On April 1, 2025, the city of Naryn hosted the “Business Enlightenment Caravan,” a large-scale event that brought together more than 200 entrepreneurs and active citizens of the region. The focus was on real opportunities for business development, along with presentations of new grant and loan programs aimed at fostering sustainable regional growth.

In addition to explanations on legislative changes, taxation, and labor relations, participants were introduced to concrete support tools for Naryn entrepreneurs:

— The Regional Development Fund, operating under the Ministry of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic, presented its terms for issuing budget loans at just 2% interest per year, with repayment periods of up to 10 years. These funds can be used for projects in milk, meat, potato, and safflower oil processing, as well as for initiatives in tourism, hydropower, and fisheries. “We’re expecting quality business projects from Naryn residents. All the conditions are here — the financing is available,” said a fund representative.

— In the tourism sector, participants learned about new support directions: the reconstruction of the Salkyn-Tor Nature Park, the construction of Naryn Airport, the launch of the “Tengir-Too” tourism brand, the creation of geoparks, the development of winter tourism, and the launch of the visitnaryn.kg platform. “Naryn is becoming a center of attraction for both domestic and international tourism. It’s crucial that businesses are ready to meet this challenge,” noted the presentation coordinator.

In the second part of the event, participants actively engaged in a Q&A session. One of the most discussed topics was Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): “Local entrepreneurs are ready to invest — from small to large-scale projects. But it's important to understand the rules and mechanisms,” said one of the speakers.

Access to financing was another hot topic. “As soon as collateral is required, 99% of applicants are left out,” shared an entrepreneur from Ak-Talaa. In response, fund representatives explained that this is a key part of the mechanism and emphasized the importance of legalizing assets.

A separate block focused on taxation. Questions were raised about including vital medicines in the VAT exemption list, the use of E-TTN (electronic waybills), the patent system, and real-life cases — from opening a mini hair salon to tax obligations for livestock herders.

Parallel to the panel sessions, entrepreneurs could receive individual consultations in the theater's foyer. Consultation zones were organized with representatives from development funds, state banks, and insurance companies.

The event format included expert presentations, Q&A sessions, and individual meetings. This approach allowed not only for explanations of current legislative changes but also for highlighting real challenges faced by business representatives on the ground.

The next stops of the Caravan: Karakol — April 3, Talas — April 8, Tokmok — April 10, Kara-Balta — April 15, Bishkek — April 16.

The campaign is organized by the JIA Business Association and the Secretariat of the Investment Council under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, with the support of the Plenipotentiary Representatives of the President in the regions, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration, the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Finance, the Center for Public-Private Partnership under NAIA, the Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the Land and Water Oversight Service under the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry, the EBRD, the OSCE Program Office, UNDP, and the Center for Business Support..