Sida

Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)

Swedish development cooperation with Central Asia began back in 1998, when Sweden took part in a project for the Aral Sea, one of the world's worst environmental disasters, that was being led by the World Bank. Sweden also supported a region programme through the UNDP to promote democracy, human rights and private organisations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In 1997 Sida provided humanitarian aid to the region, primarily to Tajikistan, and in 1998 it embarked on a more long-term yet restricted development cooperation scheme with Central Asia. Between 2003 and 2006, assistance rose from SEK 7.4 million per annum to approx. 35 million in 2006.

Development cooperation with Kyrgyzstan in 2006-2009

The goal of development cooperation with Kyrgyzstan during the strategy period 2006-2009 is to support the country’s long-term programme for poverty alleviation. In time, it should be possible to provide this assistance in the form of donor-coordinated general budget support to poverty reduction.

In order to create the conditions for future budget support, Sweden should initially support the development of competent, transparent and efficient public institutions that have popular backing. Measures are to be taken in cooperation with the Kyrgyz government and other donors, in accordance with the Paris Declaration.

Sweden’s experience of work in the gender equality field has aroused considerable interest in Kyrgyzstan. Gender equality is still a neglected area, and should therefore remain a vital part of development cooperation work with Kyrgyzstan, both mainstreamed and in individual projects. The gender equality perspective must also permeate all dialogue and activities. When activities are prepared and followed up, their relevance for and impact on women and men are to be analysed.

Opportunities for promoting peace and stability should be explored in projects and programmes.

A. Democratic governance

Objective: Democratic institutions guaranteeing citizens effective participation in the fight against poverty, and sustainable development for the individual, the community and the state, via projects/programmes aimed at

- developing sound public financial management systems

- strengthening administrative competence and capability

- fighting corruption.

Examples of projects/programmes:

Sweden’s contributions will be determined by the joint reform package that is expected to result from the multi-donor review of the country’s public financial management systems and the joint efforts to develop a new NPRS. Supplementary activities may be considered for the purpose of strengthening public institutions, including the National Statistics Committee, penal care and the electoral system. Selective support may be provided in the human rights field.

B. Health

Objective: The right of women and men to life and health through projects/programmes aimed at

- greater efficiency and equitable access to healthcare

- improved social security systems that reach those in need

- fewer children in institutions.

Examples of projects/programmes:

Sida is giving support to the sector wide approach in the health sector that includes support to public health, an area in which Sida has been active in Kyrgyzstan since 2004. As part of this process, Sida has begun working with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) on joint efforts to promote public health.

Measures to combat HIV/Aids will be part of the public health initiatives that are expected to be part of Sida’s contribution to health funding. The incidence of HIV/Aids among people aged 15-49 in Kyrgyzstan is 0.1 per cent (2003).

Efforts in the social sector are expected to ease the situation for the most vulnerable groups in society, develop alternatives to institutional care, and improve the situation of those women who today have to step in unpaid when the public social safety net breaks down. Swedish support should be made available for the long-term reform of social security systems in Kyrgyzstan, preferably in collaboration with the World Bank.

Other areas

Swedish development cooperation should initially concentrate on the two principal areas outlined above, focusing on future budget support, and should mainly be implemented in collaboration with other donors.

In addition, agriculture and seed development will continue to be a relatively large part of the Swedish development programme. As the anticipated results are achieved, however, funding is to be phased out during the strategy period. Current support for land reform in Kyrgyzstan should be maintained so that the results achieved may be consolidated.

For more information please visit  http://www.sida.se/sida/jsp/sida.jsp?d=121&language=en_US
Or direct link to Sida in Kyrgyzstan:
http://www.sida.se/sida/jsp/sida.jsp?d=748&language=en_US