«Kyrgyzstan is aware of the importance of global challenges and is ready to contribute to their solution,» said the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, speaking as part of his working visit to Kazakhstan at the International Forum in Astana.
The head of state noted the importance of responding to modern challenges and threats, giving priority to cooperation as the main postulate of a functioning international system.
«Various regional formats are becoming more and more necessary, through which our countries can coordinate their stances with each other and talk to the world. Therefore, such intellectual, expert, I would even say strategic, platforms, such as the Astana International Forum, acquire special value and special significance today. I am very pleased to speak to a high audience and take this opportunity to share my thoughts on the topic of our event, to present our ideas and considerations to the expert community. The process of forming a new world order is accompanied by an increase in threats and challenges to the security of sovereign states and the entire world community right in front of our eyes. I would like to draw your attention to some of the problems that not only Kyrgyzstan, but the whole world is facing,» Sadyr Japarov said.
The President outlined climate change and biodiversity conservation, recalling that the world lives in an era of globalization and ties between states and peoples are becoming closer than ever.
«The era of digitalization opens up incredible opportunities for us, which even prominent scientists and thinkers of the past could not even dream of. Unfortunately, it is a fact that the negative effects of climate change are manifesting themselves more and more clearly in our region in the form of melting glaciers, an increase in the number of various natural disasters, which poses great threats and risks to social, economic development and food security, entails ever-increasing costs,» Sadyr Japarov emphasized.
The head of state noted that transition to a green economy, adaptation to climate change, sustainable use of water and natural resources are dictated by a vital need.
Sadyr Japarov emphasized that Kyrgyzstan attaches great importance to the issue of efficient use of water resources, as well as the introduction of the principles of integrated water resources management to achieve social, economic and environmental goals.
«We have launched the process of updating legislation, including the Water Code of the Kyrgyz Republic. In February 2023, the National Water Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2040 was adopted, under which Kyrgyzstan assumes obligations to improve state accounting for water and the environmental situation; to ensure safe and high-quality water supply, sanitation and wastewater disposal; to ensure digital transformation of the Unified Information Water System; to create sustainable economic mechanisms for water management, stimulating rational water use; to create basin management bodies based on the hydrographic principle. I would especially like to highlight the fact that the location of Kyrgyzstan in the zone of formation of water resources, which are also used by neighboring countries, determines our high responsibility to the entire region,» Sadyr Japarov emphasized.
Kyrgyzstan stands for the importance and significance of cooperation in this area on a fair, reasonable and equal basis, which meets the interests of all countries in the region.
Sadyr Japarov
The President raised the issue of power industry, noting that today the world is going through a difficult stage in its development. Given the scarcity and high energy prices, renewable energy sources are increasingly coming to the fore. At present, work is underway to select water bodies where, in the future, the practical implementation of projects on the construction and operation of small and medium-sized hydroelectric power plants is possible.
«I would like to note here that the hydropower potential of 252 large and medium-sized rivers in Kyrgyzstan is estimated at more than 142.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, about 13 percent of which have been developed to date. The potential of renewable energy sources is estimated at 840 million tons of reference fuel per year. By 2050, we aim to achieve carbon neutrality primarily through the use of renewable energy sources. In this regard, I invite interested parties to mutually beneficial investment cooperation in the field of renewable energy sources, including on the principles of public-private partnership. We are creating a reliable state system of preferences and have taken appropriate measures to develop sustainable power industry,» the head of state added.
Sadyr Japarov outlined the situation in the economy, which shows that it has never been so difficult for analysts to make their forecasts as it is today. Emotionally colored words are increasingly appearing in their vocabulary — «luck», «restrained optimism», «surprises» and the like.
«One of the articles by the famous economist Kenneth Rogoff published on the eve of the beginning of 2023 directly said that «the fact that in 2022 the world did not face a systemic financial crisis is a small miracle.» It is becoming a common opinion that there will be less and less such miracles in the economy in the near future, but there are more and more surprises, mostly with a negative connotation. The signs of fragmentation in world trade are not yet so visible now, but more and more analysts are inclined to believe that protectionism measures will increase as geopolitical tensions also grow. And that this could have very serious consequences for the countries of Central Asia. Obviously, if the countries of the region are cut off from the world market, this may lead to a decrease in exports and a deterioration in the trade balance, which, in turn, means a reduction in investment and an increase in unemployment. The next links in this logical chain are also correct: if the trend towards geo-economic fragmentation continues to grow, then political instability in the region, extremism will also grow, and the environmental situation may worsen. Therefore, we all need to strengthen regional cooperation, look for new effective formats of cooperation and at the same time actively interact with various world platforms, not only in bilateral formats, but also as a whole region,» the President of the Kyrgyz Republic added.
He noted the speech of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at last month’s Eurasian Economic Forum, where he named creation of new industries, technologies and jobs as the main measure of success in economic integration.
Kyrgyzstan is aware of the importance of global challenges and is ready to contribute to their solution. We recognize that these challenges require cooperation and coordination of efforts on the part of all states and the international community. Taking into account the need to overcome the aforementioned challenges, the implementation of climate and energy projects will require large investments and financing.
Sadyr Japarov
The head of state stressed that Kyrgyzstan expects an active involvement of partners, financial institutions in projects in the region aimed at the transition of countries to a green, sustainable, climate-friendly and environmentally friendly «neutral» economy. He called for focusing efforts on pursuing a coordinated policy on the formation and development of transport corridors in order to create favorable conditions for entering global markets.
«Strengthening investment cooperation, especially in the areas of «digital economy» and green development, more than ever meets the requirements of our days. We believe that all this is possible only if we pursue a coordinated policy and coordinate our actions in regional and international cooperation formats. Only on the basis of solidarity, common responsibility for the prosperity of our own countries and peoples, as well as for the prosperity of our entire region, we can ensure the creation of a fair, safe and socially oriented development model,» Sadyr Japarov concluded.
