The Kyrgyz Republic is well known for its exposure to natural disasters, a situation aggravated by hard socio-economic conditions for many in the country. In the aftermath of the two recent earthquakes in Nepal, Kyrgyzstanis clearly recognize the urgency of adopting a comprehensive legal framework to manage potential future international disaster assistance. The current draft text is quite comprehensive in its coverage of key issues, drawing in large part from the “Model Act on the Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Recovery Assistance” launched by the IFRC, OCHA and Inter-Parliamentary Union in 2013.
Mrs. Niyazalieva Damira, Vice Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, expressed that “the new disaster law will provide a clear answer to unsolicited donations that have been a big problem in the past.”
Both she and Mrs. Zhumalieva Elmira, initiator of the law and deputy to Jogorku Kenesh (Kyrgyz Parliament), expressed confidence that the law would be approved before the end of the current legislative period ending next October. Participants were also reminded of the recent adoption of a version of the “Model Act” at the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in November 2014 and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in April 2015. Kyrgyzstan is a member of both organizations and, although these decisions are not legally binding, they carry weight among Central Asian national legislatures.
Once approved, Kygyzstan’s new law could well become a reference for neighboring countries in Central Asia.