The purpose of this contract is to provide technical assistance, training, and infrastructural support for three target agencies: the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), the Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MoLSD)

- Consolidation and improvement of Medium Term Budget Framework (MTBF)process;

- Introduction of performance elements in the annual budget planning of MoA and MoLSD with a purpose of demonstrating;

- Introduction of modern costing techniques in the programs of the MoA that required improvements;

- Adoption of the Budget Information System (BIS) espoused by the MOF by the Budget Departments of two ministries.

The basic objectives of the requirements specifications are as follows:

1.Development of a Training Strategy for civil servants of the Kyrgyz Republic in line with the demands of a modern public administration and with the terms and conditions of the Civil Service Law and its implementation mechanisms;

2.Recommendations for a training delivery system for civil servants;

3.Preparation of a training and professionalization programs for civil servants.

4. Conduct training sessions and workshops for the employees of the Civil Service Agency on subjects as the organizing and conducting of training courses, and provide practical assistance to the Agency in implementation of this project. A short international study tour for the CSA specialists and State Secretaries.

The overall objective of this project is to contribute to the efficient and effective implementation of the CDF/PRSP and strengthen the results of the Phase I (2003-2005). At the central level, a special attention will be paid to reinforcing CDF Secretariat and National Statistics Committee capacities to implement consistently CDF/PRSP monitoring and evaluation techniques and instruments. In the three pilot oblasts (Batken, Issyk-Kul and Naryn), specific set of activities will be deployed in order to advocate CDF/PRSP objectives, whereas a new pilot oblast (Naryn) will be targeted. This include to work closely with regional/local administration, as well as the civil society. The objective of the project regarding pilot oblasts is to increase the momentum of CDP/PRSP activities and to contribute to optimising it as a 1) poverty reduction measurement instrument and 2) a regional development strategy. This project is the follow-up of a similar project (Phase I).

Consulting Services for Independent Review and Cost Valuation of the Financial Company for Support and Development of Credit Unions (FCCU) in the Kyrgyz Republic

The main objective of MTP is to provide services related to the strengthening of management quality and efficiency for NIS managers and in NIS companies.

The goal of the TA was to strengthen implementation of the CDF in the Kyrgyz Republic:

- Improve the capacity of Kyrgyz policy-makers in the area of medium and long-term economic analysis in support of the CDF (comprehensive development framework) and PRSP (poverty reduction strategy paper) process.

Immediate objectives:

- Upgrade the analytical skills of staff of the Presidential Administration responsible for development and implementation of the CDF,

- Improve the analytical capacity of the Ministry of Finance, including the Centre for Economic Research in macroeconomic forecasting and modelling in line with the priorities of the CDF/PRSP process,

- Support effective communication between the governmental and non-governmental actors (Parliament, universities, and media) involved in reviewing the CDF/PRSP process; strengthen the analytical capacity of these bodies where necessary.

The overall task of the consultants was to carry out a cost-benefit and SWOT analysis on a number of alternatives for enabling SSC to meet the targets in the most efficient manner. Particular consideration shall be devoted to opportunities for: (i) products diversification and possibilities for SSC to become a universal payments system and basic financial services provider, serving its clients with household savings, tax collection and utility payments, pension and salaries payments, foreign exchange, money transfers, ATMs and debit/credit cards, safe keeping, etc.; (ii) increase its customers base; (iii) streamlining the branch network and improve its physical outreach, including opportunities for partnership agreements between the SSC and the Kyrgyz Postal Service (Kyrgyz Pochtasy), a State department under the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Kyrgyz Pochtasy already delivers 80 percent of all pensions and social benefits to the population.

The technical assistance (TA) was in two parts to facilitate easier and effective implementation of the respective components of the Second Phase of the Corporate Governance and Enterprise Reform Program (CGERP-II). This part had three components: (i) promotion of corporate sector development and corporate governance; (ii) legal and regulatory framework for corporate governance and (iii) introduction of International Accounting Standards 2001. Part 2 dealt with TA and capacity-building support to the Judicial Advisory Commission (JAC), established pursuant to Presidential Disposition No.281 dated 5 October 2001, in conducting a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of legal and judicial sector weaknesses.

