Kyrgyzstan

Year-end Overview

Plan Overview

Operational environment

 There were close to 350 refugees (200 recognized by the Government and 150 under UNHCR’s mandate), 300 asylum-seekers and 25 stateless persons hosted in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2020. The overall number of asylum-seekers and refugees is unlikely to change drastically 2021.
 
The last quarter of 2020 was marked by political instability and turmoil that ensued from disputed parliamentary elections that took place in October. Violent protests led to the annulment of the election results and a change of leadership at the national level. The situation remains uncertain, with important political events, including a constitutional reform, new parliamentary and early presidential elections, scheduled to take place in 2021. UNHCR will engage with its counterparts and update the joint contingency plan for refugee situations and internal displacement scenarios, including through capacity-building activities with respective State entities on emergency preparedness in 2021.
 
Several legislative revisions in 2020 significantly impacted the asylum space and level of protection available to refugees in Kyrgyzstan. In 2021, UNHCR will work with respective authorities to ensure that ongoing and future legislative amendments are in line with international obligations and standards. Advocacy interventions, judicial engagement, and targeted capacity-building activities, as well as maintaining responsibility for the reception of refugees and refugee status determination will continue to form the backbone of UNHCR’s programmes in Kyrgyzstan.

The socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 further exacerbated existing sociopolitical tensions. All refugees and asylum-seekers in Kyrgyzstan were severely affected during the lockdown period. In 2021, UNHCR will continue to assist the most vulnerable refugees through targeted cash-based interventions. The Office will further reinforce its advocacy efforts for inclusion of refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons into national response plans. UNHCR will also advocate for access to the territory and asylum and preventing refoulement, while bearing in mind relevant public health concerns.
 
Throughout 2021, the Office will continue to support the Government in implementing its 2019 high-level pledges on statelessness, including developing a stateless status determination procedure; improving birth registration; preventing childhood statelessness; and acceding to the Statelessness Conventions.  

Key priorities

In 2021, UNHCR in Kyrgyzstan will focus on:
1. Supporting the Government to improve its national asylum system, and identifying (pathways to) solutions tailored to meet the individual circumstances of persons of concern.
2. Enhancing measures to prevent statelessness.
3. Emergency preparedness.
4. Assistance to the most vulnerable refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons to address growing socio-economic needs as a result of COVID-19.