Kyrgyzstan and the Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by the leadership of the People’s Republic of China is likely to provide the impetus for even greater collaboration between Kyrgyzstan and China which is already strong due to their shared land border. The paper analyses the BRI-related projects currently implemented in Kyrgyzstan in road and energy infrastructure rehabilitation, urban development, mining, manufacturing and other sectors of the economy. An assessment of these projects’ impact on GDP, foreign trade, government budget and external debt, and employment in Kyrgyzstan is provided. The paper also looks into potential future BRI projects and their expected influence on the Kyrgyz economy. Finally, the paper provides policy recommendations on the BRI for all stakeholders involved.