Anarkan Rahmanova
Head of the International Trade Policy Administration, 
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
of the Kyrgyz Republic

Our reference:
Anarkan Rahmanova has the highest technical education as well as economic and political. She is a candidate of economic sciences, state advisor of second-class, and has number of publications.
For the past 15 years filled following positions:
Leading specialist of the Department of International Economic Collaboration of State Committee of the Economy in KR.
Chief specialist of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of KR.
Head of the Department of International Organizations of the Ministry of
Finances of KR.
Director of the Department of External Affairs, Tariff Policy and Work with WTO, Ministry of External Trade and Industry of KR.
Head of the Administration of WTO, Custom-tariff and Non-tariff Regulations, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism of KR.

AmCham: How do you evaluate the current trade and economic relations between Kyrgyzstan and the USA?
 
Rahmanova: Since the independence of the Kyrgyz Republic and establishment of diplomatic relations the US is considered as one of the strategic and priority oriented partners on the worldwide arena in the foreign policy course of Kyrgyzstan. September 11 became a turning point in the history of bilateral Kyrgyz-American cooperation and served as a ground for activation of relationships between our countries in the sphere of security and defense. Administration of the US admits that “Kyrgyzstan is the crucial partner of US in Central Asia in fighting against international terrorism and strengthening security in this region”.
The United States of America is one of the key trade partners of Kyrgyzstan. Trade weight of the US in 2006 as of total external turnover of Kyrgyzstan was 4.1%, in export -0.8%, and in import -5.7%.
External trade turnover of the Kyrgyz Republic, including the volume of export-import operations of physical entities, for 2006 totaled 2727.2 million USD and compared to the year of 2005 increased to 46,6%. Within this, export increased to 18.1% and reached 796.0 million USD, and import increased to 62.5%, amounting $1931.2 million USD.
As for 2006, external trade turnover with the US totaled 103.6 million USD, and compared to 2005 the volume increased to 47.0%(2005-70.5 million USD), also export totaled 6.0 million USD, which is greater compared to 2005 for 81.8% or to 2.7 million USD, import-97.6 million USD, increased to 45.2% or 30.4 million USD.

AmCham: Does any inter-governmental Kyrgyz-US commission for the development of bilateral trade-economic ties? If YES, then what is being done within the commission? If NO, were there any attempts in creating such consultative body?

Rahmanova: There is no commission, but exists Frame agreement on trade and investment TIFA (Trade and Investment Framework Agreement) between the government of the USA and governments in Central Asia) has been sighned. Main goal of TIFA is facilitation to activation of trade and investments in the region, through improvement and putting custom procedures in accordance with international standards and progressive experience. Currently, work is being done in the framework of this agreement.

AmCham: Which sectors of industry might be interest of potential American investors, interested in the market of Central Asia, and in particular Kyrgyzstan?

Rahmanova: In my view, potential American investors could be interested in such sectors, as mining industry, energy and processing industry.

AmCham: What obstacles exist in Kyrgyzstan for the development of Kyrgyz-American trade and economic relations and are any actions being undertaken to overcome those obstacles by the Government of the KR, in particular by the Ministry of economic development and trade of the KR?

Rahmanova: As of today, there are no existing obstacles to the development of Kyrgyz-American trade relations. As you know, Kyrgyzstan has the most liberal trade regime. One of the giant steps in the field of market reforms is the liberalization of external trade. Today we have a rich experience in the liberalization of external trade. At the present time, our Republic is not using any customs taxes for export of goods and quantitative limitations on export and import. No restrictions on import and export of currency, ventures independently decide whom they want to trade. State and private companies have right to participate in import-export operations without special registration and restrictions, except for cases, when particular products subject to import-export licensing. Since 1998 up until now, Kyrgyzstan is supporting liberalization of its external trade regime in accordance with the obligations put by WTO.

Tariff regulation: Average rate of current Customs tariff is 4.84% and contains seven diapason levels (0%, 5%, 10%, 12%, 15%, 20% and 30%). Among them zero rate customs taxes are 46.6% (5141product positions). 5% rates of customs taxes occupy 14.2% and amount to 1565 product positions.

Trade regimes in KR:
CIS countries- regime of free trade
EurAsEC countries- customs union
WTO countries- regime of most favored nation treatment
Least developed countries- preferential regime