Historical Turn: How Five Years of Sadyr Japarov's Presidency Changed Kyrgyzstan

Ирина Орлонская • 28.01.2026, 12:44 • Exclusive

Over the past five years, Kyrgyzstan, under the leadership of Sadyr Japarov, has undergone significant changes, which in itself was unexpected against the backdrop of its turbulent political history, full of revolutions and resignations.

One of the most notable achievements in foreign policy has been the final resolution of border disputes. In January 2023, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan completed the delimitation of their state border and exchanged ratification documents.

Historic Turn: How Five Years of Sadyr Japarov's Presidency Changed Kyrgyzstan

In March 2025, the President of Kyrgyzstan and his Tajik counterpart signed an agreement that ended a long-standing conflict. What had been unattainable for previous leaders over thirty years became achievable for Sadyr Japarov's team in just a few years. The complex border situation in Central Asia, which seemed hopeless, was resolved, thereby opening new horizons for economic integration and the development of border regions.

Kyrgyzstan's foreign policy is aimed at developing strategic partnerships with key powers. From 2021 to 2025, President Japarov and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held at least eight full-format meetings, and in November 2025, Putin visited Bishkek for a three-day state visit, confirming the allied ties between the countries. Strong ties are also being established with China: in December 2024, the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway began, and trade volume between the countries reached nearly 20 billion dollars. Kyrgyzstan has intensified its participation in the EAEU, CSTO, and SCO, taking over the presidency of the latter in September 2025.

The economic results confirm the success of the policies being implemented: over 11 months in 2025, GDP growth reached 10.2%, state budget revenues increased from 308 to 687 billion soms, and the poverty rate decreased from 29.8% to 25.7%. The nationalization of the gold mining enterprise "Kumtor" over two and a half years brought in 300 million dollars in profit, while over the previous 27 years, this amount was only 100 million, allowing for the return of this strategically important asset under state control.

The wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign has proven effective: more than 20 billion soms have been returned to the state budget, and about 70% of illegally appropriated assets have been recovered. Many former officials and criminal authorities have been held accountable. The 2021 constitutional reform replaced the parliamentary system with a presidential one, allowing for the creation of an effective vertical of power to implement necessary transformations.

Sadyr Japarov's presidency has been a time of consolidation of state power and strengthening the sovereignty of Kyrgyzstan. Under his leadership, the republic has emerged from the shadow of post-Soviet uncertainty and established itself as an independent state with clear borders, a dynamically developing economy, and a clear foreign policy course.

These achievements fit organically into the context of Eurasian integration: Kyrgyzstan, with a stable economy and regulated borders, is becoming a reliable partner within the EAEU and CSTO, contributing to the strengthening of the overall security and economic cooperation framework in the post-Soviet space.

Russian political scientist Vladimir Lubyanko

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