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At the Second Regional Dialogue on Circular Economy in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan was represented by members of Parliament, government institutions, and the business community

October 20, 2025

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On 13-14 October 2025, the Second Regional Dialogue of Central Asian Parliamentarians on Circular Economy took place in Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan. The event was organized by the EU SWITCH-Asia Programme (Policy Support Component) in cooperation with the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC). The dialogue brought together parliamentarians, representatives of ministries, international organizations, experts, and business representatives from five countries of the region - Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

It is important to note that on 2 October, ahead of the regional dialogue, a national meeting was held at the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic in Bishkek. The meeting focused on identifying priority directions for the development of a circular economy in the country (see more: Kyrgyzstan charts path toward circular economy with focus on four priority sectors[1]). This meeting became one of the practical follow-ups to the First Regional Dialogue held in Bishkek in May 2025.

Thus, Circular Economy is becoming one of the key directions for sustainable development in Central Asia. The countries of the region are shifting from the linear model of 鈥渢ake - make - use - dispose鈥� toward a more resource-efficient and innovative system, where materials and products are used more effectively and repeatedly, waste generation is reduced, and production efficiency increases. These approaches strengthen economic resilience, reduce the carbon footprint, and open new opportunities for business and green investment.

Amankan Batyrbekovich Kenzhebaev, Member of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic (VII convocation), Chairperson of the Committee on Agrarian Policy, Water Resources, Ecology and Regional Development; Abas Khalilovich Usenov, Head of the Sector of the Committee on Agrarian Policy, Water Resources, Ecology, and Regional Development. Aigul Anarbekovna Tyumenbaeva, Head of the Legal Support and Expertise Division of the Legal Department, Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The main theme of the meeting was to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation and to discuss the draft Framework Programme for Partnership on Circular Economy in Central Asia, which is planned to be presented at the Central Asian Environmental Summit in April 2026. Parliamentarians reviewed country proposals focused on strengthening the legislative basis and supporting national and cross-border circular economy projects, with Kyrgyzstan contributing several key initiatives.

During the dialogue, participants also discussed the updated Memorandum of Understanding, which confirms the establishment of the Inter-Parliamentary Platform on Circular Economy in Central Asia. The participants expressed their support for further parliamentary cooperation and exchange of experience among countries of the region.

Amankan Batyrbekovich Kenzhebaev emphasized that the promotion of a circular economy is one of the national priorities of the Kyrgyz Republic, and that the country is open to cooperation with international partners and neighboring countries in advancing this important agenda.

In continuation of the dialogue, a special business and NGO session was devoted to showcasing successful circular economy practices. Representatives of leading companies from the tourism, construction, agro-industrial, and recycling sectors presented solutions for efficient resource use and waste reduction, and discussed with parliamentarians ways to support innovative business models.

听鈥淭he circular economy is no longer an environmental add-on - it is an economic transformation agenda,鈥� said Mr. Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, in his opening remarks. 鈥淭hrough SWITCH-Asia and the EU鈥檚 Global Gateway, we aim to link policy reforms with sustainable investment pipelines - building resilient, low-carbon economies.鈥�

From Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Aziz Kyrgyzbaev, project implementation specialist at Kyrgyz Agroholding, and Mr. Zhanybek Kulumbetov, expert from UNISON Group, spoke at the business session. They presented practical examples of introducing circular solutions in the agro-industrial field and in promoting energy and resource efficiency. In particular, Mr. Kulumbetov highlighted initiatives implemented under the Kyrgyz Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (KyrSEFF), projects on enhancing energy and resource efficiency in the tourism sector, and on improving district heating systems.

As part of the programme, all participants visited exemplary enterprises in Almaty that demonstrate the practical application of circular economy principles: the Green City residential complex, certified to the 鈥淥MIR - Gold鈥� standard, and First Recycling (Technic Destroy) - the first enterprise in Central Asia for recycling lithium-ion batteries.

The regional dialogue served as an important platform for aligning the positions of Central Asian countries in preparation for the upcoming Central Asian Environmental Summit in 2026 and for promoting joint initiatives in sustainable production, consumption, and circular economy.

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