The Kyrgyz Republic is rich in gold and other minerals. And so the mining industry is one of the biggest parts of the country’s economy, responsible for about 16 percent of the total GDP and 40 percent of its export earnings.
To ensure that the mining industry is accountable and transparent, the Kyrgyz Republic joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in 2004, which encourages participation from public interest groups, also called civil society organizations (CSOs).