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Kyrgyzstan
The difficult path to reform
As a small country with large neighbours, the Kyrgyz Republic has to rely on sound and well-balanced foreign relations. The Kyrgyz economy is not very diversified and is susceptible to external shocks. Its most important export and a source of foreign exchange is gold. Still, Kyrgyzstan belongs to the group of lower middle-income countries. Around one third of the population lives below the national poverty line. Hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz nationals earn their living by working in neighbouring countries to support their families back home. In the first years of its independence, Kyrgyzstan was considered to have an above-average commitment to reform. As the necessary reforms have become increasingly complex, the pace of reform has slowed. Within the scope of development cooperation, the primary aim is to promote economic development and the healthcare sector.
As part of the BMZ 2030 reform strategy, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is ending bilateral development cooperation with Kyrgyzstan. Aside from the projects and measures still underway, no further commitments are planned.
