USAID/OTI Kyrgyzstan Annual Summary Report
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October 2010 - September 2011 |
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Program Description
In May 2010, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) launched a program in the Kyrgyz Republic in response to the country's political crisis. Popular demonstrations in April led to the ousting of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Given this window of opportunity, the U.S. Government was able to further demonstrate its support for democracy in Central Asia by supporting efforts aimed at establishing transparent, accountable, and effective governance at both national and local levels. The violence and mass displacements stemming from the June 2010 events in the southern part of the country quickly highlighted the critical need for immediate and targeted assistance to address emerging sources of instability and conflict in communities with the potential to derail the ongoing democratic transition. The USAID/OTI program in the Kyrgyz Republic is supporting the country's efforts to establish a more stable and secure democracy by encouraging democratic processes and helping to build trust, both within communities and between citizens and government, during this critical period of transition.
Activities
The specific program objectives include the following:
- Mitigating conflict between groups by responding to ongoing and emerging sources of instability and tensions within volatile and marginalized communities that are prone to conflict, and
- Improving inclusive governance at national and local levels, while increasing the ability of citizens and communities to engage constructively in democratic processes and hold their leaders accountable.
The program activities cluster work to—
- Increase access to reliable and objective information to reduce the impact of rumors and inform citizen decision-making;
- Expand opportunities for youth and other vulnerable populations to engage in constructive and productive activities at critical times;
- Improve government responsiveness and accountability through inclusive decision-making and citizen engagement;
- Strengthen the capacity of civil society—especially women's and youth groups—to assess, prevent, mediate, and mitigate conflict;
- Promote interaction that encourages diversity and pluralism in formal and informal institutions; and
- Stimulate economic recovery and expand opportunities in marginalized and volatile communities.
Country Situation
Popular demonstrations in April 2010 brought a swift and unexpected end to the regime of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. The Provisional Government decreed a constitutional referendum for June 2010 to limit presidential powers and establish a parliamentary republic, set parliamentary elections for October 2010, and confirmed Roza Otunbayeva as the acting president through the end of 2011. Ethnic violence flared in southern districts in June 2010, further destabilizing the country and resulting in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of as many as 400,000 citizens. Despite the civil strife, the country managed to hold its constitutional referendum in June 2010. A national parliamentary election, deemed "free and fair" by international observers, was held in October 2010, but resulted in considerable political wrangling and a less than cohesive ruling coalition.
According to observers, many of the problems hindering Kyrgyzstan's democratic transition and fueling conflict are well entrenched. These problems include rampant corruption and lack of transparent financial management that support widespread nepotism and patronage within formal and informal institutions. The presence of organized crime is also a problem. Perceived divisions between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek communities garner significant attention from national and international media outlets. However, other social divisions—such as inequities between rural and urban areas or what analysts describe as competition between northern and southern political elites—are at times more polarizing. Other overarching problems include poor management of natural resources and decaying Soviet-era infrastructure. In addition, lack of economic opportunity increases competition for limited services and resources, breeds resentment, and predisposes the citizenry—young and old, men and women—to mobilize for protest and violence in return for financial incentives. Opportunistic manipulation by political—and possibly criminal—elites is enabled by the lack of access to frequent, reliable, and objective information that can dispel rumors and inform citizen decision-making. These endemic issues and other triggers of conflict are magnified and often exploited during the lead up to, and in the aftermath of, elections.
Presidential elections are scheduled for October 30, 2011. All the leading presidential candidates have committed to overturning the 2010 constitutional referendum and to re-establishing a strong, centralized presidency. Some observers fear such an action would undo all the democratic gains made since the 2010 elections. Local and municipal elections are slated for the spring of 2012. Observers will be closely watching the mayoral race in Osh, as many believe that stability could be significantly compromised should Melis Myrzakmatov, the controversial incumbent, be defeated.
A number of issues could contribute to instability in the near term, including the manipulation and mobilization of vulnerable groups by political elites and criminal groups; an increase in nationalist rhetoric and exacerbation of ethnic divides; abuses by the police and lack of access to justice; and restrictions on independent and objective media. Over the winter and into next spring, factors that could fan tensions include a disgruntled electorate in the north or south, local and mayoral elections in Osh, or calls for a constitutional referendum.
Upcoming Events
| 30 October 2011 |
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Presidential election [This report was finalized subsequent to the presidential election; former Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev was declared the victor.] |
| Spring 2012 |
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Local and municipal elections |
Grants Summary
Since May 2010, OTI, through its implementing partner International Resources Group, has funded 157 activities totaling $10,028,033 million. Activities break down by objective as follows:
| Objective |
Activities Cleared
(4th qtr) |
Activities Cleared
(to date) |
Activity Amounts
(4th qtr) |
Activity Amounts
(to date) |
| Mitigating Conflict within Communities |
6 |
108 |
$231,871 |
$7,568,561 |
| Improving Inclusive Governance |
11 |
49 |
$461,597 |
$2,459,472 |
| Total |
17 |
157 |
$693,468 |
$10,028,033 |
Highlights
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| Posters were used to publicize a hotline where citizens could report jurist misconduct.
