Central Asia has emerged as a key region where the convergence of geopolitics and development cooperation is most visible. Major powers are redefining their approaches: Japan combines official development assistance (ODA) with commercial partnerships to advance connectivity and reform; the EU is...

In contrast to most Central, Eastern and Southeastern European (CESEE) economies, Central Asia (CA) - comprising Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - has witnessed quite robust demographic as well as economic growth in the period from 2019 to 2024. This period was...

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the Kyrgyz Republic play a significant role in the economy but also present potential fiscal risks. This paper assesses these risks through both aggregate and firm-level lenses. At the aggregate level, the total amount of liabilities of largest SOEs liabilities...

This SIP reviews the labor market constraints to growth and development in the Kyrgyz Republic, including gender-specific constraints. It is motivated by the high annual population growth rate of 2 percent, which implies 50,000 new labor market entrants per year. The review canvasses broadly...

This paper revisits the potential output of the Kyrgyz Republic considering recent structural shifts and external shocks, including the pandemic and the regional conflict. Utilizing a suite of methodologies - production function, state-space models, and statistical filters - it estimates...

The Kyrgyz Republic has shown remarkable resilience amid heightened global uncertainty. Inflation has declined to mid-single digits, but underlying demand pressures require continued vigilance. Favorable debt dynamics have created fiscal space to invest in infrastructure, energy, and human...

Low-carbon energy transition, which includes the replacement of fossil fuels with low-carbon energy infrastructure, the removal of subsidies, and other measures, requires households to be able to pay for low-carbon energy services. Economic shocks such as the coronavirus disease pandemic and...

In contrast to most Central, Eastern and Southeastern European (CESEE) economies, Central Asia (CA) - comprising Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - has witnessed quite robust demographic as well as economic growth in the period from 2019 to 2024. This period was...

People with disabilities represent a significant portion of the global population, and their exclusion from employment and education perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality, undermining economic development efforts. The analytical report on disability inclusive employment and education in...

Ankara's role in Central Asia is often assessed through the "Great Game" lens, in which Turkey is supposed to challenge the influence of Russia and China. On the one hand, such a perspective attests to the growing role of Turkey in the region. On the other hand, this view ignores the agency of...

Ankara’s role in Central Asia is often assessed through the "Great Game" lens, in which Turkey is supposed to challenge the influence of Russia and China. On the one hand, such a perspective attests to the growing role of Turkey in the region. On the other hand, this view ignores the agency of...

The study aimed to improve methodological approaches to assessing the effectiveness of investment projects in the Kyrgyz Republic. The study was based on the comparative economic, structural-dynamic, correlation-regression and scenario analysis, as well as methods of content analysis of...

This study employs an economic growth model to assess the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on the economy of the Kyrgyz Republic. Using a time-series Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) approach within an econometric framework, the authors estimated the effects of gross capital formation,...

Weather extremes become more frequent and intense with climate change, but how weather extremes impact household wealth in the Global South remains elusive in many regions. We combined nationally representative quarterly household panel data with climate data to evaluate the impact of weather...

This study assesses the impact of two revolutions—the Tulip Revolution in 2005 and the Melon Revolution in 2010—on household food demand in Kyrgyzstan. Different categories within food products witnessed distinct adjustments in consumer demand. Employing a complete demand system and...

Bride kidnapping is a form of forced marriage in which a woman is taken against her will and coerced into accepting marriage with her captor. Post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan has seen a large increase in the prominence of this practice alongside a revitalization of traditional values and culture. As part...

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has accelerated global dynamics that profoundly impact the post-Soviet South. Relations with Russia are still strong, but the former subalterns are raising their voices. The empowerment is most visible in their foreign relations, but also tends to strengthen...

Russia's war against Ukraine and the geopolitical shifts on the Eurasian continent have brought Central Asia back into the focus of Germany and the EU. Germany's strategic regional partnership with Central Asia, which was announced last autumn, offers promising potential for cooperation....

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has accelerated global dynamics that profoundly impact the post-Soviet South. Relations with Russia are still strong, but the former subalterns are raising their voices. The empowerment is most visible in their foreign relations, but also tends to strengthen...

The Country Opinion Survey in the Kyrgyz Republic assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in better understanding how stakeholders in the Kyrgyz Republic perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media,...

The new trade and labor migration patterns that emerged since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine have provided an unexpected boost to growth. Tax revenue increased considerably since 2021, public debt declined below 50 percent of GDP by end-2022, and inflation while still elevated has...

The development of cross-border tourism between neighboring countries has become increasingly popular in recent decades. In European countries where the visa-free regime is established, this scheme is well developed and positively affects the development of the country's economy. Developing...

Russia's war against Ukraine and the geopolitical shifts on the Eurasian continent have brought Central Asia back into the focus of Germany and the EU. Germany's strategic regional partnership with Central Asia, which was announced last autumn, offers promising potential for cooperation....

This study assesses the impact of two revolutions—the Tulip Revolution in 2005 and the Melon Revolution in 2010—on household food demand in Kyrgyzstan. Different categories within food products witnessed distinct adjustments in consumer demand. Employing a complete demand system and...

Bride kidnapping is a form of forced marriage in which a woman is taken against her will and coerced into accepting marriage with her captor. Post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan has seen a large increase in the prominence of this practice alongside a revitalization of traditional values and culture. As part...

This study empirically examines the effect of the drought of 2021 on migration in the Kyrgyz Republic. A panel dataset was created using nationally representative household survey data for the period 2019-2022 with approximately 5,000 households in each year and integrated with the satellite...

Development has long been a field of epistemic debate. Where do the ideas and knowledge that underpin the practices and approaches of international development come from? Who generates and who promotes them, and why? Do ideas really matter at all - or does the practice of development carry on...

Chapter 1: Introduction: Comparative Analyses of Shadow Economies of Turkic Republics -- Chapter 2: Tackling the Shadow Economy in Azerbaijan: Are There Any Results? -- Chapter 3: Digital Revolution and the Shadow Economy: Opportunities and Challenges for Kazakhstan -- Chapter 4: Earnings and...

Individual perception about climate risks is critical for adopting mitigation and adaptation measures, yet international experience shows that individual perception might fundamentally deviate from objective changes. So far, little attention has been paid in the literature to understanding the...

This report outlines the main results of the study based on the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM) conducted in the Naryn River Basin, the Kyrgyz Republic. This assessment identifies degraded forest and pasture areas, considers the potential correlation between land...

The Kyrgyz Republic has recorded steady progress in poverty reduction and shared prosperity over the past twenty years. The government's national development program to 2040 sets a clear target for continued growth and improved living standards. The overarching theme of the Systematic Country...

The Kyrgyz Republic is a small, open, and lower-middle-income country. Throughout the past two decades, the Kyrgyz authorities have substantially improved the country's fiscal stance to maintain macroeconomic stability. Notwithstanding past progress, the fiscal system of the Kyrgyz Republic...

Remittance flows in emerging market and developing economies were surprisingly resilient during the COVID-19 crisis, providing much-needed income support for remittance-receiving households. However, households were impacted differently across income distributions. Using novel high-frequency...

Fresh water is an increasingly scarce resource across the world. To prevent excessive water usage, broad participation in appropriately priced municipal water infrastructure and services is necessary. This paper estimates the impact of improvements to water network infrastructure on the take-up...

Remittance flows in emerging market and developing economies were surprisingly resilient during the COVID-19 crisis, providing much-needed income support for remittance-receiving households. However, households were impacted differently across income distributions. Using novel high-frequency...