Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov spoke at the panel session «Sustainable Development Goals in Action» of the World Government Summit (WGS), held in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). Press service of the Cabinet reported.
Akylbek Japarov noted that the consequences of climate change were increasingly manifesting themselves in various places and often in unexpected forms. Seemingly stable institutions and ties are collapsing, previous forms of thinking cannot cope with new challenges.
The density of events in recent years is so high that it is simply physically impossible to predict and comprehend them.
«The relatively stable state of the world order system or the industrial phase of its development has exhausted itself. We are moving on to another phase. This transition is accompanied by a large-scale economic and geopolitical crisis. The world is shaking. The global energy crisis, widespread inflation is hitting records along with the slowdown in the world’s second economy — China, which came as a surprise to many, as well as the slowdown in the United States and Europe. This alarming list of challenges can be continued almost endlessly,» the head of the Cabinet said.
Most analysts give very disappointing forecasts for 2023, noting the high probability of a global recession. Akylbek Japarov is sure that the most important thing now is to reduce the imbalance between countries as much as possible, at least at the regional level. At the same time, he noted that digital technologies bring «surprises» every day.
I see the danger in the digital inequality of states. Obviously, this imbalance will be worse than the industrial backwardness.
Akylbek Japarov
Speaking about Central Asia, the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers said that since 2018, the region began to take on new outlines and be filled with fresh meanings. But without the cooperation, it will be very difficult for Central Asia to become a subject on a global scale. In addition, the region as a whole is clearly more economically competitive in the face of global tectonic changes.
«Today, the heads of Central Asian states have the political will to strengthen integration and cooperation within the region. We, of course, still have a lot to think about and rethink, agree on and come to a compromise. But we must hold on to each other, because the global world, as we have known in recent decades, will fall apart into localities. This is already clearly visible, as well as the fact that a struggle has begun between major geopolitical players for the formation of their macro-regions,» Akylbek Japarov emphasized.
He also spoke about the trend towards deglobalization of world economies. Countries are trying to build up domestic capacity. Another trend is the growth of investments, both public and private, in education and the modernization of educational models. The third trend is the development and expansion of the area of application of green economy models.
These changes are also relevant for Kyrgyzstan, Akylbek Japarov said.
«To date, Kyrgyzstan is a country with a favorable investment climate for foreign entrepreneurs to enter the market. A new financial strategy for the country is in the phase of active development. It is based on the principles of rationality and expediency, as well as improving management efficiency. The new strategy will become the basis of an ambitious national program under the pilot title «Kyrgyzstan — Regional Business — Oasis,» the head of the Cabinet said.
The main goal of the program is to create the most attractive investment climate in the country.
It is planned to initiate a package of bills aimed at protecting investments, freedom of movement of capital, a ban on the forceful resolution of economic disputes, and simplification of registration and licensing procedures. An Investment Code is being developed.
Akylbek Japarov also paid attention to the development of artificial intelligence.
«We thought that artificial intelligence was supposed to replace routine tasks, but to our surprise, it is displacing out creativity. Although the famous Chat GPT itself denies this! Who to believe? Digital currency that threatens to replace the banking system. The new monetary reality is the new digital reality. A perfect example of this: you can legally buy real estate for cryptocurrency here in Dubai,» he said.
The head of the Cabinet believes that a technological breakthrough would involve emergence of new technologies for managing knowledge, learning, health, time, new business models and social relations, and, of course, the «other life» of key industrial technologies — transport and energy sector.
