러시아ㆍ유라시아

The implications of the Kyrgyz Republic’s unusual geography are at least threefold. First, the country faces an infrastructure deficit, and it will need to allocate a relatively high proportion of its budget to infrastructure. Second, the transit arrangements with its neighbors will always be critically important. Third, air transport is a vital connection, and the Kyrgyz Republic has sensibly adopted an open skies civil aviation policy with effective gateways to the major cities of Bishkek and Osh. The possibility of direct flights to Europe continues to be restricted because the Kyrgyz Republic’s airlines do not meet European safety standards.

There have been significant improvements in the road network since the 1990s. However, but much remains to be done such as expand the road network and improve maintenance and road safety. More rigorous cost-benefit and project appraisal capabilities would ensure that government and official development assistance resources are invested more effectively. There is also scope for lucrative transborder arrangements connecting to neighboring countries and beyond. These interconnected issues are revisited throughout the volume.