“Uchkun” has entered the export market: Kyrgyzstan will print passports for Kenya and has received an order from Laos

Following modernisation, the state-owned enterprise ‘Uchkun’ has begun producing passports, ID cards and even national currency not only for Kyrgyzstan but also for foreign countries. This is reported by the newspaper ‘Erkin-Too’.

In recent years, the ‘Uchkun’ enterprise has undergone a complete overhaul and expanded its production capacity.

Previously, Kyrgyzstan commissioned the production of passports, vehicle registration documents and driving licences abroad. Now, according to the authorities, these documents are produced entirely within the country.

Uchkun also produces ID cards, educational materials and the national currency, the KGS. Previously, such orders placed a strain on the budget and, it is claimed, contributed to capital flight and corruption schemes.

According to the authorities, Kenya and Laos have expressed interest in the company’s document printing services. A delegation from Togo, which visited the production facility in Bishkek, also expressed interest in cooperation. The visitors assessed the work of the workshops and indicated potential future orders for passports and currency.

President Sadyr Zhaparov had previously stated that Kyrgyzstan had reached a level enabling it not only to meet domestic needs but also to print currency on behalf of other countries.