The overall tasks of the feasibility study were as follows:

• Development of Conceptual Design of the Industrial Park:
• Selection and Evaluation of Candidate Land
• Policy of development, Constitutions and Zoning,
• Basic establishments and Institutions,
• Infrastructure (Road, Communication, Energy complex, Water
• Supply, Drainage, Waste disposal system, Cafeteria).

Financial estimation on development of industrial park including infrastructure, excluding factory buildings; operational system of the Industrial Park; government incentives and supports to developer and participating enterprises; prepare necessary documents to obtain the land; prepare draft agreement between the Government and Developer; government incentives and supports to developer and participating enterprises.

This assignment was targeted in preparation of the second phase of the ADB TA project: 1) Evaluation of corporate governance standards in the banking sector; 2) Strengthening enforcement of the existing legal framework for corporate governance and bankruptcy procedures in real and financial sectors; 3) Diagnostic review of the earlier reforms to enhance enterprise sector efficiency; 4) post-privatization restructuring initiatives in the enterprise sector; 5) Policy, legal and regulatory reforms to strengthen accounting and auditing standards in public and private sectors; 6) analysis of social impact to poverty within the framework of reforms undertaken; 7) judicial capacity building and development of recommendations for judicial.

The principal objective of the Project was to provide seminars for various ranges of people in the Kyrgyz Republic. The seminars have been conducted in all regions of the country and hold by the most experienced teachers in following fields:

• Marketing
• Tourism development
• Legislation and SME

Seminar on marketing has been designed for national traders in order to provide knowledge and share gained experience with SME representatives. Target: marketing departments of legal entities of the country. Seminar on tourism development has been designed for tourism operators and directors of resorts on Issyk-Kul Lake in order to share information on best practice in tourism sector in the world and new tools to work with potential tourists. Seminar on legislation has been designed for SME in order to show changes made since last period in legislation and explain theirs rights on various juridical issues including bankruptcy procedures. Target: legal departments of Kyrgyz entities.

• Mobilization of the team and identification of potential auditory;
• Participation on lectures’ preparation;
• Development and provision of final report on seminars to PIU.

The project general objective is to support the WTO Accession process of Kazakhstan by harmonizing Kazakhstan’s legislation on technical regulation and standardization with the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, and with the corresponding EU legislation, and to provide support to the Government of Kazakhstan on the most effective implementation of measures to adopt in accordance with WTO requirements.

The specific goals of the project are:

• To bring the present legal framework on technical regulation and standardization in compliance with the WTO TBT Agreement and corresponding EU legislation;
• To Upgrade the professional expertise of the staff of the Committee for Standardization, Kazakhstani Institute for Standardization, Department of WTO, and to build capacity of the Information Centre (enquiry point) under the Committee for Standardization;
• To promote cooperation between Kazakhstani and European standards, accreditation, metrology and conformity assessment bodies.
• Awareness Raising
• Promotion of cooperation with international and European standardization and accreditation bodies

After gaining independence in 1991, the government of Kazakhstan has been involved in the process of re-designing the country's economic structure transforming the certainly controlled command economy into a fully-fledged market economy. The state has operated a gradual transition towards market economy, including large-scale privatizations, establishment of a liberal trade regime, convertible currency, creation of adequate legal framework. Kazakhstan is currently negotiating its accession to the World Trade Organization, with a hope to join it by 2006. The main objective of the project is intensification of a negotiating process along with the increasing political emphasis on WTO accession in the government's discourse.

Kazakhstan’s financial market is – compared to European standards – relatively small and dominated by banks. However, the country’s robust economic expansion in recent years required a decisive respond on the part of the Government to challenges, which had developed within a very short period of time. In 2001, a new system for the regulation of activities of financial bodies was established and the National Bank (NB) was assigned to supervise its introduction. At that time, the principle tasks for the Government were twofold: to (a) develop a legal basis on a topic that was relatively new to the country and (b) establish an institutional framework for its implementation.

