In this issue:

UNDP CENTRAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

• Training in Strategic Planning and Change Management for representatives of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Culture
• Seminar on Monitoring and Evaluation Techniques
• Mission of Sergei Sirotkin, RBEC Expert
• Meetings to discuss ways of cooperation and clarify plans in regard to the functional reviews in state bodies
• Project document "Improvement of access to information and communications with the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic" signed

UNDP LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

• Semi - annual Meeting of UNVs

UNDP SOCIAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

• Training Workshop on Finance and Credit for the Poverty Alleviation Component Personnel

HIV/AIDS

• Presentation of New Programme on Substitute Therapy with Methadone in Osh

SILK ROAD AREA DEVELOPMENT SUBREGIONAL PROGRAMME

• Investments Training Workshop and the Investment Promotion Forum Held

LIFE and GEF Programmes Progress

• Grants to Kyrgyz NGOs to implement environmental projects in the framework of LIFE and GEF grants' components

UNDP CENTRAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

In Kashka Suu on April 18-20 the Central Governance Programme organized a short-term training in strategic planning and change management for 25 senior and medium managers of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Culture. The main objective of the training was to present strategic planning and change management in the context of state bodies. The participants of the training improved their skills in developing an agreed mission of ministries, strategic tasks and priority functions for their implementation, and in applying methods of conducting organizational change in state structures. This training is part of the bigger plan on implementation of the recommendations of the functional reviews performed by UNDP experts in the mentioned ministries in 2001.

On April 20 the Central Governance Programme had a practical seminar in Kashka Suu on Using Monitoring Technologies for Tracking CDF Implementation. The main purposes of the seminar were (i) to transfer and improve knowledge in the area of monitoring and evaluation; (ii) develop practical skills of civil servants in using monitoring technologies. During this seminar the Programme presented and disseminated the first in Kyrgyzstan Guidelines on Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects, Programmes, and Policies to be used by seminar participants – those active in CDF implementation – in their daily activities.

April 13 – 23 there was a mission of Sergei Sirotkin, an RBEC expert, to assist the existing staff of the Central Governance Programme in the process of building a consensus among members, officers and personnel of both chambers of the Jogorku Kenesh, and increasing their preparedness, to support actions for which technical assistance can be justified within the Strategic Results Framework. His mission also aimed at determining the best methods of conducting a functional review of organization and structure of the Jogorku Kenesh, advising UNDP country office on appropriate actions for UNDP in Kyrgyzstan with regard to the protection of human rights and freedoms. During his mission Mr. Sirotkin held intensive consultations with relevant representatives of the Legislative Assembly of the Jogorku Kenesh, the Presidential Administration, the Prime Minister's Office, NGOs and mass media, and also worked closely with PMU staff and UNDP CO. At the end of the mission Mr. Sirotkin conducted a half-day round table on the ways of partnerships between NGOs and state power. The final report on the main findings of the mission is expected in early May.

Meetings were held with representatives of the Presidential Administration, the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Finance, DFID, the World Bank, USAID and other donors to discuss ways of cooperation and clarify plans in regard to the functional reviews in state bodies. In particular, during the meeting with the Deputy Minister of Finance Emirlan Toromyrzaev it was scheduled that the Working Group set up by the Resolution of the Prime Minister on developing Resource Agreement between the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Finance will hold its first meeting on May 3, 2002.

On April 26 Mr. Abdygany Erkebaev, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Jogorku Kenesh and Mr. David Akopyan UNDP Resident Representative a.i. signed the project document "Improvement of access to information and communications with the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic". The main objective of the project (that is to be completed by the end of 2002) is to promote dialogue between people and Parliament through internal capacity building of the Parliament and improvement of public access to information about Parliament's activities. Through interventions under this project UNDP is intending to improve public participation in the process of national decision-making process. The funds of 125 thousand dollars for the programme were provided recently by the UNDP Democratic Governance Thematic Trust Fund.

Contact: Dinara Rakhmanova, Cluster Task Manager, UNDP Central Governance Programme. Phone: (996 312) 66 50 55, 66 46 34; e-mail:

UNDP LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

The semi-annual meeting of national and international Volunteers of Decentralization component together with Community Development Officers of Preventive Development component was held on April 24 – 25 in Bishkek. The event is being held on a regular basis for coordination and exchange of information between the central management unit and the regional offices of the Local Governance Programme from all seven provinces of the Kyrgyz Republic. A two-days seminar was attended by 27 national and international UNVs from Decentralization component, 5 Community Development officers, Early Warning specialist and the Regional Coordinator of Preventive Development component and the staff of the Programme Management Unit in Bishkek.

