Kyrgyzstan has launched the preparatory stage for joining the WTO Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement. The National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, together with the International Trade Centre and with support from the European Union, is conducting a validation seminar of the national self-assessment within the framework of the "Ready4Trade Central Asia: Promoting Prosperity via the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor" project.
The WTO Agreement introduces a modern international framework aimed at enhancing transparency, efficiency, and predictability of processes encountered by investors. It does not regulate market access or investment protection. Instead, it focuses on how governments administer investment-related measures: publication of information, processing of applications, inter-agency coordination, reduction of bureaucracy, and the development of digital services.
For the Kyrgyz Republic, this is an opportunity to align national procedures with international standards, strengthen business trust, improve the investment climate, and access technical assistance from global partners.
Working Group and the Self-Assessment
As part of the preparation, an Interagency Working Group was formed. Over several months, the group studied a comprehensive assessment tool — a questionnaire of more than 500 questions. It examines the entire investment facilitation system: publication of laws, the functioning of the “single window,” inter-agency coordination, digital services, and mechanisms for feedback from the private sector.
The resulting national self-assessment provides an objective picture of compliance with best practices, identifies existing gaps, and highlights reforms that require priority attention.
Validation Seminar
The seminar held brings together government officials and international experts to confirm and refine the findings of the self-assessment. This discussion defines the priorities for the next phase of reforms.
The Secretariat of the Business Development and Investments Council under the Cabinet of Ministers also takes an active part. It serves as a key platform for dialogue on systemic reforms and business proposals.
What Joining the Agreement Will Bring
Joining the Agreement will provide the Kyrgyz Republic with a more modern, transparent, and efficient system of working with investors. This includes higher-quality information, enhanced digital services, predictable procedures, improved institutional coordination, and reduced administrative barriers.
Developing countries benefit from transitional periods and access to technical assistance. Therefore, an objective self-assessment helps the Kyrgyz Republic determine which provisions can be implemented immediately and which require additional resources and time.
Preparation for joining the WTO Agreement is not a formal exercise - it is a step toward real improvements in the country’s investment climate. The national self-assessment and its validation form the foundation for modernizing administrative processes, digital services, and mechanisms of interaction between the state and the business community.