Objectives of the project:

• To support the Government’s efforts to improve the functioning of Kazakhstan’s financial market, and
• To strengthen the capacities of financial bodies of the republic to regulate and supervise the country’s capital market according to EU standards and best practice

Major tasks of the project are:

• Consolidated supervision: assessment of the financial stability of banking groups, issuing of recommendations
• Control of compliance by financial organisations with the country’s legislation on accounting, financial reporting and accounting standards
• Preparation of laws and by-laws
• Analysing the country’s financial market
• Development of strategy & methodology of the supervision of the financial market

The main aim of the project was to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Government for developing public investment program (PIP). MNT Consulting in consortium with SODETEG (France) provided assistance to the Ministry of Economy to develop effective systems, procedures, and database for preparation of Public Investment Program, development of monitoring system and implementation of Public Investment Program, development of system in close consistent with the country’s development priorities and is closely linked to the Government’s budget.

• Participation in development of required effective system for Public investment Program;
• Development of database and procedures for development of PIP;
• Preparation of full analyses of existing Government budget and development of recommendations;
• Participation in development of training needs assessment for the staff of the Ministry of Economy;
• Selection of training centres and preparation of necessary training materials;
• Development of mechanisms for monitoring of the Public Investment Program;
• Liaison with other related ministries and organizations.

The main objective of the project is to unify the enterprises on three levels (macro-, mezzo- and micro levels) in valuable chains in order to improve business environment for SME development. On macro-level: consultations for the decision-makers of Central Asian and national levels in private development;

On mezzo-level: 1) Support to SME promoting organizations and associations for further improvement and enhancement of their services. 2) Capacity building of SME promoting organizations and associations so that they can provide ToT trainings and consultations to other stakeholders.

On micro-level: the entrepreneurs will have access to demand- oriented supplies of information and trainings and professional development.

Target group of the Project are entrepreneurs, enterprises in specific branches and value added chains as well as employees, preferably from the industry, handicraft and service sector. Intermediaries within the supporting process for the target group are associations, institutions for the promotion of the economy, chambers and private as well as public suppliers of services.

The objectives of the PPTA are to support the implementation of the reforms envisaged under the first phase of the program and to prepare the investment component for the second phase of the program.

The PPTA will:

• (i) examine existing policy environment, operational framework and physical infrastructure;
• (ii) conduct detailed due diligence and needs-assessment of the investment component;
• (iii) perform technology audits; (iv) prioritize investment activities;
• (v) develop the action plan for modernization; and
• (vi) provide justification on investments based on cost-benefits analysis and financial and economic rate of return.

It will also introduce new operative policies and procedures of international standards to ensure proper function of the customs system after modernization and design in the areas of operational policy, technical skills, behavioral skills and ethics. To sustain the continuity of the reforms, training modules/manuals and the training of trainers would be required. Since Tajikistan Customs operate on the front line, specific training and equipment will also be needed for combating drug trafficking.

The goal of the TA was to strengthen CFG in Tajikistan. The purpose was to (i) strengthen the legal and regulatory framework with regard to CFG in commercial banks; (ii) support corporate sector development; (iii) enhance institutional capacity to undertake enterprise restructuring initiatives; and (iv) formulate reform directions to guide the Government in the areas of (i)-(iii).

The outputs included (i) revised legal and regulatory provisions on CFG in commercial banks, CFG assessments, and recommendations to strengthen supervisory capacity in this area; (ii) training modules on corporate management; (iii) a developmental and regulatory framework for the securities market; and (iv) capacity-building initiatives on bankruptcy and enterprise restructuring aimed at enhancing the capacity of lawyers, judges, court officials, and special administrators

The overall objective of the project is to facilitate the national trade of Central Asian and Caucuses countries through enhancing their capacity for the application of ICT and e-commerce; to build the capacity of Central Asian/Caucasian economies in the areas of macroeconomic policy, trade and investment; to facilitate their integration at sub-regional, regional and global level and to enable them to respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities emerging from the globalization process.

Immediate objectives is to undertake advisory missions to the participating countries and provide advisory services and training in assisting them to build their national capacity and strategies for the application of ICT and e-commerce in their national trade aiming at establishing integrated national electronic trade documentation system with electronic payment and trade control systems, such as Trade Net of Singapore for example. Organize two-day national training workshops in each participating country for government officials and the private sector on trade finance infrastructure development (one workshop per country), in collaboration with the national focal points selected by ESCAP.