The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today discussed the Joint Country Support Strategy for the Kyrgyz Republic. It presents a core strategy of five development partners to support the Kyrgyz development agenda for the period 2007-2010.

The Joint Country Support Strategy (JCSS) is a joint effort of the Asian Development Bank, the Swiss Cooperation, the United Kingdom Department for International Development, the World Bank Group and the United Nations Agencies.

World Bank Country Manager Roger J. Robinson said the JCSS is closely aligned with the Government’s development goals. "The JCSS is a medium-term framework for managing cooperation between the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and development partners to achieve national development and poverty reduction goals," he said. Its objectives are to align partners’ support with the goals of the Kyrgyz Republic’s Country Development Strategy 2007-2010 (CDS), present the underpinnings of the group’s support, reduce transaction costs, and ensure a coherent, well-coordinated response to support the implementation of the CDS.

The Government’s CDS focuses on four strategic pillars—economic development, governance and transparency in public administration, human development, and environmental sustainability. The CDS aims at consolidating the macroeconomic stability and accelerating structural reforms to foster further growth and poverty reduction. It places improvements in governance high on the agenda, particularly with regard to fighting and reducing corruption. The CDS specifically emphasizes the importance of improving the accountability of officials and reforming the legislative and budget processes to reduce the risk that the state is captured by powerful economic groups. Human and social development priorities in the CDS include access to increased and affordable education and health services; favorable living conditions with access to water, sanitation and basic social services; and social protection for vulnerable groups in the population.

In the framework of the JCSS, the World Bank’s program will focus in particular on supporting Government efforts to improve the environment for business and economic growth, as well as increase the quality of and access to basic services such as health, education, and water and sanitation. "The Bank intends to take a programmatic approach with a focus on results," explains Robinson. "Our lending program for the next three years includes primarily investment lending. However, in order to achieve real outcomes, progress needs to be made on improving governance at all levels, reducing corruption and strengthening the state’s institutional capacity." The JCSS is results oriented, and represents a step toward increasing aid effectiveness.

Within the JCSS, annual allocations for the Kyrgyz Republic of the World Bank will be about US$30 million in grants, while other participating donors will provide about US$50 million annually, also on a grant basis.