In this issue:

EVENT OF THE MONTH

• New UNDP Resident Representative/UN Resident Coordinator arrived to Kyrgyzstan

UNDP MISSIONS

• Meeting with the President Askar Akaev
• Mission of the Regional Communications Advisor

UNDP SOCIAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

• Feasibility study held in Talas and Jalal-Abad oblasts
• Workshop on Mainstreaming Gender into policies and activities

MASS MEDIA

• Dinner with Journalists

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR DRUG CONTROL AND CRIME PREVENTION

• Fight Against Crime Related to Drug Abuse and Illicit Trade of Narcotic Drugs for Law Enforcement Officers of Central Asian States held in Tashkent recently
• UN ODCCP Regional project on Strengthening Drug Law Enforcement Capacities in Data and Information Collection launched in Kyrgyzstan

ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT

• The Bishkek Conference on the Information Society within the Framework of Preparation to the World Summit on the Information Society

EVENT OF THE MONTH

Mr. Jerzy Skuratowicz, UNDP Kyrgyzstan Resident Representative/UN Resident Coordinator arrived to the country on September 17 and immediately assumed his duties. Citizen of Poland, Mr. Skuratowicz started his work as an economist in Warsaw University thirty yeas ago. He joined the UN system in 1991 and during recent years coordinated UNDP programmes in CIS and East Europe countries in UNDP Office in Bratislava. Mr. Skuratowicz holds PhD degree in economy.

UNDP MISSIONS

Between 12 and 20 September 2002 the UNDP Sub-regional Strategy Formulation mission is working in Bishkek. The main objective of the mission consisting of five international experts in Economy, Governance, Environment, Poverty Alleviation and Preventive Development is to elaborate specific activities and modalities for the region of Central Asia falling under the following three pillars: supporting economic reforms, supporting democratic reforms and supporting environmental management reforms. It will look at the ways to structure a coherent set of activities at both national and sub-regional levels.

During the mission experts are also reviewing ongoing and proposed UNDP activities at the country level to determining their consistency with the sub-regional strategy and – in close consultation with the UNDP country office, government officials, representatives of donors’ community and non-governmental sector to propose priority programmes/activities for future programming and fund-rising investments.

On 13 September members of mission Mr. Marek Dabrowski and Mr. Michael Hopkins accompanied by David Akopyan, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative met with Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev. Creation of the Working Groups on strategic directions of the country’s development at the National level and, as required at the sub-regional level, were discussed during the meeting. Among the main tasks participants also highlighted creation of environment for stable economic growth, reforms of state administration, support in strengthening of parliament, enhancing local administrations and decentralization, ICT development, design of the natural resources used in the region, and biodiversity support. The President highlighted his appreciation of UNDP activities in the areas of social mobilization, poverty alleviation and decentralization and emphasized his support to UNDP sub-regional initiatives.

Besides, Mr. Dabrowski was invited to assist the Kyrgyz Government in analyzing the National Poverty Reduction Strategy and providing recommendations on it. Contact: Aikan Mukanbetova, UNDP National Programme Analyst. Tel.: (996 312) 61-12-13. Fax: (996 312) 61-12-17. E-mail:

Ms. Sandra Pralong, UNDP Regional Advisor in area of Communications visited Kyrgyzstan between 3 and 8 September 2002. Among the main objectives of her mission was reviewing of UN/UNDP Public Information and Communication Strategies implementation and elaboration of recommendations on further improvement of UNDP communication with the world around. During her mission, Ms. Pralong visited all three UNDP Programme Management Units in order to familiarize with the Country Office activities.

During the programme site’ trip to Bashkara-Suu village where UNDP Local Governance programme helps people to join for improving their lives, Sandra met Mr. Amar Sainju, International United Nations Volunteer, Djoodar Djumagulov and Elzana Asanova, National UNVs as well as leaders of village’s community based organizations created in order to deal with different projects to address village’s problems with social infrastructure. Finally, Ms. Pralong provided training for programme and project staff on strategic design of UNDP programmes from a communication perspective and on best PR techniques and strategies to deal with the media.

