FIELD OPERATIONS CENTRAL ASIA
Economic and Environmental Dimension Activities
OSCE/Mikhail Evstafiev
Developing small business. The Centre implemented several projects aimed at stimulating the growth of SMEs in Kyrgyzstan, which are a crucial factor for the country’s socio-economic progress. Together with a national partner, PROMA Agency, the Centre surveyed local companies about the operational environment
A stall at Bishkek’s central food market
for small businesses. The findings were thoroughly analysed and resulted in a set of recommendations to improve the legal framework, which was presented to the Kyrgyz Government, local business community representatives and international donor agencies. In particular, there were specific recommendations to improve enforcement of certain business licensing regulations, which will help spur robust growth of SMEs. It is also expected that the Kyrgyz Government will take these survey findings into account when formulating and implementing an action plan to attract foreign direct investment. Promoting female entrepreneurship was another important part of the Centre’s work in the economic dimension. In cooperation with local NGOs, the Centre hosted a series of nation-wide seminars that looked at how to create more jobs for women in the country’s rural areas. Legal reforms in the economic field. To create a safe environment for economic development, the Centre supported project activities to speed up legal reforms in the field of good governance and the fight against corruption. In co-operation with the UNDP and USAID, the Centre provided the Kyrgyz Government with international experts to assist it in identifying key directions for developing an efficient anti-corruption strategy and an action plan.
Together with the Secretariat of the Consultative Council on Good Governance, the Centre held a workshop on national and international legal instruments and best practices to raise public awareness on the technical and legislative requirements for the ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption. Strengthening environmental security: Managing the Mailuu-Suu nuclear waste dumps. Co-operating closely with the World Bank, the Centre supported project activities to handle the environmental threat created by the unsecured radioactive waste site in Mailuu-Suu. This included helping arrange a visit by experts from the International Atomic Energy OSCE Centre in Bishkek
Strengthening media development Both on a national and regional level, the Centre continued its efforts to support the development of Kyrgyzstan’s media. It worked towards involving civil society more broadly in this field by encouraging citizens to participate in projects that promote democracy and good electoral practices on radio and TV. The Centre also set up a media project, which includes observation of coverage of election-related issues in the Kyrgyz media. Other initiatives in the field of media development included providing rural media representatives with information on how to establish a radio company and giving support to the Osh TV company, an independent outlet in southern Kyrgyzstan. A series of training seminars for journalists in all regions helped raise awareness of Kyrgyz media legislation and the rights of journalists.
A resident of Mailuu-Suu speaks up during an OSCE awareness-raising event.
Agency (IAEA), who collected firsthand information on the risk for the local population. Another of the Centre’s projects in this field targeted residents of the area, who were made aware of the hazards resulting from exposure to radiation, as well as local environmental NGOs who took part in an advocacy-training workshop. Promoting protection of the environment. To further advance national and regional strategies for sustainable environmental protection, the Centre organized a series of seminars that sought to improve the understanding of both authorities and civil society of the Aarhus Convention provisions. In October, an Aarhus Information Centre was opened in Osh to increase public awareness of the Convention and to facilitate access to environmental information for local citizens.