Bishkek, 7 March 2024 - Ms. Ivana Živković, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Assistant Administrator and Director of UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States concluded her first official visit to Kyrgyzstan, March 3-6, 2024. During her mission, ASG Živković engaged with Kyrgyz Republic leadership, women entrepreneurs, regional state representatives, development partners, and other stakeholders to discuss sustainable development priorities and further collaboration opportunities.

On 4 March, ASG Živković met with Mr. Akylbek Japarov, Chair of the Cabinet of Ministers. She highlighted UNDP’s commitment to support the country's development priorities and discussed UNDP's global expertise in sustainable development, governance, and climate action, underscoring the organization's role as a vital partner in advancing socioeconomic recovery, green growth, digitalization, and social cohesion.  

ASG Živković also held fruitful discussions with Mr.Jeenbek Kulubaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to explore avenues for UNDP collaboration with the Kyrgyz Republic across various sectors.

Furthermore, she met with Ms. Kamila Talieva, Member of Parliament and discussed Gender Equality, Peacebuilding, Climate Resilience, and Women Entrepreneurship. Also, they highlighted the pivotal role of Gender Council at the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus in championing Women Leadership in 2024.

She then took part in the high-level National Dialogue on the UNDP Integrated development offer for Batken, where she reaffirmed UNDP’s continued support to portfolio-based approaches to tackle emerging development challenges and offer comprehensive solutions. 

ASG Živković met with women leaders from civil society organizations in the climate and energy sectors, to emphasize the pivotal role of women in driving sustainable solutions for climate resilience and clean energy transitions.

On 5 March, ASG Živković traveled to the Osh and Batken oblasts of Kyrgyzstan. She met with the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in Osh province, Mr. Djantaev, to discuss opportunities for collaboration on green energy, trade, and development. 

She visited UNDP-supported women-led businesses, emphasizing UNDP's commitment to gender equality and environmental sustainability. In Osh, she saw the newly built a fire and rescue station, equipped through trilateral cooperation between the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Government of the Republic of Korea, and UNDP.

In Batken, ASG Živković met with Mr Abdikarim Alimbaev, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in Batken province, to explore joint efforts towards local development, climate resilience, and social cohesion. She visited several project sites and met with local youth entrepreneurs contributing to local development. 

ASG Živković co-chaired a high-level Round Table for the Conservation Trust Fund with the Deputy Chairperson of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Minister for Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Kubat Kuseinov, and development partners, private sector, civil society and academia representatives. 

Over the past decade, UNDP has been providing assistance to the biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation efforts of the Kyrgyz Republic through several major disaster risk management initiatives and the establishment of the Conservation Trust Fund that marks a significant stride towards safeguarding natural heritage and promoting sustainable development.

The visit underscores the strong partnership between UNDP and the Kyrgyz Republic, and their shared commitment to support a sustainable, equitable, and prosperous development.