DCASA-KR (Digital CASA - Kyrgyz Republic)

Digital Kyrgyzstan

Main article: Digital Kyrgyzstan

Chronicle

2025: Completion of the megaproject for laying the fiber-optic fiber

On February 6, 2025, the telecommunications operator Kyrgyztelecom announced the completion of the Digital CASA megaproject aimed at developing the national digital ecosystem in Kyrgyzstan. As part of the initiative, more than 3000 km of fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL) were laid.

The Digital CASA program includes a number of areas. Among them are the development of high-quality Internet access for civilians, enterprises and government agencies, the creation of a state cloud platform, the formation of favorable conditions for the digital economy, the construction of regional data processing centers, etc. The project is designed to narrow the digital gap between urban and rural settlements, increase the level of digital literacy, improve access to educational and information resources, and improve the quality of public services provided.

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Фото: Unsplash

As noted by "Kyrgyztelecom," within the framework of Digital CASA, all state social facilities are connected to the high-speed Internet, including schools, medical centers, libraries, houses of culture and local governments. The new trunk transport network, which includes more than 30 nodal elements, covers all regions of the country, providing a throughput of up to 200 Gbps. The distribution network with a speed of up to 100 Gbps is deployed in more than 200 settlements that previously did not have access to the Internet through the fiber optic network. In addition, two new cross-border connections with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have been organized.

It is also reported that almost 4,000 social facilities received high-speed Internet access at more favorable tariffs for the next 7 years. In the future, citizens' access to state digital services is planned to be provided in almost all corners of Kyrgyzstan.^[1]

2024: World Bank's $50 million allocation

The World Bank has allocated $50 million for the implementation of the DCASA-KR project aimed at developing the digital infrastructure of Kyrgyzstan. The funds are distributed equally between the grant and the loan, project director Kazbek Togolokov said on November 14, 2024.

According to Tazabek, the DCASA-KR project includes three key areas. The first component is the construction of fiber-optic infrastructure. According to the results of an open international tender, the winner was the consortium "Kyrgyztelecom" and "Elkart." As part of this direction, more than 3000 km of fiber-optic communication lines were built, covering about 760 settlements. In addition, almost 4,000 social facilities are connected to the Internet, including schools, cultural institutions and local self-government bodies.

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Фото: Freepik

The second direction is the creation of a state data center (G-Cloud). The construction tender was won by a consortium of the Kyrgyz-Russian company. The construction of the data center is in the active phase. The new center will become the basic infrastructure for storing government data and providing cloud services.

The third component is the development of a digital code. The international tender was won by a consortium from Kyrgyzstan, Germany and Estonia. The draft code has already been submitted to the Jogorku Kenesh for subsequent ratification. This document will become the basis for legal regulation of digital transformation in the country.

The project also includes training civil servants in digital skills. The winner of the corresponding competition was the University of Central Asia. During the implementation of the contract, more than 1800 employees of government agencies were trained.

The DCASA-KR project is aimed at accelerating the digitalization of Kyrgyzstan, improving Internet access, improving personnel skills and developing a legislative framework for digital transformation.^[2]

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