CAREC Institute Director Meets with Kyrgyz Republic’s National Focal Point

The CAREC Institute (CI) Director, Mr. Kabir Jurazoda, met with Mr. Sanzhar Bolotov, Deputy Minister of Economy and Commerce and National Focal Point for the Kyrgyz Republic, in Bishkek to reinforce collaborative efforts as the Kyrgyz Republic prepares to chair the CAREC Program in 2025.

In this productive session, Mr. Jurazoda highlighted CI’s priorities for the upcoming Governing Council meeting and the 2025 work plan, with a focus on research projects like the CAREC Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring (CPMM), containerization, and digital transport corridors. He also outlined capacity-building workshops on CAREC corridor best practices, AI in education, and e-commerce via livestreaming while updating the progress of CI’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives. Mr. Bolotov welcomed the opportunity to involve Kyrgyz Republic institutions in these efforts, particularly through enhanced academic collaborations.

The two leaders also reviewed the CI Revitalization Plan, the Rolling Operational Plan, and opportunities for the flagship Research Conference set for Bishkek. Mr. Bolotov underscored Kyrgyz Republic’s dedication to sustainable development, extending an invitation to CI for the COP-29 event on green and climate finance this November in Baku.

With a mutual emphasis on regional connectivity and sustainability, Mr. Bolotov encouraged strengthening ties with the Kyrgyz Republic think tanks like the National Institute for Strategic Innovations and the OSCE Academy, as well as advancing projects such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.

This meeting set a strategic path for continued collaboration, fostering regional cooperation in transport, climate finance, and sustainable development.