Kyrgyzstan’s finance ministry, the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry, the European Union and the UN Development Programme have launched a new project to improve how public money is planned and managed in the country.
The project, titled "Advancing Public Finance Management Reforms for Sustainable Development Goals Achievement in Kyrgyzstan," is funded by the EU with more than $1.1m and will be implemented by UNDP in partnership with the two ministries, the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced on Wednesday.
Planned work includes introducing digital tools and “international practices” to strengthen budgeting, including programme-based budgeting, which allocates money to specific programmes rather than broad categories, and gender-responsive budgeting, which considers how spending affects women and men differently.
The initiative also includes plans for a Public Investment Management system, described as a way to assess and manage infrastructure spending for “value for money”, and work on financing mechanisms for the water sector.
Nurbek Akjolov, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Finance, said the project aligns with the government’s National Development Strategy 2040 and focuses on improving public services.
Focus on budgeting and investment oversight
Rémi Duflot, the EU Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, said public finance management is tied to trust in how resources are used and described the programme as supporting more efficient and accountable financial governance.
Antje Grawe, the UN Resident Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, stated the project includes technical assistance and training for more than 300 civil servants, as well as support to develop a new Public Finance Management Development Strategy.
Alexandra Solovieva, UNDP Resident Representative, said UNDP would bring expertise in digitalisation, climate finance and inclusive budgeting adapted to Kyrgyzstan’s context.
The project links public spending to Sustainable Development Goals including SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation, and SDG 16 on strong institutions.
