KOICA holds Civil Society Cooperation Seminar

On September 16, 2025, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) held a Civil Society Cooperation Seminar with the aim of providing a platform for networking and exchanging ideas and practices between Korean and local civil society organizations (CSOs) and partners from other international organizations working in Kyrgyzstan.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea Kim Kwang-jae, KOICA Country Director Lim So Yeon, Chairman of the Korean NGO Association Cho Soonhyoung and representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic attended the ceremony.

Ambassador Kim emphasized: «The Korean government considers the role of civil society in development cooperation to be extremely important. Civil society serves as a crucial bridge between the government and the private sector in improving the lives of vulnerable groups and achieving inclusive growth.»

KOICA Country Director Lim highlighted: «KOICA’s cooperation with civil society has been steadily expanding since its establishment. Through this collaboration, KOICA enhances the effectiveness of its development cooperation by tailoring its approach to local needs. In particular, in Kyrgyzstan, KOICA cooperates not only with Korean but also with local civil society organizations.»

During the seminar, the participants got acquainted with the National Development Program until 2030, challenges in such spheres as healthcare and environment and strategies of the government to resolve them. Also, outstanding projects and best practices of Korean and local CSOs and development partners have been presented, followed by fruitful discussions.

The KOICA Office in the Kyrgyz Republic will continuously strive to engage and cooperate with civil society organizations to drive tangible change in diverse areas, including rural development, environment, health and education.