Overview
Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked lower-middle-income nation, has the most liberal and open political system in Central Asia, despite facing recurrent periods of political and social instability over the last two decades.
With a population of approximately 7 million, its mountainous topography makes Kyrgyzstan particularly vulnerable to climate change. The country has experienced mean temperature changes that exceed global averages, resulting in glacier melt, shifts in rainfall patterns, and increased drought occurrences.
Our partnership
The EU is committed to supporting Kyrgyzstan's journey towards sustainable development, aligning its efforts with the country's National Development Strategy 2018-2040, alongside the Global Gateway strategy and the EU Strategy for Central Asia. The partnership prioritises governance and digital transformation to enhance transparency and efficiency in public administration.
Team Europe in Kyrgyzstan brings together the EU, the European Investment Bank, and Germany, and works in close cooperation with Switzerland. Together, we work on human development to improve education, and social services for the country’s citizens. Additionally, our partnership seeks to build a green and climate-resilient economy to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable growth.
The EU has allocated €98 million in grant funding to support this partnership. Kyrgyzstan also benefits from several EU regional programmes.
EU-Kyrgyzstan partnership programming documents can be found in the 'Related documents' section below.
Our key initiatives
- Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor
The EU is dedicated to improving transport connectivity along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor with Central Asia, including with Kyrgyzstan. This initiative aligns with the recommendations provided by the Study on Sustainable Transport Connections between Europe and Central Asia. At regional level, Kyrgyzstan has partnered with the EU to set up a coordination system and encourage investments in the Trans-Caspian Transport Network by funding initial feasibility studies.
- Digital connectivity
Building on the existing EU-Kyrgyzstan cooperation in digitalisation, our efforts focus on:
- Supporting Kyrgyzstan’s digital policies and strategies.
- Improving policies and regulations to support sustainable and inclusive connectivity.
- Investing in building a ground infrastructure to support a regional satellite network.
- Water and energy
EU supports Kyrgyzstan in improving regional integrated water-energy resource management, promoting food security, creating decent employment opportunities, and stimulating growth and sustainable development across Central Asia. Our efforts focus on:
- Water and environment:
- Supporting Kyrgyzstan’s water policies and strategies.
- Supporting the upgrade of Kyrgyz irrigation infrastructure.
- Restoring three priority uranium legacy sites in Kyrgyzstan.
- Energy connectivity and sustainability:
- Advancing energy connectivity in Central Asia.
- Improving regional coordination on water management.
- Contributing to the Team Europe Initiative on Water, Energy and Climate Change.
- Water and environment:
- Trade and economic development
Kyrgyzstan and the EU are committed to foster a robust trade environment by:
- Easing cross-border transit to facilitate trade and boost cooperation amongst Central Asian countries.
- Improving the business and investment climate in Central Asia.
- Secure connectivity
The partnership focusses on:
- Facilitating collaboration between the five Central Asian countries for more effective intra-regional border management (BOMCA, Border Management Programme in Central Asia).
- Reducing the demand and trafficking of illegal drugs (CADAP, Central Asia Drug Action Programme).
- Human development
Kyrgyzstan is dedicated to advancing human development by improving access to quality education, healthcare, and social services. Our efforts focus on:
- Supporting Kyrgyzstan’s education policies and strategies.
- Improving young people’s technical skills through the Dialogue and Action for Resourceful Youth in Central Asia programme (DARYA).
- Supporting the vaccination system.
- Rule of law and civil society
Kyrgyzstan and the EU are collaborating to reform the justice sector, protect human rights, and the rule of law. They are doing so by:
- Supporting justice sector reform with improved probation services, e-justice, and gender-centred judiciary processes.
- Offering support to civil society and protecting human rights.
- Implementing a programme on gender equality, youth empowerment, and human rights for all.
- Migration
The country is addressing migration challenges by implementing policies that support migrant workers and their families, ensuring their wellbeing and integration. Efforts include:
- Improving the understanding of regional displacement dynamics.
- Fighting against human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.
- Promoting a safer and cheaper transfer of remittances from migrant workers to their families in Central Asia.
