The political economy of mineral resource use: The case of Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

Effective and sustainable management of mineral resources is one of the key public policy objectives of developing countries. Kyrgyzstan, one of ex-Soviet Central Asian countries, is a perfect example which struggles forming reliable policies as well as a mining industry after shocking political and social movements. In the shadow of several coup d'état attempts, international pressures from regional powers, and ethnic clashes, the government has developed vast administration reforms regulating social and economic changes besides resource management. Policy making in mineral resource management depends upon interim governmental establishments, prior use of the locals, and attributes of the resource. Mineral-rich Kyrgyzstan's initial and current problems' impact on public policies and legislations of resource management provides a case study explaining the emergence of such tools. Utilizing institutional theory as the theoretical background, the study offers perspectives from other Central Asian countries, which contributes to comparative policy analysis literature.