The goal of the EGED Programme is to improve the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of economic policy delivery on reform priorities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
www.eged-ca.org
Intended outcome
Economic reforms deliver better results for the public through the systematic use of data in planning and implementation, and closer engagement between government and civil society.
Sub-national economic development
Data-driven planning. New methodologies developed and introduced (by Ministry of Economy and Commerce and State Agency for Civil Service and Local Self-Government under the Cabinet of Ministers in 2024) to design Programmes for Socio-Economic Development of local self-governance bodies (LSGs) and district (rayon) state administrations based on Sanarip Aimak data. The new methodologies:
- unified planning standard at the local level
- embedded data-driven planning in sub-national economic development
- enabled LSGs to identify priorities and opportunities for development with the participation of citizens and civil society
- linked the available resources and goals to the budget process.
Capacity building.
As of 2026, all LSGs and district administrations have new local Socio-Economic Development Programmes (SEDP) developed and approved. The 2025-2030 State Program for Comprehensive Socio-Economic Development of the Regions of the Kyrgyz Republic institutionalized the use of new methodologies.
Delivery. Available district-level data as of 2026 demonstrates that the seven pilot districts2 have attracted at least
Peer exchange. EGED facilitated learning from the Kyrgyz sub-national planning reform to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. This led to: a) peer connections between the UK Local Councils Network on the one hand, and Association of Mahallas (Republic of Uzbekistan) and Union of LSGs (Kyrgyz Republic), on the other; b) MoU signed between Association of Mahallas (Republic of Uzbekistan) and Union of LSGs (Kyrgyz Republic); c) economic development planning tools are adapted in Tajikistan.
[1] Sanarip Aimak is a government information system that automates the work of local self-governments in the Kyrgyz Republic.
[2] The pilot districts are Jeti-Oguz (in Issyk-Kul province), At-Bashy (in Naryn province), Bazar-Korgon (in Jalalabad province), Nookat (in Osh province), Kemin (in Chuy provincey province), Kadamjay (in Batken province), and Aitmatov (in Talas province).
Business licensing and permits policy
Through EGED funding, the World Bank team advised the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to streamline 200+ licenses to start or operate a business.
The result – adoption of a landmark Presidential Decree #144 in April 2026 that launched a comprehensive simplification including through digitalization of the licensing and inspections system and lowers the administrative burden on firms’ entry and operations by reducing unnecessary and duplicative licenses and permits that constrain private sector activity. It instructs state bodies to adopt the permanent statutory and regulatory amendments necessary to ensure their full and lasting removal. Further work on simplification and digitalization of licenses and permits through creation of an integrated E-license platform will continue under a new investment project Sanarip Ordo.
Access to global markets through E-commerce
The programme helped:
Support to the English Common Law
The programme supports the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to develop the International Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC) that will operate within Tamchy Special Financial Investment Territory (SFIT) based on the English Common Law. The EGED support helped design the legal regulation, structure, management, and proceedings of the IDRC. The launch expected in autumn 2026.
Extractives sector transparency
The EGED programme supports practical implementation of priority corrective actions under the 2023 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Standard.
Assistance is offered to the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. In Kyrgyzstan, the programme prioritised beneficial ownership transparency. It funds the design and launch of a beneficial ownership disclosure module embedded within the existing NEDRA portal administered by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision.
Monetary policy
Staff of the Presidential Administration, the National Bank, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, and the Ministry of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic were trained in the Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE1) model adapted to the specifics of the Kyrgyz Republic economy.
DSGE model is now used by the National Bank to produce scenarios informing the monetary policy. The EGED also supported the Central Bank to improve the methodology of measuring inflation expectations of the population. The programme helped the National Bank improve its communications policy – the management staff was trained in public communications.
[1] DSGE – Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium models (DSGE-models) – modern macroeconomic models of behavior of economic agents at the micro level (in particular, households), which also provide for modeling of various random or predictable “shocks” (technological, monetary, price, etc.).
An official web platform of the Kyrgyz Republic designed for the public discussion of draft laws and regulatory legal acts.
Analytics/evidence for policy
1. Listening to the Kyrgyz Republic
(https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/kyrgyzrepublic/brief/l2kgz) since 2021 implemented by the World Bank. A monthly survey of
across the country to understand public perception of wellbeing, reforms, migration, employment, access to public service, household income, and food security. L2KGZ helps inform the Government’s decision-making in delivering social and economic reforms, poverty reduction, and improve citizen well-being. Microdata is open to the public at: https://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/6523
- The Country Gender Assessment (2023) funded by EGED generated evidence around gender inequalities and economic opportunities in labour market and entrepreneurial activity in the Kyrgyz Republic.
- The Subnational Development Gap Assessment presented estimates of welfare indicators at the rayon level, explored the reasons behind strong growth in some rayons, including improvements in agriculture and documented reduction in agglomeration effects in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Based on the evidence, it called for better-targeted social assistance, boosting agricultural growth, and revitalizing cities.
- CSO Contributions to Development in Central Asia
The programme funded the first ever regional assessment of civil society contribution to development in the region.
The assessment demonstrated the breadth and depth of NGO input to employment, tax revenue, service provision, community development, support to vulnerable groups, accountability, and many more. It made clear that NGOs are development actors that generate diverse benefits for the communities and societies they serve.
Transparency of economic policy and reforms
The programme supported:
- The establishment and launch of new Coordination Councils in XXX local self-governments (LSG) and districts as a platform for the government, business and civil society to agree development priorities and monitor the implementation of Socio-Economic Development Programmes.
- The Press Service of the Ministry of Justice to produce awareness raising media materials explaining the de-bureacratisation including animated videos about the House of Justice and Koomtalkuu1
- The Press Service of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce to draft and approve the Ministerial Communication Strategy
[1] An official web platform of the Kyrgyz Republic designed for the public discussion of draft laws and regulatory legal acts.
Pillar 1
National Statistical Committee
National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic
Pillar 2
(2021 – 2024)
(2024 – 2026)
Beneficiary partners:
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Implementor
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Contacts
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) / British Embassy Bishkek |
Media
