During a working visit to the USA, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov held talks with the leadership of the World Bank Group. He met with the Vice President of the WB for Europe and Central Asia, Antonella Bassani. The main topics of discussion were the current state and future prospects of cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the World Bank in the areas of healthcare, education, social protection, water supply, irrigation, energy, renewable energy sources, and green economy.
Japarov emphasized the issues of providing the population with water and energy resources, noting that the construction of the Kambaratinskaya HPP-1 will have a positive effect not only on Kyrgyzstan but on the entire Central Asian region. The Prime Minister also mentioned plans to hold an investment forum in Vienna to mobilize resources for the construction of the HPP-1 with international partners and financial institutions.
Antonella Bassani highlighted Kyrgyzstan's significant potential in the production and export of clean and renewable energy and expressed the World Bank's readiness to support Kyrgyzstan's initiatives within the global climate change agenda. Japarov then met with the WB Managing Director of Operations, Anna Bjerde, praising the World Bank as a reliable partner and close friend to Kyrgyzstan.
The officials discussed economic growth indicators, which have averaged nearly 7% over the past three years, as well as climate change, energy balance, and joint implementation of water-energy, agricultural, and food projects. Following the negotiations, agreements were signed between Kyrgyzstan and the International Development Association for financing the "Development of Sustainable Agri-food Clusters" project for $35 million and for additional funding for the "Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Development Project" for $7.64 million, funded by the World Bank.
