The memorandum of understanding foresees cooperation and commitment to promote the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda and its goal 16 aiming at the creation of peaceful, just and strong institutions, to support the implementation of the Strategy of Development of the Jogorku Kenesh in line with the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic.  

“Switzerland's rich experience with democratic governance can serve as a basis for exchange and collaboration between our two countries. I am very glad to announce that Switzerland has responded favorably to the request of the Kyrgyz Parliament to assist in strengthening parliamentary democracy and improving citizens’ engagement in decision-making processes,” – said Ambassador Holenstein.

With financial support of Switzerland, UNDP will implement a ten-year prospective project “Strong and Inclusive Parliamentary Democracy”, primarily aimed at further enhancing parliamentary democracy in the Kyrgyz Republic by making it more inclusive, accountable and responsive to the needs of the citizens. The first phase of the project foresees close collaboration and expert support to the activities of three parliamentary committees, namely the committee on constitutional legislation, state structure and judicial legal affairs, the committee on social affairs, education, science, culture and healthcare as well as the committee on finance and budget.

In addition, the project will work actively on enhancing capacity of Public Councils and will launch a special Civic Action Fund to provide citizens with an opportunity to participate in the decision- and policy-making process, ensure effective monitoring and influencing the performance of parliamentary and state accountability institutions. This will allow citizens to hold the Parliament and government accountable and benefit from a more accessible, effective and responsive government.

Contact information:

Aigul Baiburaeva, UNDP Policy Advisor, tel.: 0312 394140 (ext. 152), email:  aigul.baiburaeva@undp.org

Elena Zakirova, Program Officer of the Embassy of Switzerland, tel. 0312 301036, email: elena.zakirova@eda.admin.ch

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The Government of Switzerland provides assistance for the development of the Kyrgyz Republic and supports projects in areas such as health, private sector development, public sector reform, and infrastructure.

The medical clinic was opened by the Osh State University with support of the Swiss side in the frame of the project “Reform of medical education” in Kyrgyzstan - the University funded USD 50’000 and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation sponsored CHF 35’000 including technical support and expertise.

The center will provide opportunities for medical students to gain more clinical skills during their education at the university. It has such departments as “pediatrics”, “therapy”, “surgery”, “obstetrics” and “gynecology” “maternity department”, “reanimation”. The clinical center contains simulation and medical equipment, mannequins of the human parts where students will know about disease symptoms and learn how to treat them.

“Today, the new curriculum on general practitioner specialty is being implemented at the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy and first graduates are expected in June 2018. In September 2016 the Osh State University has started teaching medicine based on new curricula”, said the Ambassador of Switzerland to the Kyrgyz Republic, René Holenstein. “This clinical skills center is one of the new learning tools for the medical students created to improve clinical skills and to become experienced doctors in future to save lives of the population”.