During the meeting of the committee of the Jogorku Kenesh, which deals with agricultural policy and environmental protection, the deputies discussed and approved the bill on the ratification of the loan agreement with the OPEC Fund. This agreement, related to the program "Universal Access to Water Supply and Sanitation (Phase 1)," was signed on September 23, 2025, in Bishkek, and has passed its first reading.
According to the Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, Zhanibek Kerimaliev, this project aims to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation for 126 settlements in the Osh, Chui, and Issyk-Kul regions. The total funding for the program amounts to 200 million dollars, of which 20 million dollars will be provided by the OPEC Fund for International Development. The loan term will be 20 years, with a grace period of 5 years and an interest rate of 1.25% per annum.
Deputy Erkayim Seytkazieva asked about which specific villages in the Issyk-Ata district of the Chui region are planned for work to provide the population with clean drinking water.
The head of the Department of Drinking Water Supply Development, Azamat Almanov, responded that in the first phase, 23 villages in the Sokuluk district and 6 villages in the Panfilov district of the Chui region will be covered. The Issyk-Ata district is not included in this phase yet, but its situation will be considered in the future.
"Construction is also planned in the villages of Novopokrovka, Nizhny Nooruz, and Ivanovka," he added.
