Bilateral Meeting with H.E. Bakyt Torobaev, Deputy Chair of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister for Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic

Rome - FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, met with H.E. Bakyt Torobaev, Deputy Chair of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister for Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic, on the sidelines of the World Food Forum 2025 and FAO’s 80th Anniversary.

The Director-General commended the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic for the progress achieved in developing the agricultural sector and congratulated the Minister on the ratification process of the Host Country Agreement, which will further strengthen FAO’s presence and cooperation framework in the country, in alignment with the Government’s Agricultural Development Action Plan.

The Minister welcomed FAO’s continued partnership and emphasized the importance of innovation, water management, and climate adaptation. The Minister requested FAO’s technical support for the preparations leading to the Global Mountain Forum to be held in the Kyrgyz Republic. He also noted ongoing cooperation on artificial glaciers as part of efforts to ensure sustainable water access in mountain villages, with potential synergies under the Asian Development Bank’s “Glaciers to Farmers” initiative.

The Director-General highlighted FAO’s new mountain development programme, financed by the Government of Italy through the Mountain Partnership Secretariat hosted by FAO, to support mountain communities in building resilient agricultural businesses. The Director-General reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to continue providing technical assistance, capacity building, and investment support to enhance a climate-resilient and inclusive agrifood system in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Both sides referred to other areas of joint collaboration, including support for organic agriculture and the walnut value chain under the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative, participation in regional water and land management programmes, and progress in animal health, food safety, and digital agriculture.