Contact: Olga Grebennikova, UNDP Public Affairs Officer. Tel.: (996 312) 61-12-13. Fax: (996 312) 61-12-17. Email:

UNDP SOCIAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

Feasibility study in Talas and Jalal-Abad was conducted between 10-15 September 2002 in the framework of the UNDP Thematic Trust Fund financed project on “Capacity building of Micro Finance Institutions in rural areas”. The main objective of this project is to increase access of the poor, particularly women, to financial services in order to enhance their financial activities, and increase sustainable income.

The UNDP Social Governance Programme mission consisting of Ainura Kypchakbaeva, Task Manager, Saltanat Dospaeva, Chief Technical Advisor and Esenbek Turusbekov, Poverty Alleviation Component Coordinator met with members of Self-Help Group Associations (SHGA) and National and International United Nations Volunteers (UNVs) both in Talas and Jalal-Abad and discussed project implementation mechanisms which could help to use UNDP resources with highest level of effectiveness.

During the mission to project sites analysis was conducted to identify the village associations’ strengths and weaknesses, as well as their opportunities and constrains to work as Micro Finance Institutions. The Self-Help Group Associations have been working already as micro finance organizations at the village level using their own savings for internal lending while some of them have managed to obtain the legal status of Credit Unions. In the result of information gained during mission to Talas and Jalal-Abad UNVs and Kyrgyz Agriculture Finance Corporation staff will elaborate on the Project Implementation Manual in the nearest days.

On 13-14 September 2002, UNDP Social Governance Programme organized Workshop on Gender Mainstreaming into policies and activities of the Social Protection Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (MLSP). Gender Mainstreaming into policy and programmes of the MLSP was set a main objective of the Gender Mainstreaming component of the Social Governance Programme. The workshop sessions were facilitated by Nurgul Djamankulova, gender trainer. The participants were briefed on gender concept, gender analyst and gender approaches. As a result of the workshop recommendations on gender mainstreaming in activities of the Social Protection department were developed.

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

MASS MEDIA

A dinner for local journalists - on 11th September UNDP Public Relations and Information Management Unit organized an informal meeting – dinner with Kyrgyz journalists. All National journalists who effectively cooperate with the UN Agencies in Kyrgyzstan, including representatives of Delo N, Vecherny Bishkek, Moya Stolitza, The Bishkek Observer, and The Times of Central Asia newspapers, Kyrgyz National TV/Radio Corporation, Europa Plus/Russian Radio/Kyrgyz Obondoru Radio stations, as well as chief editors of Chuyskiye Izvestiya, Kut Bilim, AKI press and director of Kabar News Agency met with Djoomart Otorbaev, Vice-Prime Minister of Kyrgyz Republic and David Akopyan, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative.

Broad area of discussions, from direct foreign investments and tourism development, foreign aid and small and medium businesses problems, press freedom and reforms of central administration, will help “to build bridges” between media and the Kyrgyz Government and to clearly understand journalists’ concerns. From the other side, such informal discussions could help to improve UNDP image as an organization that puts partnerships with the Government, private sector, civil society, and journalists as a cornerstone of its successful activities in Kyrgyzstan.

As all participants of the event agreed that such a practice should be continued since it helps people to communicate directly and to bring in their positions.

Contact: Olga Grebennikova, UNDP Public Affairs Officer or Asel Sekimova, UNDP Information Assistant. Tel.: (996 312) 61-12-13. Fax: (996 312) 61-12-17. Emails: or

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR DRUG CONTROL AND CRIME PREVENTION

A two-week training workshop “Fight Against Crime Related to Drug Abuse and Illicit Trade of Narcotic Drugs for Law Enforcement Officers of Central Asian States” was held in Tashkent from 13 to 22 August 2002. Four law enforcement officers from the Ministry of Interior, National Security Service, the State Commission on Drug Control and State Customs Inspectorate of Kyrgyzstan took part in the workshop. The training was co-sponsored by the UN ODCCP Regional Office for Central Asia and the German Federal Criminal Police.

This training is a part of the UN ODCCP regional project, with the overall objective to reduce the volume and extent of illicit manufacture of heroin in Afghanistan through the establishing or strengthening of the mechanism of precursor control in Central Asian countries.

