Bishkek, 21 May 2024 – Today UNDP co-hosted the policy discussion of the country’s current Human Development Index progress and investigated further avenues for its improvement – “National Policy Dialogue: Presentation of the Global Human Development Report (HDR)”. The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders including domestic and international experts, the President’s Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic, Deputy Ministers of relevant ministries, and the United Nations country team. Participants exchanged ideas on the next frontier of human development in light of global challenges and discussed approaches for advancing development progress.

In 2022, Kyrgyzstan marked its ascent in the Human Development Index (HDI), advancing to 117th place, up from 118th in 2021 and 121st in 2020, showcasing significant progress by moving into the high human development category. This leap was underpinned by an increase in the gross national income (GNI) per capita, which rose by 5.27%, and improvements in life expectancy, which climbed from 69.98 years in 2021 to 70.48 years in 2022. Notably, gains in GNI per capita and life expectancy were more pronounced among women, signaling strides toward gender equity.

In its mission to facilitate progress in human development, UNDP is at the forefront of fostering dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders. By organizing policy dialogues, the UNDP seeks to discuss and strategize on advancing human development. 

During her speech UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Alexandra Solovieva highlighted the importance of joint efforts in achieving significant progress made by the Kyrgyz Republic in the transitioning to a group of countries with a high HDI score: “Through our policy dialogues and initiatives, UNDP strives to ensure that policies and strategies are not only consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals, but also take into account the specific needs and aspirations of the people of Kyrgyzstan. The current medium-term program focuses on HDI as one of the indicators. And we are glad that in the next program, the Government will use HDI as one of the indicators of success. In this sense, our meeting today is not only a presentation of the Human Development Report, but also the first step in discussing the content of the new Program.”

Mr. Bakyt Sydykov, Head of Political and Economic Research Department, Administration of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic underlined the commitment of the Kyrgyz Government towards human development through its strategic initiatives aimed at improving quality of life. “By prioritizing educational access and healthcare reforms, alongside policies to alleviate poverty, Kyrgyzstan seeks to create a more equitable society. These efforts include targeted measures to reduce gender disparities, showcasing a holistic approach to elevate the quality of life for all citizens making notable progress in the HDI”.

The keynote speeches were followed by related presentations and panel discussions. Mr. Adviser Mihail Peleah, UNDP RBEC Regional Adviser presented the main findings of the HDR with a focus on Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Central Asia. 

Mr. Azamat Usubaliev, UNDP Team Leader, Sustainable Economic Development presented the National Progress based on the HDI 2023/2024. Ms. Anna Arhangelskaya, Member of NHDR team on Energy Vulnerabilities shared insights of the preliminary findings of the National Human Development Report on Energy Vulnerabilities.

The Ministry of Economy and Trade, Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Health presented their goals and policies on improving the main indicators of HDI: life expectancy, education and per capita income. At the concluding part the participants exchanged ideas on the challenges, opportunities, and development of equitable trends in building a future in the region.

More information on the HDR findings and detailed information on Kyrgyzstan indicators can be found here.

For media inquiries please refer to Ainagul Abdrakhmanova, UNDP Communications Officer at ainagul.abdrakhmanova@undp.org

***

About UNDP 

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP. 

About the Human Development Report Office 

The mission of the Human Development Report Office (HDRO) is to advance human development. The goal is to contribute towards the expansion of opportunities, choice, and freedom. The office works towards this goal by promoting innovative new ideas, advocating practical policy changes, and constructively challenging policies and approaches that constrain human development. The office works with others to achieve change through writing and research, data analysis and presentation, support to national and regional analysis and outreach and advocacy work.