In Kyrgyzstan for every 1000 inhabitants there are only 210 housing units. This is less than half the EU average, which is 446. Average floor space per capita is also extremely low (around 5 m2, compared to Europe, the United States and China, where floor space per capita is around 48, 81 and 26 m2 respectively). The Country Profile of Kyrgyzstan, launched yesterday in Bishkek, further highlights the need to refurbish deteriorated housing stock according to modern energy-efficiency standards. To tackle the widespread housing shortage, it recommends that measures be developed to reduce construction costs and to promote the use of local, sustainable building materials. The lack of up-to-date master plans and strategic land-management policies has led to spontaneous urban sprawl in larger Kyrgyz cities. The report recommends reducing the size of land plots allocated for construction in order to increase building density.
Recommendations of the Country Profile are being taken seriously by the country. “The housing challenge is high on the political agenda”, confirmed Mr. Shekshenbek Shaimbetov, Advisor at the Department of Real Estate in the Government of Kyrgyzstan. As a result, the Government has already launched a national programme on “Affordable Housing”, has submitted a draft of Housing Code to the Parliament for approval and is establishing a state mortgage lending agency.
Organized by the State Registry of Kyrgyzstan and UNECE, the launching event for the Country Profile on Housing and Land Management brought together over 40 representatives of different ministries and agencies, NGOs, international donor organizations and financial institutions. Participants agreed on a declaration calling the Kyrgz Government to address the difficult housing situation through passing new laws, developing a strategic plan and enhancing the intersectoral coordination.
The Country Profile is available in English and Russian at : http://www.unece.org/hlm/publications_recent4.html
For more information on the meeting, please contact:
Ms. Gulnara Roll
Head, Housing and Land Management Unit
Trade and Sustainable Land Management Division
Email: [email protected]
Tel. +41 (0)22 9172257