Forum participants emphasized the country's high ambitions and the presence of prerequisites for achieving them; however, studies show that Kyrgyzstan faces numerous challenges, especially in the field of communication and internet quality. For the successful operation of new infrastructure projects, including hubs and railways, 6G speed is necessary, while 98% of the republic's territory is covered only by 3G.
The forum called for viewing the internet as an important catalyst for sustainable development and emphasized the need to accelerate reforms. In the context of competition with neighboring countries also striving to become logistics hubs, it is critically important for Kyrgyzstan to move from words to concrete actions and to develop public understanding of the significance of digitalization and reforms in logistics.
The Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Innovative Technologies of the Kyrgyz Republic, Azismek Pirmamatov, reported that 98% of the republic is covered by 3G communication, which includes 2,210 populated areas. The number of internet users has reached 7.5 million, and the length of fiber optic lines has amounted to 3,000 kilometers. "We are talking about a high level of internet accessibility and equality in access to it. Our goal is to reduce the gap in communication quality between urban and rural populations and to enhance citizens' digital literacy," he added.
Experts highlighted the adoption of the Digital Code of the Kyrgyz Republic as an important step towards digital development, which provides new conditions and regulates modern technologies. However, forum participants noted that a detailed development program and solutions to a number of pressing issues are necessary. The internet must meet the demands of all segments of society and business, and merely laying fiber optic cables is not enough.
The rector of the Kyrgyz State Technical University named after Iskhak Razakov, Mirlan Chynybaev, spoke about the work of two institutes of high technologies and communications at the university. He noted that a complete modernization of the laboratory base and academic programs will be carried out in the next two years with the support of the World Bank. "We are training students in mobile development, programming, and other digital specialties. We expect that the country will soon transition to 5G, and next year we will open a corresponding laboratory," he stated.
The Director of External Relations at RIPE NCC for Central Asia and the Caucasus, Vaan Ovsepyan, emphasized the importance of training young specialists. "With the development of the internet, entire industries are transforming. Professions are changing, and it is necessary to provide young people with fundamental knowledge so that they can adapt to changes," he noted.
The Director of the NGO "Civil Initiative on Internet Policy," Tattu Mambetalieva, explained that the Digital Code was developed as a new philosophy of regulation aimed at protecting citizens' rights in the digital environment, developing the digital economy, and enhancing the country's investment attractiveness. The code takes into account international norms and strengthens the powers of the National Communications Agency, including antitrust regulation.
The Deputy Director of the Coordination Center for the .RU/.RF domains, Irina Danelia, shared experiences in regulating the digital environment in Russia. She noted that in some areas, the industry itself develops self-regulation mechanisms, as is the case in the domain industry. The rules for registering domain names and the "Domain Patrol" project help prevent the improper use of domains and serve as a basis for judicial decisions.
In conclusion, Danelia emphasized that bridging the digital divide and digital inclusion should become central themes for future discussions at the Kyrgyz Internet Governance Forum (KIGF), which is part of the global IGF initiative.
