First Steering Committee Meeting of the National Community Initiatives Project Held

On 16 January, the first meeting of the Steering Committee of the National Community Initiatives Project (NCIP, 2025–2029) was held under the chairmanship of Choro Seyitov, First Deputy Minister of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Opening the meeting, Choro Seyitov highlighted the key role of the project in the integrated development of the country’s regions. According to him, NCIP covers priority sectors of the economy and is aimed at achieving tangible improvements in economic well-being and quality of life in target communities, with a particular focus on supporting women and youth.

The First Deputy Minister also paid special attention to the project component related to the introduction of technologically advanced and climate-resilient initiatives.

“In the context of climate change, the emphasis must be placed on preventive measures. We need to be prepared in advance. Each year, precipitation levels are declining, which makes it especially important to implement projects that are most resilient to climate risks,” Choro Seyitov emphasized.

In turn, Project Coordinator Mayrambek Bayaliev presented the results of NCIP implementation in 2025 and outlined plans for the current year. The project was launched in the second quarter of 2025, and during the reporting year US$1 million was disbursed. In 2026, disbursements of US$2 million are planned.

As noted by Mayrambek Bayaliev, the project is being implemented across the following key areas: agriculture, healthcare, electricity supply, as well as the development and improvement of social infrastructure. Speaking about the climate focus, he stressed that selected projects must meet climate adaptability requirements by no less than 70 percent and comply with climate resilience criteria by at least 80 percent.

“To date, 400 volunteers have already been selected and trained on climate change issues. Going forward, they will carry out outreach and awareness-raising activities at the local level, increasing public awareness of climate risks and adaptation measures,” the Project Coordinator stated.

Summing up the meeting, Choro Seyitov reminded participants that the National Project is designed for a five-year period. Taking into account the country’s economic growth rates and positive development dynamics, he instructed to consider the possibility of accelerating NCIP implementation and to submit relevant proposals. In addition, instructions were given to organize a field visit within the framework of the project to review the progress of initiative implementation on the ground. The meeting also approved the results of project implementation for 2025 and the work plan for 2026.

For reference: Overall coordination of the National Community Initiatives Project, implemented under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and financed by the World Bank, is carried out by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic. The implementing agency is the Community Development and Investment Agency. The project’s geographic coverage includes 40 Ayil Aimaks across 40 districts in all regions of the country. The total financing amounts to US$27 million, of which US$25 million is provided by the International Development Association as an interest-free concessional loan with a maturity of 50 years, and US$2 million is provided on a grant basis.