OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities signs co-operation agreement with Kyrgyzstan authorities on multilingual education

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors visited Kyrgyzstan from 7 to 10 October 2014, where she discussed issues of mutual interest with the authorities and explored how her office can support efforts to address minority concerns.

In Bishkek, she met key government representatives, including President Almazbek Atambaev, Prime Minister Djoomart Otorbaev, Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev and Education and Science Minister Kanat Sydykov. She discussed issues related to education, language, the legal framework, the participation of minorities in public life, and the integration of society.

Thors signed a Memorandum of Co‑operation with the Ministry of Education regarding activities within the framework of the HCNM regional educational initiative, which aims to promote models of multilingual education in Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian States.

She discussed the State Concept on National Unity and Inter-ethnic Relations in her meetings with the authorities, urging them to continue their efforts to implement it. She offered the assistance of her office in this respect.

She also urged the authorities to promote the representation and participation of minorities, including in law‑enforcement bodies; to invest in institution building and developing the legal framework relating to inter-ethnic relations and minority protection; and to promote adequate minority participation through the ongoing electoral reform process.

She said it remains essential that impartial investigations are conducted into the June 2010 events in southern Kyrgyzstan.