The objective of the seminar was to share information about the ongoing activities from each region and indicate problems that might have been encountered since the previous meeting. The participants from each province made their presentations in relation to the results achieved and the current dilemmas in the implementation of the programme goals. In turn, the PMU has also shared updated information following the publication of the programme annual report and introduced an enhanced monitoring and reporting formats to be put in place within the second quarter of 2002.

Contact: Anara Salamatova, Cluster Task Manager, UNDP Local Governance Programme. Phone: (996 312) 66 00 80; e-mail:

UNDP SOCIAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

The UNDP Social Governance Programme conducted a Training Workshop on Finance and Credit for the Poverty Alleviation Component (PAC) personnel. The training was held on 23-25 of April 2002 in Dostuk Hotel, Bishkek. The purpose of the Workshop was to upgrade knowledge and skills of PAC UNVs and PMU staff in those areas of Finance and Credit, which have direct relations to the activity of PAC. Trainers of the Kyrgyz Agricultural Finance Corporation (KAFC) kindly shared their experience with the Workshop participants on such issues as KAFC Lending Policy and Procedures; Accounting and Financial Reporting; Business Planning; Management and Monitoring of KAFC Loan Portfolio; Risks Classification; Legal Forms of Self-Help Groups' Associations and some others.

One of the interesting and useful sessions of the Workshop was devoted to Gender Aspects of Micro financing, which was delivered by Gulmira Asanbaeva, the Coordinator of SGP Gender Mainstreaming Component.

Following the request from DFID Project, "Sustainable Livelihoods for Livestock Producing Communities", joint, with this Project personnel, meeting was held to introduce the ongoing activities and discuss the co-operation in the fields.

Having participated in the Finance and Credit Workshop the UNVs expressed their willingness to have such workshops on a permanent base in order to upgrade their knowledge and skills, which are so valuable in implementation of their mission.

Contact: Sanjar Tursaliev, Cluster Task Manager, Social Governance Programme. Phone: (996 312) 66 38 85, 66 04 18; e-mail:

HIV/AIDS

On April 23 Osh oblast Narcology Dispensary had a presentation of the new programme on substitute therapy with methadone, financed by UNDP. Mr. Naken Kasiev, the Governor of Osh oblast, Mr. Jantoro Satybaldiev, the mayor of Osh city, Mr. Alexander Kashkarev, UNDP Programme Officer, Mr. Boris Shapiro, Director of National AIDS Center, Ms. Elvira Muralaieva, Coordinator of Medical Programmes, Soros Foundation, as well as the representatives from the oblast Departments of Interior, Health Care, Education and Culture, NGOs, and mass media attended the presentation. In his welcoming speech, Mr. Naken Kasiev expressed deep concern with the rapid spread of HIV infection, and suggested to work more in this area through developing of programs for youth, support leadership, and carry out intensive informational campaigns.

Osh oblast has been observing a rapid spread of HIV infection recently. In 2001 the number of HIV case 44 fold increased in comparison with the whole previous period of the epidemic development. The Kyrgyz Republic has 179 officially registered HIV cases, out of them 119 cases of 66% are the citizens of the Osh oblast; among Osh cases - 118 are injecting drug users (99%).

The methadone substitute therapy is the first one to be launched in CIS countries. It is a very important step towards the achievement of the consensus on development of the HIV prevention programmes. At present, Osh oblast Narcology Dispensary plans to treat 50 patients under the support of the UNDP HIV/AIDS Programme.

Contact: Larissa Bashmakova, Coordinator for HIV/AIDS Component, UNDP Social Governance Programme, tel./fax: (996 312) 66-36-91, tel.: (996 312) 66 16 17, e-mail:

SILK ROAD AREA DEVELOPMENT SUBREGIONAL PROGRAMME

24-25 April the sub regional Investments Training Workshop and the Investment Promotion Forum were held in Bishkek in the framework of the Silk Road Area Development Programme. UNDP and the Government of Kyrgyzstan initiated and organized both events. The delegations from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and China were represented at the Forum and shared their experience in the area of attracting investments to the region within the Silk Road Programme.

