The one-day seminar will focus on sharing reports and studies on ongoing Public-Private Partnership projects as well as providing participants with recommendations concerning what type of approaches the Kyrgyz Government could consider when introducing PPPs in different sectors of the economy.

The seminar consists of two parts, the first of which will involve presentations delivered by Mr. Enrico Grassi, Principal Auditor of the European Court of Auditors, and by Mrs. Simrit Kaur, Professor at the University of Delhi. Keynotes will also be heard from the Development Partners and representatives of the ministries of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Presentations will then be followed by a relevant panel discussion with representatives of the Kyrgyz government, civil society, private sector, expert groups, research institutions and development partners. The panel will discuss how to avoid pitfalls and ensure a successful approach to Public-Private Partnership that will yield positive results for the whole of Kyrgyzstan. After the presentations and panel discussion, a Q&A session will follow.

As stated in the most recent Development Program of the Kyrgyz Republic «Unity, Trust, Creation», between 2018-2022, the Kyrgyz Government is committed to developing Public-Private Partnerships with the intention of increasing domestic supply of services and bridging gaps in infrastructure. Such partnerships have been considered a viable option for providing goods and services, which are conventionally supplied by the public sector.

Chairperson Shaikova stressed the high importance of the Centre: “During the electoral cycle between 2015 to 2017 about 13,000 SRS/CEC experts have been trained on a smooth organization of elections, use of ICT equipment, appropriate delivery of information, effective electoral disputes resolution mechanisms for successful election campaigns. Therefore, the need for having such training centre is still urgent, as skills and knowledge should be updated regularly to be in shorthand with new technologies and innovations”.

Citizens want transparent, effective and accountable governments, with institutions that empower people and are responsive to their aspirations. The SRS, with the support of the UNDP, the Government of Switzerland and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, has addressed this need by introducing these novelty technologies, which demanded a new set of knowledge and skills of SRS staff. Eventually, this cooperative work has led to an opening of the Capacity Development Centre.

“Knowledge and innovation are inseparable from each other - they drive societies and economies around the world. I believe this Capacity Development Centre will become a knowledge hub for the SRS staff, who is working towards building strong institutions and democratic society in the Kyrgyz Republic. UNDP promotes innovation, capacity development, and empowerment through sustainable approaches which we can share with our partners to bring the technologies and innovations for the benefit of people”, said Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo, UN Resident Coordinator/ UNDP Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic.

“Change is the driver of progress and today the SRS demonstrates that change is already taking place in the public services industry in Kyrgyzstan, and the OSCE is proud to be a part of it,” said Ambassador Chiveri, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. Indeed, the Centre will play a significant role in maintaining and upgrading the SRS’s knowledge for improving the provision of public services and heightening inter-organizational communication.

The SRS Capacity Development Centre was an important part of the Kyrgyz Election Support Project 2 (KESP2), which was implemented by UNDP and financed by the Governments of Switzerland and Denmark. The project aimed to support the SRS and CEC in organising free, competitive, and peaceful elections throughout the Kyrgyz Republic. To achieve this goal, the SRS and CEC officials need to be well trained and to have access to modern and safe technology.