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Advocating for Judicial Transparency – The Citizen's Council to Control Court System (CCCCS), an ad hoc union of 14 civic activists, entrepreneurs, and lawyers, launched a nationwide telephone hotline where citizens could report unethical behavior by judges nominated for local, supreme, and constitutional courts. Earlier in the year, a Judges Screening Committee was formed to administer the nominating and selection process at all levels; however, the committee has been widely criticized by the public, as its selection process is viewed as less than transparent. In addition, the committee is alleged to have violated a number of Kyrgyz laws. In response to this crisis of trust, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society in mid-July established the CCCCS, which rolled out the hotline in September with USAID/OTI support. The hotline is one component of a larger advocacy campaign to encourage citizens across the country to report alleged abuses and other concerns about judges that receive nominations to ensure that they are thoroughly vetted.
Improving Access to Water in the South – In September, USAID/OTI initiated two projects to minimize local tensions over access to limited water resources. The projects will also help improve local government's capacity to manage the water supply over the longer term. The first project is supporting the Kara-Suu Water Management Department's effort to boost the carrying capacity of a major canal artery, reinforcing it along the Taldik-Sai River bank to prevent flooding. The project will also leverage the expertise of the Foundation for International Tolerance, which will organize and deliver five peace-building and conflict resolution trainings with local water authorities. The second project will rehabilitate the Kokjar irrigation canal, which was damaged by spring floods in 2009 and 2010. The damage left an entire village in Kara-Kulja rayon (district) without water. The project will restore a key water entry point and rehabilitate a sediment tank, allowing the community of mono-ethnic Kyrgyz to distribute water to 303 hectares of farmland.
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| The Aga Khan Foundation produced a series of children's books that celebrate diversity.
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Celebrating Diversity – In July, USAID/OTI introduced a new series of multi-language children's books developed in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation, the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Osh and Jalalabad city administrations. Following a series of dialogues and workshops with parents and teachers, the Aga Khan Foundation produced the dual-language children's books to promote peace, tolerance, and respect for diversity. Copies of the books will be distributed to schools and libraries across the country. The partnership also supported community infrastructure efforts to rehabilitate nine kindergartens in mixed neighborhoods of Osh, Nookat, Uzgen, and Karasuu. These efforts aim to create a more accessible and positive educational environment for children from multi-ethnic communities. Approximately 1,900 ethnic Uzbek and Kyrgyz children will benefit from the projects.
Promoting New Media Literacy with Traditional Media Programming – In September, USAID/OTI initiated a project to increase the ability of citizens to access diverse sources of news and information through the Internet and mobile communication channels. The television program "Chekit.kg," broadcast nationally during primetime on Saturday nights, provides audiences with vital news on mobile networks, social media, and the Internet. The project is funding the procurement of production equipment and supporting the production of 20 episodes of the show, which will be broadcast between October and March, providing its growing audience with a reliable source of information on Internet and social media outlets and credible news sources. The program is currently one of the most popular shows on the national broadcaster, KTR.
Replacing Critical Documents for the Citizens of Osh – In partnership with local authorities in Mady municipality, USAID/OTI initiated a project to help citizens in the Kara-Suu rayon obtain replacement internal passports and other key documents necessary for accessing critical government services and participating in elections. The destruction and looting during June 2010 left many citizens without documents, as the violence affected nearly 2,800 homes, businesses, and government offices in Osh and Jalalabad. The grant provided assistance to rehabilitate a public building and provided office equipment to establish a passport office in the municipality, thereby hastening recovery efforts and reducing tensions in the region.
Improving Access to Electricity in Suzak Border Communities – In July, USAID/OTI awarded a grant to the Suzak administration to install power lines and transformers in five villages in Jalalabad Province. Southerners affected by the 2010 violence have migrated to the Suzak area, and more recently, ethnic Kyrgyz citizens who have been in Uzbekistan have also been moving into the region. Consequently, demand for electricity has increased significantly over the past year. The increased demand has led to supply disruptions and stoked community resentment toward recent migrants. The grant seeks to mitigate tensions before they escalate.
Ensuring Diversity of Local Public Advisory Boards in the South – Local organization Abad last quarter launched a project to inform citizens about the role of local public advisory boards, entities created to facilitate interaction between government and civil society and encourage democratic decision-making at the community level. The USAID-supported activity also provides assistance to improve the effectiveness and ethnic diversity of 80 recently established boards in 14 multi-ethnic regions across southern Kyrgyzstan. The grant is funding 40 workshops addressing inclusiveness and transparent decision-making for local governments and community members..
Program Appraisal
Through an annual strategy review session and routine contextual assessments, the team has examined emerging sources of instability, reviewed early program assumptions, and collectively developed a series of six activity clusters. During these sessions the team also reviewed and strengthened the list of activity outputs to ensure the full breadth and scale of the program can be more completely captured.
During the year, the senior management team has focused significant attention on developing staff capacity, providing training and mentoring opportunities and responding to staff requests for key tools for activity development, monitoring, and evaluation. The management team produced an updated monitoring and evaluation (M&E) guidance note to help bridge the gap between activity, program, and strategic levels; demystify M&E at OTI; and identify clear roles and responsibilities throughout the activity and program cycle.
In the spring of 2011, OTI conducted a management review and a program performance review to gauge the effectiveness of the program and seek recommendations on improvement. Both reviews generated positive feedback from the U.S. Embassy, USAID, donor organizations, and local partners and recognized the program's successes to date. The review identified a number of targeted areas for future development, which have been actively and successfully addressed by the in-country team.
For further information, please contact:
Lisa Bower, Asia & Middle East Program Manager, 202-712-0817, lbower@usaid.gov.
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