DUSHANBE, February 2, 2012, Asia-Plus — Kyrgyzstan is seeking support from the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) for working out joint recommendations and appropriate projects to provide assistance to ethnic Kyrgyz living in the Afghan Pamirs, the Kyrgyz MFA official website reports.
This issue was reportedly discussed at a meeting of Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbayev with Ms. Nurjehan Mavani, Head of Aga Khan Development Network Representation for Kyrgyz Republic.
Kyrgyz minister, in particular, noted that 2,016 ethnic Kyrgyz now live in the Afghan Little Pamir and 1,100 ethnic Kyrgyz now live in the Afghan Big Pamir. “According to evaluated data, the Kyrgyz community in Afghanistan decreases by 6-7 percent annually,” said Kazakbayev, “If this downward trend remains intact within the next 10-15 years, this original Kyrgyz community may disappear.”
According to him, the serious problem facing ethnic Kyrgyz living in Afghanistan is “lack of any official belonging of them to Afghan citizenship.” In this context, Kazakbayev asked AKDN to provide assistance with working out joint recommendations and appropriate projects to provide assistance to ethnic Kyrgyz living in the Afghan Pamirs.
AKDN has been supporting the establishment of institutions and programs that help develop an economically dynamic, politically stable and intellectually and culturally vibrant Kyrgyz Republic since 2002. Its programs range from financial institutions that are helping build the nation’s economic infrastructure to support in several districts for the “tradition-bearers” of Kyrgyz music and oral recitation. Its rural development, health and education projects in Alai and Chon Alai districts of the Osh region are implemented through the Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP).
