Country Readiness Assessment Report – Kyrgyzstan 2. The Institutional Regime The importance of ICT for the overall socio-economic development of Kyrgyzstan has been recognized at the most senior government level. President A. Akaev declared in Davos in 1998 that “Kyrgyzstan opts for an information society”. Since that time, numerous decrees and normative acts have been adopted to create suitable conditions for ICT development in the country. Since 2000, a Global Internet Program Initiative (GIPI) by Internews Networks has been actively involved in the creation of a favourable legal environment for the development of Internet related issues. The GIPI project is working together with state institutions, NGOs and the commercial sector. The First National ICT Summit took place in February 2001. Significant attention at the Summit was devoted to the development of a legal basis for ICT, and a national legal framework for ICT was presented and discussed. The primary obstacle to telecommunications development in the republic, is Kyrgyztelecom’s monopoly over international. This originates from the necessity pay back a loan taken from the World Bank and EBRD for the First Telecommunications project. The regulations associated with this do not allow the legal development of IP telephony in the country. As a result of Kyrgyzstan’s entry to the WTO, it has been decided to abolish the exclusive rights of Kyrgyztelecom from 2003 to 2008. A further step towards the de-monopolisation of the telecommunications industry has been taken with the development of the “Concept on reorganisation and privatisation of the joint stock venture Kyrgyztelecom”. Executive power in the field of informatisation belongs to the following agencies: • • • Ministry of Transport and Communications State Communication Agency State Commission on radio frequencies Based on the discussions and recommendations of the First National ICT Summit, the State ICT Council was created in June 2001 with President A. Akaev as Chairman. This body is determines strategy, state policy and legal aspects for ICT development, and any major programmes and initiatives in this field now need the approval of the ICT Council. The Ministry of Transport and Communications is responsible for the following: • • • development of state policy in electronic and traditional mail; preparation of normative acts relating to electronic mail and to post offices inside the country and at an international level; conduct of negotiations on communications with foreign states. The State Commission on Radio Frequencies is responsible for the following: • • development of regulations regarding the use of radio frequencies; creation of the National Table on frequencies and long-term development of radio 19