On January 25, the Eastwest Institute (EWI) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation jointly hosted a conference on investment opportunities in Kyrgyzstan at the EWI office, in Brussels.

The high ranking Kyrgyz delegation included HE Nurhanbek Momunaliev, Chief of Staff, government's office and Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic; HE Azizbek Omorkulov, chairman of the management board, RSK Bank; and HE Asein Isaev, Kyrgyz Ambassador to Benelux, France, EU, NATO and UNESCO. Prominent speakers included HE Peter Burian, European Union Special Representative for Central Asia and Najam Abbas, EWI Senior Fellow.

Dr. Wolfgang Klapper EWI Vice President, Director of the Regional Security Program, delivered opening remarks, expressing his appreciation for the new openness of the Kyrgyz government following the Presidential Elections on October 15, 2017 and outlined EWI's interest in cooperation with Kyrgyzstan. In his remarks, HE Peter Burian stressed the EU's willingness to support Kyrgyzstan's transformation process. EWI Senior Fellow Abbas reflected on the "40 steps for Kyrgyzstan's National Renewal and Revival" — a new economic policy initiative while also sharing key economic data and indicators.

The Kyrgyz delegation conveyed to participants the country's enormous investment opportunities across various sectors. Both presenters and participants echoed an appreciation of Kyrgyztan's efforts to reinforce its trade and investment links to Europe and called for a concrete follow-up to translate the country’s political willingness into further definable actions.

The conference, which was attended by 70 participants, was moderated by Dr. Markus Ehm, director of the Brussels office of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.