# 228
July 16, 2004
In this issue:
UNITED NATIONS IN KYRGYZSTAN
- Exhibition at UN House: History in Photographs
- UN Supports Country's Relief To People Affected By Landslides In The South
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)
- Good Governance Strengthening: A New UNDP Project Signed
- Conflict Prevention in South of Kyrgyzstan: Study Tour to Jalalabad Province
UNITED NATIONS IN KYRGYZSTAN
Exhibition at UN House: History in Photographs
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of German UN membership, an exhibit is open at the UN House in Bishkek.
 At the opening the guests were greeted by the heroes of the occasion and the organizers of the event: UN Resident Coordinator Jerzy Skuratowicz and German Ambassador Klaus Achenbach, as well as Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Erkin Mamkulov.
Jerzy Skuratowicz underlined that German membership in UN is a great event for both parties. Klaus Achenbach outlined historic landmarks of cooperation and added that his father was a member of the first German delegation at UN in 1973. Erkin Mamkulov reminded the visitors that Germany was one of the first countries to recognise Kyrgyzstan's independence and to open its embassy here. Our cooperation is developing very dynamically, and many people in Kyrgyzstan know about the role of Germany in UN.
On 18 September 1973, a still divided Germany, an observer for many years, became a fully fledged UN member. Since that time it has been very active in this international organisation. Germany is the UN third largest donor, after the US (22 %) and Japan (19.6 %). In 2003 its contribution to the regular UN budget was 132 million dollars (9.8 %).
Germany is hosting headquarters of a number of UN agencies. Since 1996, when the Haus Carstanjen was turned to UN, Bonn has been known as a "UN City", when it accommodated twelve UN organisations. Besides, Hamburg hosts the International Tribunal for the Law of Sea and UNESCO Institute for Education, Frankfurt is the site for the Office of the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group, and Berlin hosts the Mission of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Since January 2003, Germany for a second time has been elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for a two-year term. Almost 145,000 German troops, 3,000-strong police force and 800 civilian experts has taking part in peacekeeping missions in Kampuchea, Somalia, Kuwait, Iraq, former Yugoslavia, and Afghanistan.
That and many more is what the exhibits tell the visitors about.
Adapted from the 16 July 2004 article in the newspaper "Moya Stolitsa Novosti" by Alexandra Chernyh.
UN Supports Country's Relief To People Affected By Landslides In The South.
A humanitarian shipment was delivered on 13 July 2004 to the Budalyk rural municipality in Alai district by the UN Liaison Office in Osh. That was the third delivery since the disaster occurred in spring earlier this year.
 On 26 April 2004 the landslide killed 33 people in Kainama village and 64 families (397 people) became homeless.
UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, UNHCR and UNFPA responded immediately and provided emergency aid to the affected population.
UNOCHA had also provided emergency grant in the amount of 10 thousand US dollars to cover immediate needs of people.
Local residents were supplied with blankets, mattresses, metal ovens, hygienic kits, soap and detergents, folding beds, jerry cans and medicines.
 The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic decreed to resettle the residents of the affected village to a safe zone. Twelve families has already moved in new houses constructed at the government expense, while 43 families were given low-interest long-term loans and are building their homes themselves. Almost 70 percent of all houses are near completion.
The Ministry of Environment and Emergencies is working on infrastructure for new settlements. Temporary power lines are installed; a new road in Kyzyltal has been constructed to secure access for vehicles. By mid-August the residents of the new settlement will have access to potable water, the supply system for which is being mounted.
For additional information, please contact Ms. Ainura Alymbekova, UNDP National Programme Associate. Phone: (996 312) 61 12 13; e-mail:
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)
Good Governance Strengthening: A New UNDP Project Signed
Joint Project of UNDP and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic “National Capacity Building in Electoral Administration in the Kyrgyz Republic” has been signed on July 14, 2004 at the UN House in Bishkek.
 The project will be targeted on ensuring comprehensive support to the electoral system of the Kyrgyz Republic. Within the framework of the project UNDP will be cooperating with all parts of Kyrgyz society, including non-governmental organizations, the international community as well as media.
The strategy of the Project focuses on strengthening good governance and enhancing democratic practices in Kyrgyzstan by means of providing effective support, aimed at increasing sustainability and capacity-building within respective national institutions in order to organize and hold democratic elections.
The project recognizes the fact that the conduction of elections belongs to the sphere of internal affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic. The process of preparation as well as the conduct of elections is entirely funded by the state budget.
(Note: The republican budget for 2004 provides 24 million soms (or 564 400 UD$) for the local elections. The draft of the republican project plans to allocate 135 million soms (or 3 175 000 US$) for parliamentary and presidential elections, as well as elections of heads of local municipalities in 2005).
Therefore, assistance of donors and multilateral agencies will be directed to support the long-term development of the national electoral system. Within the framework of this project UNDP will function as a liaison between potential donors on the one hand and the Central Election Committee on the other in order to mobilize technical and financial resources necessary for sustainable capacity-building within institutions, which are involved in preparation and conduct of elections, in order to guarantee its compliance with international standards.
The project, which is planned to be carried out until June 2006, will focus on three key objectives:
The project has been signed by Mr. Suleiman Imanbaev, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic, and Mr. Jerzy Skuratowicz, UNDP Resident Representative.
For more information, please contact Mr. Alexander Kashkarev, UNDP Programme Officer. Tel.: 0 (996 312) 61-12-13. Fax: 0 (996 312) 61-12-17. Email: or Ms. Olga Grebennikova, UNDP Public Affairs Officer at the same phones. Email:
Conflict Prevention in South of Kyrgyzstan: Study Tour to Jalalabad Province
On June 8th 2004, UNDP Preventive Development Programme organized study tour for representatives of local authorities and community-based organizations (CBOs) from Batken and Osh provinces to Jalalabad province.
 The group of study tour participants was comprised of community-based organizations’ leaders whose project proposals were approved three weeks ago during the Grants’ Committee meeting.
Community-based organizations’ members had the possibility to witness fist hand the realization of the projects financed by UNDP in Jalalabad province.
Meetings with local CBO activists at project sights implemented jointly by local people and aimed at reducing conflict potentials were held in the villages of Beshjigach, Kerben and Ayrytam.
 People lively discussed project practical implementation issues, shared experiences of interaction and cooperation between local authorities and civil society sector.
Study tour results were summarized during the round table held right after the trips to brainstorm the burning issues of the region, conflict potentials as well as their resolution.
The participants also visited the ancient historical monument Safed Bulon, where they together with pilgrims from neighboring counties involved in devotions and prayed for peace in the region and successful projects implementation.
For more information, please contact Ms. Mia Rimby, UNDP Programme Office. Tel: 0 (996 312) 61-12-13. Fax: 0 (996 312) 61-12-17. Email: , or Mr. Abdiraim Jorokulov, Manager of the UNDP Preventive Development Programme. Tel: (996 3222) 5-78-37, Fax:: (996 3222) 5-57-13, e-mail: or checkout our official website at http://www.pdp.undp.kg/
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