The Kyrgyz Republic has encountered economic hardships and budgetary deficits since independence, constraining the ability of the government to finance the maintenance of existing, and construction of new, infrastructure. In addition, weak capacity across line ministries and other state agencies, which are still responsible for infrastructure and services undermines the efficiency with which infrastructure and services are financed and delivered. In response, and mindful of the growing need to attract the private sector, the government is undertaking a comprehensive reform initiative to create an enabling policy, legal, regulatory and institutional environment for public-private partnerships (PPP).
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting the Kyrgyz Republic in strengthening PPPs for more efficient financing and provision of infrastructure and services. PPP reforms reached a new stage in 2012 with the enactment of a PPP Law that is in line with international good practices in February 2012, adoption of a PPP development action plan, adoption of a PPP risk-management policy, and identification of specific PPP project opportunities in the urban, transport and health sectors. These reforms and related initiatives are supported by ADB since 2008, under the Investment Climate Improvement Program (ICIP).
Building on these achievements, the government plans to undertake a high level PPP Forum in Bishkek City, capital of the Kyrgyz Republic, on 23-24 May 2013 to:
(i) demonstrate the government’s commitment to PPP in infrastructure and services,
(ii) demonstrate the quality of the enabling environment for PPP being developed and build consensus for further reforms, including establishment of financial, institutional and legal and regulatory support mechanisms, and
(iii) introduce short- and medium-term PPP opportunities for the private sector.
The PPP forum will complement and reinforce the need for reforms (to be supported under ADB's ICIP) to further strengthen the enabling environment for PPP and the development of a strong and viable PPP project pipeline that will attract investors and lenders. The forum will also help to build consensus for the establishment of PPP project development and financial support facilities that are broadly seen as integral parts of an enabling framework for PPP in line with international good practice.
In addition, the forum will be a platform for the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and its agencies to learn from regional PPPs and those around the world in such infrastructure sectors and sub-sectors as car park, street lighting, airports, toll roads, health, tourism, water and energy (the Kyrgyz Republic is beginning to develop projects in these areas).
Representatives of the highest level of government will actively participate in the introductory part of the forum and individual sessions to demonstrate the commitment of the Government of Kyrgyzstan to public private partnerships. Representatives from foreign public and private sector institutions will participate to provide references for the Kyrgyz PPP framework design in line with international good practice and as learning experience.
The sessions on day 1 of the Forum will focus on the enabling environment for PPP viz, the institutional, financial, and legal and regulatory pillars, and the progress made by the Kyrgyz Republic under each pillar. Experiences of other countries at different stages of PPP development, and the perspective of the financial sector, represented by international banks, equity investors and international finance institutions, will be presented.
The sessions on day 2 of the Forum will focus on the near- and medium-term opportunities that are being developed in the Kyrgyz Republic in various sectors, for consideration by the private sector.
Prime Minister Kyrgyz Republic; Vice President ADB; Andrea Pal; Andrew Sargent; A.P. Bahadur; Chris Miller; Cosette Canilao; Eduardo Mariño; Gagik Khachatryan; Gulnara Kalikova; Ing Matthias Hessling; Jungwook Kim; Marcin Podlecki; Matthew Collingridge; Noorizah Haji Abdul Hamid, Prabhat Mishra; Pierre-Loius Ouvrard; Rina P. Alzate; Sergei Kabanov; Sule Kilic; Sanjar Mukanbetov; Shaimerden Chikanayev; Talgat Kukenov; Thomas Minnich; Tony Smith; Trevor Wallis; Woo-Hyun Kwon
Abraaj Capital; Apricor Investment Partners LLP; Asian Development Bank; CITELUM; City of Bishkek; City of Krakow; Clifford Chance CIS Limited; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); Department of Economic Affairs, India; Department of Finance, Philippines; Development Policy Institute; European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Reside; GE Healthcare; GRATA Law Firm; Government of Armenia; Government of Kazakhstan; Government of Tajikistan; International Finance Corporation; Japan International Cooperation Agency; Kalikova Associates Law Firm; KfW; Korea Expressways Corporation; London Borough of Hounslow; Ministry of Economy, Kyrgyz Republic; Ministry of Finance, India; Ministry of Health, Kyrgyz Republic; Ministry of Transport, Kyrgyz Republic; Ministry of Territorial Administration, Republic of Armenia; Ministry of Transport Kyrgyz Republic; Mota-Engil Group; Northern Capital Gateway LLC; PPP Center, Philippines; Public and Private Infrastructure Investment Management Center, Korea; SWARCO; United Nations Economic Commission for Europe; UEM Group-PLUS Malaysia Berhad; UniCredit Turkey; World Bank
Ma. Isabel Martin, Project Analyst
mimartin@adb.org
Kanykey Brimkulova, Event Coordinator
brimkulova@investment.kg
Mary Jane Romero, Event Coordinator
mjromero.consultant@adb.org