Online and in person
Date
20 August 2026
Time
13:00
Abstract
Join us for a presentation and panel discussion on the adoption of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and its impact on economic growth and governance in Central Asia and beyond. Researchers from UCA’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration, Dr Ablay Dosmaganbetov and Dr Bakhytzhan Kurmanov, will present key findings from their study, recently published in Politics & Policy (Q2).
Analysing data across 62 resource-rich developing nations over 30 years, the authors examine how EITI implementation - specifically its multi-stakeholder group (MSG) mechanism - shapes economic outcomes. Their research shows that while EITI membership and MSGs are positively associated with GDP per capita growth, this impact is not solely driven by traditional accountability.
Instead, civil society within MSGs often shifts toward a cooperative role, facilitating compliance, providing economic expertise, and legitimizing state actions. Following the presentation, the session will open into a discussion on broader issues surrounding accountability mechanisms, the limits of global transparency standards, and the role of civil society and international initiatives in developing countries.
- Date and Time: 20 August, 2026, 13:00–14:00 (Bishkek time, GMT +6)
- Event Language: English
- Format: online and in-person
- Venue: University of Central Asia, Board room, 3rd floor, 125/1 Toktogul Street, Bishkek, 720001, Kyrgyz Republic
About the Speakers:
Dr Bakhytzhan Kurmanov is a Senior Research Fellow at the UCA’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA). Bakhytzhan holds Ph.D. in Public Policy from Nazarbayev University. He received his Master's degree in public administration from the Australian National University in Canberra and his BA in public policy and management from York University in Toronto. Bakhytzhan's research interests include open government, citizen activism, authoritarian politics, public sector reforms, economic development, and the political economy of the post-Soviet countries.
Dr Ablay Dosmaganbetov is a Research Fellow at the UCA’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA). Ablay holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the Graduate School of Public Policy, Nazarbayev University, and a Master in Management from the Graduate School of Management, Saint-Petersburg State University. Ablay’s research areas include extractive industries, transparency, accountability, and sustainable development-related topics. He is also interested in quantitative research methods and their applications.