Kyrgyzstan’s president removes prime minister in surprise move

President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan has removed Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov from office, the presidential administration announced on Monday. The move, described as a transfer to “another position,” was outlined in a statement on the presidential website.

Akylbek Japarov had held the prime minister role since 2021. In the meantime, First Deputy Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliyev will assume the duties of the office, according to a separate statement.

This change in leadership occurs as Kyrgyzstan, a mountainous Central Asian nation and former Soviet republic, faces ongoing political and economic challenges. Since gaining independence in 1991, the country has experienced political instability, including uprisings and government changes.

Kyrgyzstan’s economy heavily depends on remittances from migrant workers, mainly in Russia, which account for around 20 percent of the country’s GDP, according to United Nations data.

No further information about the prime minister’s new position or the reasons behind the reshuffle has been provided.