reduce administrative barriers that continue to limit private-sector activity. The meeting demonstrated a shared readiness of government and business to jointly advance strategic initiatives capable of strengthening the province’s economic potential.

PPP Projects: New Development Opportunities for Jalal-Abad Province

One of the central agenda items was the review of a proposed PPP project on establishing a trout-farming cluster at the Kurpsai Reservoir.
Participants also considered a PPP initiative to develop an integrated sturgeon-production cluster at the Toktogul Reservoir.

The Center for Public-Private Partnership was represented by Abdu-Salam Tayirov, Head of the PPP Project Promotion and Implementation Department. Senior PPP expert of the Center and PPP expert of the Regional Investment Council for Jalal-Abad Province, Karina Baktybekova, outlined the key approaches to supporting PPP initiatives.

She emphasized that a PPP agreement serves as a reliable guarantee for both the investor and the public partner, noting that the Center’s support continues well beyond the signing of the contract. This includes ongoing monitoring, advisory services, and assistance in resolving operational issues — an approach that reduces investment risks, strengthens trust in the PPP mechanism, and helps ensure sustainable project outcomes.

Administrative Barriers: Improving the Excise Stamp Issuance Process

Particular attention was given to administrative challenges faced by SMEs, specifically the procedures for obtaining excise stamps.
Legal expert of the RIC for Jalal-Abad Province, Aizat Birimkulova, presented an analysis of the current process and proposed ways to streamline and modernize it. She noted that improving the procedure would accelerate processing, enhance transparency, and create better conditions for doing business.

Key Takeaways

The meeting underscored that advancing PPP projects in the fisheries sector, together with optimizing administrative procedures, provides three strategic advantages for the region:

1. more efficient use of water resources;
2. expansion of export potential;
3. a more predictable and business-friendly regulatory environment.

Participants expressed confidence that the combined efforts of the public and private sectors will strengthen the investment climate and support sustainable socio-economic development across Jalal-Abad Province.

At the practical forum “Eurobond Issuance: From Theory to Practice,” held on 2 December in Bishkek, a dedicated panel session on “Investments and International Capital Markets” brought together representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic, the investment community, international partners, and the Business Development and Investments Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Speaking at the session, Uluk Kydyrbaev, Head of the Secretariat of the Council, emphasized that the role of the Council extends far beyond facilitating discussions on the investment agenda. Its core mission is to build a resilient and predictable architecture for capital mobilization — from establishing clear and stable rules for businesses and strengthening investor protection to shaping a portfolio of high-quality projects attractive to international markets.

He highlighted that, following the Kyrgyz Republic’s successful debut sovereign Eurobond issuance, the next strategic priority is to create the conditions for the country’s major corporates and financial institutions to access global capital markets in a structured and prepared manner.

The session also examined investor expectations and the growing demand for transparency, including high-quality reporting, clear debt strategies, ESG integration, and systematic risk management. In this context, Elena Eliseenko, Head of Commercial Operations for CIS, Central and Eastern Europe at S&P Global Ratings, underscored the importance of a consistent credit history, predictable government policy, and open communication between issuers and the market.

Participants discussed the institutional steps required to build a sustainable corporate debt market in the Kyrgyz Republic, including:

• development of the domestic capital market;
• improvement of the regulatory environment;
• strengthening the role of national financial institutions;
• expanding cooperation with international financial organizations.

Following the discussion, the Secretariat of the Council reaffirmed its readiness to continue serving as a key institutional bridge between the government, the private sector, and international investors — helping shape clear investment rules, advancing high-quality projects, and ensuring that the entry of Kyrgyz companies into international capital markets becomes a well-prepared and natural progression, rather than a one-off initiative.

On 2 December, the Business Development and Investments Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, together with its partners, held the first specialised practical forum in Bishkek titled “Eurobond Issuance: From Theory to Practice.”
The event served as an important platform for discussing concrete steps to support Kyrgyz companies and financial institutions in entering international capital markets and shaping a full-fledged external borrowing framework for the Kyrgyz Republic.

The forum brought together representatives of government bodies, financial institutions, major national companies, and international advisers. Participants examined in detail the essential components of preparing for a Eurobond issuance, including internal corporate procedures, foreign regulatory requirements, engagement with rating agencies, disclosure standards, and modern approaches to risk management.

In his opening remarks, Uluk Kydyrbaev, Head of the Secretariat of the Council, noted:
“The Kyrgyz Republic has significant potential for corporate sector growth and attracting external capital. To unlock this potential, we must continue reforms, strengthen the role of the private sector, expand access to new financing instruments, and create an environment in which investors can operate with confidence.”

Developing the Eurobond market is viewed as a strategic priority for diversifying financing sources, supporting large-scale investment projects, and strengthening international investor confidence in the Kyrgyz Republic.

As a result of the discussions, participants formed a consolidated understanding of the next steps required both from potential issuers and from state institutions. The insights and recommendations generated during the forum will be used by the Council in improving the regulatory framework, advancing market infrastructure, and deepening cooperation with international financial institutions and investors.

The Council will continue to serve as a reliable institutional platform where international expertise aligns with the practical needs of domestic businesses and government stakeholders. Through strengthened dialogue and the development of modern capital-raising tools, the Council contributes to increasing investment inflows and creating conditions for accelerated socio-economic growth of the Kyrgyz Republic.