EFSD Conducts Inception Mission for Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project in Osh Region

The project will improve access to safe and reliable water for residents of 32 rural settlements in the Kara-Suu and Uzgen districts of the Osh region. Total project financing amounts to USD 60 million. As a result of the project, water supply conditions are expected to improve for more than 150,000 residents of the region.

The primary objective of the inception mission was to discuss practical matters related to project start-up, assess the current condition of local water supply systems, and identify priority areas for continued collaboration.

As part of the mission, EFSD officials met with Nurbek Akzholov, Deputy Minister of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic. The meeting addressed the launch of project implementation and promising areas for cooperation between the EFSD and the Kyrgyz Republic over the medium term.

EFSD officials, together with officials from local authorities and relevant government bodies, reviewed the condition of existing water supply infrastructure, water sources, and pipeline networks. The parties also examined potential environmental and social aspects of project implementation and discussed technical and organizational matters requiring further work during project preparation.

During the visit, working meetings were held with the Department for the Development of Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation under the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic. The parties discussed the current status of project preparation, the formation and organization of the project implementation unit (PIU), the preparation of necessary project documentation, the sequencing of implementation activities, and coordination mechanisms among project participants.

EFSD experts conducted training sessions for PIU specialists on the application of the Fund's procurement policies and procedures, as well as its financial management requirements. The training was aimed at building the project team's practical understanding of EFSD requirements ahead of project implementation.

Following the inception mission, the parties identified priority activities for project preparation, as well as issues requiring further technical, organizational, and institutional development. The outcomes of the meetings and site visits will inform continued project preparation and implementation.