The main goal of the workshop was to study the legal issues of attracting investments to the Silk Road programme's implementation process using the valuable and rich experience that China possesses and uses since 1978. Learning from the Chinese Experience on the Encouragement of Foreign Investment to China and Shanghai Experience on how to organize Trade and Investments Fairs and Exhibitions were the themes of the session on policies and legislation formation on the encouragement of foreign investment to China supported by some real life case studies.

Development of Foreign Investment Encouragement Legislation in Member Countries implementing the Programme was examined at the Investment Promotion Forum. Joomart Otorbaev, the President's Special Representative on Foreign Investments made a comprehensive presentation on the external assistance within support of the Silk Road Programme. At the Investment Promotion Forum chaired by the Minister of External Trade and Industry, the issues of conducting research in the area of direct foreign investments policy in the countries implementing the Programme, were discussed intensively. Endorsement on Recommendations to the Member Governments regarding the Regional Cooperation on the Promotion of Foreign Investment was made by the participants.

Contact: Jyldyz Moldokulova, UNDP Programme Associate. Phone: (996 312) 61 12 13; e-mail:

LIFE and GEF Programmes Progress

Fourteen Kyrgyz NGOs received grants at the UN House on 26 April for the amount of 75938 US dollars. All of these NGOs won the tenders announced in the framework of LIFE and GEF Small Grants programmes in its grants' components. Among GEF supported projects selected by the National Committee for granting were the projects aiming to forester the landslide threatened areas in South of Kyrgyzstan, searching for additional renewable sources of energy in Bishkek and Issyk-Kul, rehabilitation of nut forests in Osh, protecting of ecosystem in Naryn's forest reserve etc. In the list of approved by the National Committee projects, which would be granted in the framework of LIFE programme there are projects aiming improvement of social, ecological, epidemiological situation and sanitation in micro districts of Osh, Bishkek, Kara-Kul, Jalal-Abad and Tash-Komur cities.

There was one general precondition of National Committees to design projects both in LIFE and GEF programmes - it was demanded to develop strong partnerships among local authorities, NGOs and civil society in order to reach sustainability of the programme and to make projects transparent for general public. It was recommended by the National Committees during signing ceremony to share information on projects' implementation with communities and mass media.

The GEF's mission is the protection of the global environment. It was created to achieve global environmental benefits through funding programmes and projects in four focal areas - biodiversity, climate change, international waters, and ozone layer depletion - and those that combat land degradation, desertification, and deforestation as they relate to the focal areas. The GEF/SGP aims to protect the global environment by funding community conservation and sustainable natural resource use projects.

The Programme deals with protection of animals and plants, lowering air pollution, creation of community-based livelihood alternatives to relieve pressure on conservation and protected areas, which conserve coastal, lake, and wetland biodiversity.

The GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF/SGP) is administered by the UNDP, and is currently being implemented in 54 countries, including such European countries, as Poland and Albania. Out of CIS countries only Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are implementing the programme. The funds allocated for each country depend on the country's conditions, the level of NGOs sector development, complexity of problems etc. Around $ 200,000 is allocated for the first year of the programme's implementation. While it is an integral part of the GEF Corporate Business Plan, the implementation of the GEF/SGP is decentralized and country driven.

Any registered NGO or any public organization working in environment can submit applications and participate in competition of applications.

The receivers of such grants can be local NGOs working in environment sector. All the projects received small grants are aimed at improving environment conditions.

LIFE Programme supported by UNDP promotes inter - local dialogue and partnerships between CBOs, NGOs, local authorities, private sector and other actors to address environmental problems of the urban poor and influence policies for participatory local governance and is aimed at providing small grants to initiate community-based projects and promote policy dialogues.

LIFE Programme's present phase will be over in Spring 2004. The total sum of financing is around $ 200,000. Within LIFE Programme, the small grants are distributed to local NGOs working on improving infrastructure in towns all over the country. Within the current phase implemented by the Programme all the projects will be considered as the means of establishing real cooperation, all population's participation in the decision making process and improving local governance mechanisms. Strong attention is given to the projects' sustainability and profit opportunities. It means that there is opportunity to continue activities when financing is over.

Contact: Murat Koshoev, LIFE and GEF National Coordinator. Tel.: +996 (312) 66-32-22. Fax: +996 (312) 66-05-20. Email: