In this issue:

UNDP CENTRAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

• Update on recent activities

UNDP LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

• Update on recent activities within the Decentralization Component
• Study Tour organized within the Preventive Development Component

UNDP SOCIAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

• Update on recent activities within Poverty Alleviation Component
• Update on Gender issues

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)

• 189 ethnic Kyrgyz people from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan seek Kyrgyz citizenship

MAJOR POLITICAL EVENTS IN KYRGYZSTAN (RECENT DEVELOPMENTS)

• Kyrgyzstan and Switzerland signed documents on economic, financial and technical cooperation

UNDP CENTRAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

21 May - 1 June the Central Governance Programme hosted the mission of the Professor David Nudd. The main objective of the mission was to evaluate the progress achieved with the implementation of the functional reviews that are being already completed in two pilot ministries and advise the Central Governance Programme’s experts on future steps. During his mission David Nudd held various meetings with government officials, donors, Programme’s experts, and internal working groups of the pilot ministries to assess the current situation with functional reviews at the strategic and executive level. The report of Professor David Nudd is available in English with the Central Governance PIU.

In the end of the mission David Nudd participated in a half-day workshop on functional reviews organized by the Programme jointly with the Prime Minister’s Office. The workshop was aimed at exchanging and evaluating information on each ministry or agency’s progress with the functional review and with the implementation of its findings. Mr. Osmonov, First Vice Prime Minister of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, opening the workshop, spoke up with the introductory speech stressing the importance of such a tool as the functional review for improving efficiency of public administration bodies. Representatives of several ministries and agencies reported their progress with functional reviews while national experts provided their feedback and proposed further steps in the process. At the end of the workshop Professor Nudd stressed the importance of interviews in functional reviews as a means of identifying the real functions performed by ministries and agencies. The Professor also reassured the audience that the methodology of the functional review applied by the Central Governance Programme’s national experts in the pilot ministries is sound and compatible with best international practices applied elsewhere.

In accordance with the President’s decree setting out general objectives of public administration reform to be implemented during 2002, the government adopted a regulation on 24 February 2002, calling for functional reviews of all central ministries and agencies during the year 2002. The Head of the Civil Service unit of the President’s Administration (PA) and the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office, with support from the World Bank’s G-SAC mission, have asked DFID to make possible an immediate increase in technical assistance to help the government meet its own objectives in preparation for G-SAC/G-TAC. In this respect the Central Governance Programme prepared a proposal to DFID to provide a 12-month intermediary support to the government with the functional reviews. The plan has been designed to make use of an established, qualified and experienced team of UNDP consultants using UNDP experience in the field of public administration reform in Kyrgyzstan. The methods of UNDP intermediary assistance, provided in cooperation with a consultancy unit working for the European Union’s Food Security programme, include:

1. specific training through short term courses and instruction manuals;

2. policy advice provided by means of working papers, conducting workshops and seminars; and

3. direct consultancy in production of internal regulations, job descriptions and other legal and management instruments (such as the resource agreement currently being negotiated between the Ministry of Education and Culture, on the one hand, and Ministry of Finance, on the other, with UNDP mediation).

Within the newly started TTF/DG project ‘Improving access to information and communications with Parliament’ it is envisaged to enhance the Press Service and Parliament’s Library by application of new information and communication technologies. Under the project it is envisaged to develop special software and provide technical facilities that would facilitate the efficiency and quality of operations. In order to make the assistance most effective it is necessary to learn about international practices in the area. Therefore, responsible staff from the Press Service, the ICT Unit of Jogorku Kenesh, and an ICT specialist of the Central Governnace programme visited the Russian Parliament to study relevant experience. Based on the information obtained during the tour, the participants are expected to provide reports including recommendations on modernization of the Press Service, library and the ICT Unit of Jogorku Kenesh.

The training for decision-makers on ICT use and management was conducted in Tallinn from May 24 to June 3. A series of follow-up measures are planned for further implementation. Kits of materials on the training in Estonia Both Russian and English have been prepared and are available. An E-readiness report is being finalised in partnership with the government, private sector and UNDP through regular meetings and preparation of the presentation (expected on 28 June). Consultations are being held with the CDF Secretariat on better application of ICTD Monitoring & Evaluation system.

Following the intitaive of the RBEC, there was the seminar conducted in Prague from June 2 to June 9 on the issues of international management in the Parliament: experience and best practices. From Kyrgyzstan the seminar was attended by four deputies of the Legislative Assembly, Chief of Staff of the Legislative Assembly, and the UNDP Central Governance Programme Co-ordinator on Transparency and Accountability.

Contact: Dinara Rakhmanova, Cluster Task Manager, Central Governance Programme. Phone: (996 312) 66 46 34, 66 21 08; e-mail:

UNDP LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

The UNVs of the Local Governance Programme in Manas Rayon of the Talas province succeeded in mobilizing resources for expansion of the Programme activities to other regions by conducting seventeen trainings on social mobilization and CBOs management in non-pilot Ayil Okmotus of Manas and Kara-Buura rayons. UNVs prepared a grant proposal to the World Bank Small Grants Programme and it was approved. Now, there will be six months’ very active work in non-pilot regions of the province on implementing the grant by introducing the Local Governance programme’s experience and evaluating its outcomes further on.

Last week there was a session of Appraisal Committee meetings on approvals of the project proposals submitted from the regions - the Committee approved 41 projects out of 49 received. Within the exercise 22 projects for Micro Capital grants from Decentralization component, 6 economic projects for AG Fund grants and 13 projects from the Preventive Development component were approved. The most of them are related to construction of social infrastructure objects, and those projects involve schools repair works, construction of kindergartens and schools, reconstruction and cleaning of drinking water canals, construction of medical centers and the like.

As for AG Fund project proposals, the following projects were approved by the Appraisal Committee – a mini-shop on wool processing and mini production of socks, furniture workshop, live-stock fattening, a mini-mill, a macaroni production shop and and oil refinement processing mini plant. This summer seems to be very “hot “ for UNVs in terms of work to be done of monitoring all these objects in the process of their implementation.

Recently a series of seminars on Local Self-Governance had been held all over the country, prepared and facilitated by the Programme’s staff and supported by the Ministry of Local Self-Governance. These days the last seminar is being held in Chuy province.

The conclusion that such seminars were conducted in time can be derived from the fact that many questions on the improvement of local self-governance were asked and answered. Especially the new heads of Ayil Okmotus (local municipalities) needed such trainings and discussions of the subject. The Programme’s staff express the hope that after those meetings there will be better understanding of self-governance concepts and decentralization processes that are underway within Local Governance Programme.

Contact: Damira Sulpieva, Coordinator of the Decentralization Component, Local Governance Programme. Phone: (996 312) 66 00 80; e-mail:

Study tour within the Preventive Development Component On 5-8 June the Preventive Development team in Batken organized a study tour for 35 Community Based Organizations’ representatives and local authority servicemen from Isfana, Dara AO and Batken pilot municipalities to Kadamjai rayon pilot areas in the Batken province. The study tour was the part of the twinning programme on human resource development conducted at the community level for the local authorities, government agencies and Community Based Organizations. The participants from the local communities exchanged ideas learning from each other on the examples of successful implementation schemes related to the conflict mitigation and micro-capital grant projects implementation.

Human resource development is the essential part of the broader idea of creating an atmosphere of conflict prevention at the grass-roots level in the region, while establishing linkages between different geographic areas leads to closer cooperation and better knowledge management.

During the study tour, the participants visited and met with local community leaders and heads of local self-government. The study tour allowed to visually demonstrating the results achieved within the Preventive Development component in the pilot area of the Programme’s implementation.

Contact: Ruslan Monolbaev, Coordinator of the Preventive Development Component, Local Governance Programme. Phone: (996 312) 66 00 80; e-mail:

UNDP SOCIAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

The Programme’s staff was invited by KAFC to participate in the presentation of Moldavian experts on the activities related to savings and credit associations. The Moldavian experience in this field seems to be one of the most suitable for the environment of Kyrgyzstan. The structures built and supported by the World Bank, Moldavian Government and various international organizations are successfully coping with the problem of poverty and providing access of poor people to funding for income generating activities.

After the abovementioned presentation held with participation of Moldavian guests, UNDP, KAFC, RAS (Rural Advisory Services) and the World Bank. During the meeting Moldavian experts shared their opinions on the social mobilization experience of the Poverty Alleviation Component, micro crediting schemes elaborated by KAFC and other activities related to Poverty Alleviation in Kyrgyzstan. All participants actively discussed poverty alleviation issues and decided to continue further effective co-operation among stakeholders through revision of the tripartite agreement and development of a joint work strategy.

The Poverty Alleviation Component of the Social Governance Programme is organizing a field visit for the UNDP Officer in Charge. According to the prepared programme Mr. Jan Kamp will visit target villages of Issyk-Kul oblast. It is planned that the Officer in Charge will meet with the Self-Help Groups and Associations to familiarize with their current activities, needs and future plans.

The Training Workshop for staff members of the UNDP Social Governance Programme was organized on 7-8 June 2002 with aim to conduct knowledge upgrade through enhancement of understanding of gender mainstreaming (GM) approach, Policy Advice principles and other topical themes. The workshop was held to review the current problems and needs for further effective functioning of the Social Governance Programme office, including team building, knowledge management, discussions on office (administrative and financial) procedures, developing presentation skills and Management & Information Systems. The training workshop was conducted under the principle to hold information and knowledge sharing among the staff members. Thus, everyone had an opportunity to prepare and deliver one of thematic sessions, including gender sensitisation and gender mainstreaming, MIS Framework and M&E tools development, principles of Policy Advisory Capacity Building, Management of Knowledge and Communities of Practice, etc.

The workshop provided with an opportunity to discuss the Learning Plan for the Programme’s personnel and current needs and options were considered for further enhancement of knowledge as a key asset of the organisation. Cluster Administrative and Finance Assistants informed on status of development of a Handbook on Finance and Administration in the Social Governance Programme to be used by all field offices and partner organisations for effective and smooth understanding of the UNDP procedures. The Handbook includes description of programme cycle with particular references to relevant parts of the UNDP NEX Manual and contains additional information related to interactions between the Social Governance office and oblast PIUs. Role clarification and team building exercises complemented the programme of the workshop.

