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Kyrgyzstan- Central Asias Dubai
Coalition for Free Trade
Seyitbek Usmanov Central Asian Free Market Inst
itute
April 25 2009
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Why Free-Trade?

• Kyrgyzstan has the most liberal trade policy in
  all of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
  
• Trading hub for Chinese goods to neighboring
  countries and Russia
  
• First country in CIS to join WTO and still only
  country in Central Asia
  
• Dordoy bazaar in Bishkek- largest open air
  bazaar in Central Asia (20,000 employed)
  
• Many businesses flourished many understand the
  benefits of free-trade
  
• We can have great ALLIES for our cause
• Create a free-trade COALITION

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Problems

• Traders face many uncertainties crossing the
  border
  
• State Customs Agency collects 500 million
• Provides 80 of budget
• GDP/capita 2,100
• Customs jobs is one of the most sought jobs
  (investment banking of Kyrgyzstan)
  
• Still, Kyrgyzstan is the most free-trade
  country among former states
  
• Efforts at liberalizing countrys trade are left
  half-baked
  
• Seal-the-deal

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Free-Trade Brand

• Goal Create a popular free-trade brand

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Coalition

• Goal Kyrgyzstan- Central Asias Dubai
• Obstacles geographic, infrastructural, legal
• Build a powerful group supporting free-trade
  under one brand

Coalition building
Research
Popularization
Meet Members of Parliament
Kyrgyzstan Cenral Asias Dubai
Feb 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
2010
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Coalition Members

• Businesses
• Business Associations
• Members of Parliament
• NGOs
• Unite all interested parties under a memorandum

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Businesses

• Shopping Malls
• Dordoy
• Tataan/Goin
• Kids World
• Production
• Uchkun
• Astrum Corporation
• Transport
• Biek Cargo

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Government

• Members of Parliament
• K. Issabekov- deputy speaker
• A. Salymbekov- owner of largest bazaar
• R. Tagaev- speaker
• Ministry of Economic Development Trade
• Adviser to Minister
• Deputy Minister
• Ak-Jol Party (Presidents Party)

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NGOs

• Association of Higher Education
• Youth Groups
• SIFE- Kyrgyzstan
• AIESEC- Kyrgyzstan

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II. Research

• Research Paper
• Bureaucratic trade barriers posed to businessmen
  and others
  
• How much cheaper goods would be with minimum
  barriers
  
• HOW KG can become Central Asias Dubai
• Guide to Trade in KG
• Few read the current tariff book, fewer
  understand it
  
• Traders will know their rights, less prone to
  extortio
  
• Might even be profitable

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III.Popularization mass media

• Documentary
• Interviews (30min)
• Aikido teacher
• Trader
• Member of Parliament
• Customs inspector
• Screening
• State Channel One
• Channel Five
• One-page ad in leading newspaper
• Press conference

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Popularization Petition

• Petition
• 40,000 signatures supporting the memorandum
• Across all regions of Kyrgyzstan
• Moslty traders, Dordoy Bazaar alone employes
  20,000
  
• Passport data

Cost 3,800
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Popularization Youth

• Liberty Camps
• Educate youth about free-trade, enterpreneurship
  and Frederic Bastiat
  
• Camp 1
• Partnership with InLiberty.Ru
• In Russian
• Students from across Central Asia
• Camp 2
• Partnership with Language of Liberty Institute
• In English
• Seeking funds
• Song on free-trade to be sung by Mirbek Atabekov

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IVMeet Members of Parliament

• Research Paper
• Bureaucratic trade barriers posed to businessmen
  and others
  
• How much cheaper goods would be in KG with
  minimum barriers
  
• What is in the way of KG becoming Central Asias
  Dubai
  
• Guide to Trade in KG
• Few read the current tariff book, fewer
  understand it
  
• Traders will know their rights, less prone to
  extortio
  
• Might even be profitable

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Pressure

• Petition
• Documentary
• Parliamenterian allies
• Research

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Business Associations

• Bishkek Business Club
• Kyrgyz Chamber of Commerce
• Association of Light Indusry
• Kyrgyz-Turkish Business Association
• National Alliance of Business Associations
• American Chamber of Commerce
• International Business Council