Participants were required to have a basic knowledge in the field of precursors control and in the future be capable of training others. Fundamental knowledge on the strategy and methodology of countering crimes related to drug abuse and the illicit trade of narcotic drugs as well as on the control of scheduled substances was delivered to participants, with emphasis on the international cooperation in the field. On the German side, the training was delivered by the Joint Customs/Police Precursor Monitoring Unit comprised of the German Federal Police and the German Customs from Wiesbaden. Presentations were also made by the Regional Representative of UN ODCCP Regional Office for Central Asia and other UN ODCCP officers. Topics covered the political implications of drug trafficking in the region, an overview of the illicit drug situation, the effects of drug abuse in the region, ODCCP Regional Office for Central Asia’s Precursor Control project and the legal aspects of drug control.

Upon completion of the workshop, the participants were awarded with Attendance Certificates.

UN ODCCP’s Regional project AD/RER/00/F23 - “Strengthening Drug Law Enforcement Capacities in Data and Information Collection” has been launched recently in Kyrgyzstan. This project being a part of ODCCP strategy in Central Asia aims at strengthening the capacities of drug law enforcement agencies in information and data collection, as well as ensuring mechanisms for exchange of official and operational information, initially at national and then at regional level between the agencies involved in combating illicit drug trafficking. Basic equipment, such as computers, specialized software for information gathering, processing, storage, exchange and analysis as well as training during implementation of the project will be provided. Special attention will be paid to the elaboration of national mechanisms for information gathering and exchange on a standardized basis.

Currently, the activities on establishment of the Information Center on prevention of drug abuse and drug trafficking are being carried out within the framework of the project. The Information Center is to serve as a focal point for interagency cooperation and information exchange and to establish mechanisms to enable the exchange, receipt and dissemination of information between drug control bodies at national, regional and international levels. The International Expert on data and intelligence collection is expected to visit Kyrgyzstan end of September.

Contact: Bakhtiar Mambetov, National Project Coordinator; UN ODCCP Sub-office for Kyrgyz Republic. Phone: (996 312) 66 56 82, 66 05 22; e-mail:

ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT

The Conference on the Information Society took place between 9 and 11 September in Issyk-Kul. The main purpose of the Conference, which is a preparatory one to the World Summit on the Information Society to be held in Geneva (Switzerland) in 2003, was to identify and make assessment of problems of the information society in the Conference participating countries, as well as to determine priorities and new initiatives in the sphere of Information Communication Technologies.

Many of the Conference participating countries have adopted their National Strategies on Information Communication Technologies development, have identified the strategies' tasks and objectives, basic principles, regulations and the government ICT policy mainstreams. For the recent years many Conference participating countries have achieved significant progress in the sphere of information infrastructure, information of the state agencies and private companies, relevant legislation is being developed and high educational capacity is available, and a number of regional projects on information are being implemented.

In view of the above it's anticipated that during Issyk-Kul Conference a wide range of issues both of national and regional level with participation of key decision-makers, private sector, business and NGOs discussed.

The main anticipated advantage of the Conference was collection of obvious and evident examples of best practices, consultations on policy guidelines and development of recommendations.

Issyk-Kul Conference provided concerted framework for assessment of crucial factors and policy implementation for the information society development. This will further be used as a classification instrument to determine benchmarks and to assess progress in common objectives achievement and best practices application. They can also be used in the process of proposals’ implementation as a framework for equal dialog and survey of National Strategies on ICT development at the regional level.

The achieved level and ICT development problems of the participating countries has proven it now necessary to transit from the policy of developing separate communications branches and local initiatives to formation of a unified position to integrating into the global information society.

By virtue of the existing technological facilities the policy main stream can now be focused on a unified information space formation, development of information resources, databases, knowledge, and information infrastructures that are equally available for all countries of the region. This consequently will result in development of information law, technological framework and its organizational procurement.

Conclusions and suggestions of the Conference will be submitted for further discussions at the meetings in Moscow and Bucharest in the framework of preparation to the World Summit.

Contact: Mr. Yuri Misnikov, ICT Regional Coordinator; UNDP RBEC Regional Office in Bratislava; ; and Mr. Felix Nam, ICT Component Coordinator a.i. Phone: (996 312) 66 46 34, 66 21 08; e-mail: