Last week, during his visit to Bishkek, Estonian Ambassador Jaap Ora met with the Head of the Secretariat of the Investment Council of the Kyrgyz Republic Uluk Kydyrbaev. During the meetings, issues of developing economic and investment cooperation in the field of innovation, IT, IoT, with the possibility of organizing joint business forums were discussed.

"Business Enlightenment Caravan" took place from March 25 to April 22, 2025. The JIA Business Association and the Secretariat of the Investment Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic jointly initiated the campaign. It covered all regions of the country — from Issyk-Kul to Batken — including key cities such as Tokmok and Kara-Balta (9 locations in total). Over 2,000 entrepreneurs representing small and medium-sized businesses participated in educational and advisory sessions throughout the campaign.
Reportage by the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation of the Kyrgyz Republic (УТРК)

On April 24, a media briefing was held in Bishkek to present the outcomes of the nationwide information and consultation campaign "Business Enlightenment Caravan." The event aimed to inform the public about the current state of the business environment in the regions of the Kyrgyz Republic, discuss systemic barriers faced by entrepreneurs, and review ongoing debureaucratization efforts.

The briefing featured the following speakers:

• Kubanychbek Yssabekov - Deputy Chairman of the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic;
• Bakytbek Sartmametov - Head of the Legal Department of the JIA Business Association;
• Bakytbek Samakov - Chief Legal Expert of the Secretariat of the Investment Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic;
• Cholpon Asakeeva - Public-Private Partnership Expert of the Secretariat of the Investment Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The briefing marked the conclusion of the "Business Enlightenment Caravan," which took place from March 25 to April 22, 2025. The campaign was jointly initiated by the JIA Business Association and the Secretariat of the Investment Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic. It covered all regions of the country — from Issyk-Kul to Batken — including key cities such as Tokmok and Kara-Balta (9 locations in total). Throughout the campaign, over 2,000 entrepreneurs representing small and medium-sized businesses participated in educational and advisory sessions.

Participants focused on issues such as tax administration, the use of cash registers, implementation of the tax amnesty, access to financial products, the development of PPP mechanisms, and regional entrepreneurship.

A key outcome of the campaign was the development of proposals aimed at eliminating systemic barriers. These proposals were submitted to the National Institute for Strategic Initiatives and discussed with the State Tax Service. It was emphasized that local business associations should be formalized as stable communication channels, and that regional investment councils and mobile advisory groups should be launched to enhance engagement with entrepreneurs in remote areas.

The organizers expressed gratitude to all partners of the campaign, including the Plenipotentiary Representatives of the President in the regions, local city halls, ministries, the PPP Center, state banks, and development funds. Special thanks were extended to Sputnik Kyrgyzstan for providing the venue for the briefing.

The results of the “Business Enlightenment Caravan” reaffirmed that a stable and productive dialogue between the state and business is possible when it is built on openness, mutual respect, and shared responsibility for the country’s development.

On April 22, 2025, the Secretariat of the Investment Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic hosted a meeting between the Head of the Secretariat, Uluk Kydyrbaev, his team, and a delegation from Japan comprising experts from ArkEdge Space and Gaia Vision. The meeting was held as part of efforts to expand international cooperation in the fields of satellite technology, natural resource monitoring, and climate change adaptation.

The Japanese delegation included:

• Tomonori Deguchi and Chikako Murakami, specialists from the Remote Sensing Department at Ark Edge Space,
• Satoru Demoto, Co-Founder of Gaia Vision,
• Eiji Matsuyama, Founder and CEO of Maccam.

During the presentation, representatives of ArkEdge Space highlighted the potential of next-generation microsatellites for water resource monitoring, flood forecasting, and IoT communications. Special attention was given to initiatives involving the launch of microsatellites with international partners, including the Kyrgyz Republic, with which memoranda of understanding have already been signed.

Gaia Vision presented its advanced climate analytics platform, based on the Global River Hydrodynamics Model developed by the University of Tokyo. This system enables highly accurate flood risk forecasting, damage assessment, and the development of mitigation strategies. The presentation also included examples of how Gaia Vision’s tools are successfully integrated into strategic planning and corporate climate risk reporting (TNFD).

The parties discussed potential areas for cooperation, including:

• implementing pilot projects for monitoring water resources and natural disasters in the Kyrgyz Republic,
• integrating satellite data into strategic planning and agriculture, including soil analysis, crop planning, and yield forecasting,
• applying satellite data for infrastructure development,
• fostering academic and scientific exchange in the field of space technologies.

The meeting marked an important step toward deepening cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and Japan in high technology and sustainable development.