People at the Heart of PAGE – Ermek Ashirov

Q1. When was your first contact with the PAGE team?

Started working with PAGE team and has been chairing the Inter-agency working group for Green  economy development since 2017.

Q2. What was the IGE perception at that time?

In 2017 the population, as well as government officials did not fully understand the terminology and concept of an inclusive green economy. The Green Economy concept received its main impetus during the implementation of the Green Energy Development Program until 2023.

Q3. How has IGE evolved in the country since then?

It is difficult to answer regarding the stages of green economy development in the Kyrgyz Republic. Changes are being made progressively. So far, we have National policy and planning for a green economy, Sectoral and thematic green economy actions, we conduct a series of capacity building and raising awareness on the green economy among key partners and stakeholders.

Under the PAGE lifespan between 2016 and 2023, the Kyrgyz Republic has made considerable progress in mainstreaming the green economic into national development strategies and policies. The green economy transition has already demonstrated key aspects of its durability through a change in government and the shifting of senior public green economy champions across offices.

Q4. What are the challenges and opportunities for Kyrgyzstan and why?

The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic is committed to advancing inclusive, sustainable growth and has adopted the long-term National Development Strategy 2040 that recognizes the importance of integrated policies that balance the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development. To realize this strategy, the government has prepared a five-year development programme (2021-2026), that provides a medium-term framework for all national, sectoral and sub-national strategies, including those linked to the environment and climate change. The Kyrgyz Republic joined PAGE in 2016 and it is within the broader national policy context that PAGE and other bilateral and multilateral partners have been collaborating on the transition to a more inclusive, greener economy in the Kyrgyz Republic. Among the challenges we would like to highlight the insufficient level of funding for green interventions and green initiatives, including attracting long-term financial resources for the implementation of green projects.

It should be noted that without the availability of financial resources, the transition to the principles of the Green Economy is practically impossible, since the population does not have sufficiently high incomes to purchase green technologies (by economic sectors). Thus, one of the most important elements and focus of the Green Economy Development Program in the Kyrgyz Republic until 2028 will be attracting sustainable financing to the private sector, since the private sector (small and medium-sized businesses) are the drivers in promoting green initiatives in the country.

With PAGE’s support, national expertise is also being drawn on to mainstream inclusive green economy principles into the Strategy 2040. In this way, green economy reforms and innovations are not developed by different departments independently, but rather, they are directly influencing the country’s strategic plans and related policy processes.

Q5. How do you see your engagement?

As head of the strategic planning department, I coordinated the process of implementing measures laid down in the Green Economy Development Program in the Kyrgyz Republic until 2023, introducing amendments and additions to existing regulations, developing policies and measures for economic sectors.