Published
10/30/2024, 13:11While most countries in the region are inclined to regulate the digital environment strictly, Kyrgyzstan is taking a more flexible approach. This was stated by Natalia Malyarchuk, a specialist in public administration in Central Asia, at the Digital Kazakhstan PLAS Forum.
Within its Digital Code development, the country is betting on business self-regulation.
‘Kyrgyzstan has laid down in the Digital Code principle that companies will self-regulate and develop a framework, proposing it to the regulator,’ Malyarchuk emphasised.
This approach, she believes, may prove more successful than government attempts to control all aspects of the digital market tightly.
Central Asian countries are actively implementing new rules for digital markets, focusing on antitrust regulation, data localisation and control over new technologies such as artificial intelligence. This trend, partly inspired by the European Union, carries certain risks.
Malyarchuk warned of the potential negative consequences of over-regulation, including reduced activity by global players, monopolisation of markets by local companies, threats to freedom of innovation and lagging infrastructure development. She noted that in some countries, such as Kazakhstan, planned regulations are outpacing the necessary infrastructure development, which can complicate their effective implementation.
"Kyrgyzstan's experience can be a valuable example for other countries in the region. Instead of trying to cover all areas of the digital world with a single, cumbersome code, as is the case in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan offers a more framework approach, leaving room for innovation and industry self-regulation,’ she said.