Russia supports the enhancement of Kyrgyzstan’s maritime legal framework

Kyrgyzstan’s accession to the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2024 unlocks new economic opportunities for the landlocked nation. This has spurred major efforts to close critical systemic shortcomings in its national maritime policy. The primary obstacles involve insufficient expertise in managing marine resources, deficiencies in the legal infrastructure, and a lack of comprehensive strategies for executing maritime policy.

UNDP Kyrgyzstan engaged a Russian expert to design a strategic roadmap for implementing maritime policy and to provide guidance on harmonizing national laws with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. After discussions with various Kyrgyz ministries, the expert produced an analytical report evaluating the existing legal, institutional, and operational structures concerning international maritime conventions, complemented by an analysis of leading national practices in regulating sea use.

The assignment also included developing training materials and conducting face-to-face workshops in Bishkek. These sessions provided over 35 representatives from state agencies and the private sector with knowledge of international maritime law and helped them identify crucial challenges related to the country’s trade and transport agenda.

The assistance of the Russian expert and the materials prepared by him will enable Kyrgyzstan to integrate international legal standards into its national legislation, and will open up new opportunities for cooperation with other countries in the fields of maritime safety, ecosystem protection, and the legal regulation of marine resources.

The work of the Russian expert was implemented with the financial support of the Russian Federation within the framework of the project "Knowledge Management and Capacity Development in the UNDP-Russia Partnership".