On 12 November 2025, French Healthcare Association organised the 1st French-Kyrgyz Forum on Investment and Cooperation in Healthcare, during the official visit to Paris of a high-level delegation led by the Minister of Health, Mr Erkin Checheibaev.

This unprecedented event, organised in partnership with the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and Expertise France, also received joint support from the French Embassy in Kyrgyzstan and the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic. It fully illustrates the quality of the bilateral dialogue between Paris and Bishkek.

Designed as a privileged space for exchanges between public institutions and private actors, this forum illustrated the dynamism that accompanies the strengthening of French-Kyrgyz relations. Over the course of a morning, it brought together some thirty French companies, institutions and hospitals with the Kyrgyz delegation in the salons of the Maison de l’Amérique Latine.

A strategic dialogue on the transformation of the Kyrgyz healthcare system

This first forum provided a comprehensive overview of Kyrgyzstan’s health priorities and investment ambitions as it embarks on a major programme to modernise its health sector. This transformation is supported by several leading international donors, such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

The Minister outlined the national priorities:

  • Prevention of non-communicable diseases through early detection, which is one of the main public health challenges in the country;
  • Development of telemedicine and digital solutions to improve access to healthcare, particularly in remote areas;

At the heart of discussions: plans to create a medical centre in the capital

In the area of infrastructure, discussions focused in particular on the project to create a medical centre in Bishkek, a large-scale programme approved by presidential decree. This hospital complex, with an estimated investment of $350 million, involves the construction of a 320-bed facility on a 100-hectare site incorporating sustainable infrastructure and high-tech medical services.

Designed as a showcase for the new national hospital model, the Medical City illustrates Kyrgyzstan’s strategic ambitions for modernising its healthcare system. The project focuses on digitalisation, energy efficiency and strengthening medical training capacities to meet the country’s needs in the coming decades.

At the same time, Kyrgyzstan is opening up opportunities for foreign partners to cooperate with existing hospital infrastructure. This approach makes it possible to leverage existing facilities, introduce modern technologies and develop innovative partnership models, while accelerating the modernisation of the national healthcare system.

A collective success

By promoting direct dialogue between Kyrgyz public decision-makers and French actors in the health sector, this first forum stands as a founding milestone in the French-Kyrgyz partnership in this field.

During the discussions, it became clear that France, as a privileged partner, stands out by offering an integrated approach. The French offering demonstrates an ability to provide turnkey solutions, combining medical excellence, hospital engineering and technological innovation. The forum thus enabled several operational avenues for cooperation in the areas of hospitals, infrastructure and training to be explored.

To build on this momentum, the French Healthcare Business Forum, which will be held from 19 to 21 January 2026, will be a decisive step in deepening the French-Kyrgyz partnership. It will offer Kyrgyz decision-makers and French stakeholders the opportunity to meet and give new impetus to the exchanges initiated at the first French-Kyrgyz forum. This continuity will play an essential role in accelerating cooperation, business and international agreements.