Kyrgyzstan Launches Landmark Environmental Initiative: $52 Million for Nature Restoration

Bishkek, 2025

Kyrgyzstan has launched RESILAND CA+, a large-scale environmental initiative aimed at protecting nature and preventing natural disasters.

Funded by the World Bank, the project will help mitigate mudflows, restore degraded lands, and strengthen regional cooperation on sustainable landscape management.

Why It Matters

Kyrgyzstan is home to unique natural ecosystems, but they are under serious threat. Forests are vanishing, soil is eroding, and glaciers are melting at alarming rates. In the past 12 years, the country has experienced more than 900 mudflows, endangering the lives and livelihoods of thousands of families.

RESILAND CA+ is designed to address these issues and ensure environmental safety for future generations.

Financing and Timeline

The project will run from 2024 to 2029 with the following international funding:

• $45 million – Credit from the International Development Association (IDA)
• $5 million – Grant from PROGREEN
• $2.4 million – Grant from the Korea-World Bank Partnership Facility (KWPF)

Key Objectives

• Protect communities from natural disasters
• Introduce modern systems to monitor mudflows, glaciers, and snow cover
• Safeguard populations, floodplains, livelihoods (agricultural lands, crops, orchards), and infrastructure from mudflows using “gray” solutions
• Promote effective and sustainable monitoring practices
• Expand areas under sustainable land management through reforestation efforts involving local communities
• Shift from disaster response to prevention by applying climate-resilient green, gray, and bioengineering solutions (Nature-Based Solutions – NBS)
• Support Kyrgyzstan’s efforts within the Five-Year Action Plan for Mountain Development
• Strengthen regional cooperation among Central Asian countries in combating climate change
• Reforest degraded lands and combat soil erosion
• Promote the “One Village – One Product” (OVOP) program to support livelihoods in vulnerable communities
• Foster regional collaboration in disaster risk reduction

Project Geography

The program will cover the Osh, Jalal-Abad, Naryn, and Issyk-Kul regions, with special attention to the Kara-Darya River Basin, where the risk of mudflows is particularly high. Implementing protective measures will reduce threats for both Kyrgyzstan and downstream countries.

Expected Outcomes

✔️ 70,000 hectares under sustainable land management
✔️ 17,000 people protected from natural hazards
✔️ Thousands of new jobs in rural areas
✔️ Strengthened international environmental cooperation

Voices from Leadership

▶️ Minister of Emergency Situations Boobek Azhikeev:
“This project opens a new chapter in combating land degradation and climate threats in Kyrgyzstan. We are not just restoring landscapes — we are protecting the future of our communities.”

▶️ Tatiana Proskuryakova, World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia:
“RESILAND CA+ is not just about the environment — it’s an investment in people’s safety, in the economy, and in international partnerships. Restoring nature helps us prevent future disasters.”

▶️ Hugh Riddell, World Bank Country Manager for Kyrgyz Republic:
“The unified leadership of the World Bank Group enables us to take a more integrated approach to development, making us a stronger partner for the government, private sector, and citizens.”

A Nationally Driven Initiative

The project was initiated following strategic negotiations between Kyrgyz Minister of Emergency Situations Boobek Azhikeev and World Bank representatives.

▶️ “Together with my team, we set out to move beyond reacting to disasters and instead focus on long-term prevention. This project reflects our strong commitment and a true partnership approach,” said Minister Azhikeev.

He also highlighted the role of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the support of World Bank Country Manager Hugh Riddell, and the leadership of Regional Director Tatiana Proskuryakova. Notably, the former World Bank Country Manager in Kyrgyzstan (2020–2024), Naveed Hassan Naqvi, also played a key role in bringing the project to life.

The project will also prioritize glacier protection, water balance, and improved water resource management. Kyrgyzstan advocates for “soft impact” climate policy, promoting reforestation, greening initiatives, and responsible water use. Protective infrastructure will be strengthened to redirect mudflows into safe channels — minimizing harm both within the country and downstream. Ensuring access to clean water and its fair distribution is a central goal.

Stories from the Field

Over the past five years, 32 people have died in mudflows and floods.

In July 2023, the village of Zhany-Zher in Osh region was nearly wiped out by a powerful mudflow following heavy rains. Three people were killed, homes and roads destroyed. Residents recall how a sudden overnight flood left many with only moments to escape.

In 2022, the village of Emgekchil in Naryn region faced ongoing landslides due to soil erosion and a lack of forest barriers. More than 100 families had to be relocated for safety.

In Issyk-Kul region, rapidly melting glaciers are affecting river flows and lake levels, threatening agriculture and livelihoods.

These real stories highlight the urgent need for preventive action to protect communities and build resilience to climate threats.

Media Contacts

Email: info@resiland.kg
Website: www.mchs.gov.kg