For Immediate Release
Press Release
The Ministry of Finance and USAID launched The Public Procurement Transparency and Accountability Forum in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Forum serves as a platform for civil society to come together and connect with the Government organizations of Kyrgyz Republic, exchange information, share citizens’ concerns and ensure accountability and transparency in contract implementation and management of public funds.
The Forum was organized as part of the Fiscal Accountability and Sustainable Trade (FAST) project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Deputy Minister of Finance Mr. Kalenderov, representative of the U.S. Embassy’s Political and Economic Affairs Ms. Farnsworth, representatives of government, civil society organizations, academia, mass media and international organizations participated in the Forum’s launch.
According to the Deputy Finance Minister Ulugbek Kalenderov, “Paying taxes is a civic duty, and the duty of the state is to manage the funds received efficiently and transparently. The key to success is cooperation between the state and civil society”
The recently enacted “On Procurement Law” explicitly mandates procuring entities to engage civil society organizations at all stages of public procurement to ensure transparency and accountability in the public procurement system.
Rayna Farnsworth, a representative of the US Embassy, noted the importance of long-term and coordinated actions of both civil society and the Government to increase transparency in this area. "USAID stands ready to support this coordinated effort for the benefit of the citizens of this beautiful country."
FAST worked with 25 prominent Kyrgyz NGOs and Public Associations including Sotsium, Partner Group Precedent, Alliance for Transparent Budget, Patient Community Alliance, and others, to form public procurement oversight forum.
Members of Forum will meet regularly on a quarterly basis and will share results of the ongoing public procurement monitoring efforts. The Forum will identify potential avenues of corruption and work with government agencies to improve transparency and service delivery for the people of Kyrgyz Republic.
