Yury Razgulyayev: Kirgizia’s president is optimistic about the future

Kirgizia’s president, Askar Akayev, has given a high estimate of the results of 2001. The president thinks that the year revealed a considerable economic upturn. The inflation rate in Kirgizia during 2001 was the lowest among the CIS countries: only 4.6%. The average income of the population has considerably increased, and stable growth of GDP has been seen. Moreover, the statistics show that the rise of the republic’s economy continue. For example, liberation of Afghanistan from the Taliban allowed Kirgizia to restore the previous volumes of commodity turnover. The world community plans to invest not less than $9 billion in Kabul’s destroyed economy. Kirgizia, due to its geopolitical location, expects to receive large and profitable orders for supplies of foodstuffs, agricultural products, and essentials to Kabul.

The process has been already initiated. On January 9, the International Humanitarian Coalition signed a contract for the supply of about 16 tones of flour and grain from Kirgizia to Afghanistan. The president’s plenipotentiary for humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, Mr.Otorbayev, says that the republic is now ready to supply large batches of shoes, clothes, and textile goods to its neighbor. Kirgizia will probably profit by its participation in the restoration of the water supply and the power sphere of Afghanistan. In addition, on New Year’s eve, a new powerful hydroelectric station was put into operation in Kirgizia. The president hopes that this will allow the country to double its electricity generation within the next few years.

The coal industry is becoming strong in Kirgizia as well. The coal processed here is supplied to hydroelectric stations and covers the peak burdens of the aggregates burning coal. Coal stock in Kirgizia is the largest in the whole region. Askar Akayev is optimistic about the fact that the exchange rate of the national currency has not changed during 2001; this has happened for the first time during the last ten years. Now, the national bank aims at an increase of the currency reserves. The situation allows the government to forecast an inflation rate of not more than 5-6% for this year and strive for overcoming the poverty of most part of the population.

Yury Razgulyayev PRAVDA.Ru Bishkek Kirgizia

Translated by Maria Gousseva

In the photo: President Askar Akayev

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/01/16/35629.html