Practical Gender Mainstreaming activities into the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection’ activities started last week with launching of the situational analysis review in the three key departments of the ministry: State Department of Employment, State Department of Vocational Training, State Department of Social Protection. The fourth department – Central Office of the ministry – will be involved into Gender Mainstreaming activities at a later stage. During a month, three gender experts of the UNDP Social Governance Programme will be working in respective departments with the aim of identifiying gender dimensions in all programme and policy activities, including review of important documents and strategies, study of legal issues and legislative basis, interviews of employees of the departments, analysis of gender aspects in projects implemented within the bodies etc. Recommendations elaborated as a result of the situational analysis will be further discussed during round tables and in-depth gender mainstreaming workshops for relevant personnel of the target departments, and finalized for consideration by the Minister of Labor and Social Protection. The results of the work will serve as a basis for undertaking review of policies, programmes and activities within sector under the overarching goal to ensure more effective, equal and fair benefits and impact on both men and women in the republic.

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

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)

According to the UN Liaison Officer in the South of Kyrgyzstan, on 13 - 17 May, 189 ethnic Kyrgyz people, out of whom 54 are from Uzbekistan and 135 from Tajikistan, arrived in Bishkek via Batken. Neither prior notification nor legal arrangement for them was made before their arrival. One of the main reasons they arrived to Kyrgyzstan was that they had heard about the President Akaev's Decree on support to ethnic Kyrgyz people.

All of them are now accommodated in temporary dwellings, scattered in Bishkek and Chuy Oblast, the most of refugees being currently located in Ivanovka village in Chuy oblast. Those migrants decided to leave for home in search of better economic and educational opportunities. They mentioned lack of drinking and irrigation water. It was found out that there also were a few signs of discrimination against ethnic Kyrgyz despite Uzbek officials’ strong denial. In addition, there have been serious reductions of schools for Kyrgyz speaking individuals living in that area due to the lack of teachers who speak Kyrgyz language. Kyrgyz authorities, therefore, are expecting further migration influx from these countries into Kyrgyzstan.

So far, Kyrgyz local authorities have provided humanitarian stocks such as food, medical items and clothing, which are equivalent to 15,000 soms (about US$310). Drinking water and some basic sanitation facilities are also being provided. Further assistance for them, such as land distribution is infeasible due to their illegal immigration. They are still heavily relying on the money and property they brought in with them.

According to Kyrgyz authorities, some government officials recently visited Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to find out ethnic Kyrgyz people’s living conditions there and made their conclusion that those conditions did not even meet basic living requirements. In this particular case with migrants, regarding legal action, such as providing citizenship or repatriation to their place of origin, no decision has been made yet. The government official added that it was less likely to provide citizenship due to their illegal status.

Contact: James Lynch, UNHCR Head of Liaison Office and Jae Park, UN Liaison Officer in the South of Kyrgyzstan. Phone: 61 12 64, 61 12 65, 61 12 66. E-mail:

MAJOR POLITICAL EVENTS IN KYRGYZSTAN (RECENT DEVELOPMENTS)

AKI press web site news 6 June 2002. Kyrgyzstan and Switzerland have signed a number of documents on economic, financial and technical cooperation during a visit there by the President Askar Akayev. The following is the text of the report by AKI press, placed on the web site on 6 June; subheads inserted editorially:

On 5 June 2002, within the framework of his visit to Switzerland, Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev met Swiss President Kaspar Villiger in Bern. Then an expanded meeting of the delegations took place. As a result of the talks a few documents were signed as follows:

1. Protocol on the exchange of the instruments of ratification "The agreement between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Swiss Confederation on avoiding double taxation as regards taxes on income and capital" which was signed in Davos on 26 January 2001.

2. Agreement between the government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the government of the Swiss Confederation on technical and financial cooperation and humanitarian aid.

3. Agreement between the government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the government of the Swiss Confederation regarding the second grant for co-financing the consolidated credit for structural transformations.

4. The programme document - Stage 1 between the government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the government of the Swiss Confederation and the World Trade Centre UNCTAD [United National Conference on Trade and Development] /WTO [World Trade Organization].

Addressing journalists, the President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev noted that he attached great significance to cooperation with that alpine country, the present visit to Switzerland and 10 years of bilateral relations. “Over these years we raised relations to a high and very fruitful level”, the president said. The documents signed will enable us to give a new impetus to the development of bilateral relations, the head of state stressed.

Later the president visited the National Council of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland (the parliament). Here the head of state held talks with the president of the National Council, Mrs. Liliane Maury Pasquier, and Claude Frey, the President of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Then Akayev met representatives of the international council of directors of the International Year of Mountains and the Bishkek Mountain Summit and delivered the lecture "Kyrgyzstan on the way of democratic reforms" at the World Trade Institute, the presidential press service reported.