On April 16, 2019, The University of Central Asia’s (UCA) Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA) of the Graduate School of Development organized a meeting to discuss the current situation of the mining sector in Kyrgyzstan with representatives of state agencies, mining companies, experts and researchers, as well as international organizations and institutions.

IBC Executive Director Askar Sydykov took part in the event.

A presentation on “Mining and Subsoil Use in Kyrgyzstan” was delivered by Mr Karybek Ibrayev, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Industry, Energy, and Subsoil Use of the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as a presentation on the “Gobi Framework for Sustainable Partnerships” project, by representatives from UCA and University of Oxford (UK).

This 2.5-year project is a collaborative project between the University of Central Asia, University of Oxford, and the Independent Research Institute of Mongolia. It aims at suggesting a model for sustainable exploration of mineral deposits for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which builds on the experience of Mongolia, and helps minimize negative impacts of the large infrastructure-related projects of the Chinese One Belt, One Road initiative.

“The key challenge of the Kyrgyz Government in the mining sector is to ensure balance between an environmental and economic agenda,” said Kemel Toktomushev, Research Fellow at UCA’s IPPA. “It should be addressed in the context of the local communities with respect to exploitation of local deposits by Chinese companies. Negative attitudes will rise, unless there is a mechanism which takes into account the interests of all stakeholders.”

Funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), the “Gobi Framework for Sustainable Partnerships” project will develop a framework for sustainable infrastructure development to promote inclusive economic development and social welfare in the context of Chinese mega infrastructure initiatives in Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.