The 13th International legal forum Europe-Caucasus-Asia (Forum ECA), the successor of the famous CIS Local Counsel Forum took place on September 5-7, 2018 in Almaty.
Having a long lasting history, the Forum ECA is the only conference of the International Bar Association (IBA) covering the post-Soviet countries.
Kalikova & Associates acted as a member of the organizing committee this year and was represented at the forum by managing partner Aicholpon Jorupbekova, who delivered a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony, and Albina Rakhmidinova, senior lawyer and member of Kalikova & Associates PPP practice group.
Acting as an expert in the panel discussion on PPP issues in emerging markets and answering the question - why a strong legal team is needed? - Albina shared with delegates practical experience, highlighted the problems faced by public and private partners in practice, and outlined the measures that should be taken to successfully implement the PPP policy in this area.
As part of the panel discussion, the issues were considered, as well as the opinion of respected experts in this field was also received, on the following key points:
- Regulatory, institutional or legal framework: what comes first in development of successful PPP policy?
- National, regional or municipal level: where to start in setting-up solid projects pipeline?
- ECA regional trendsetters in P3’s: the secret of success
- Pitfalls, delays and defaults: what goes wrong at initial stage?
- Rational balance in public and private interests: how to build a sustainable partnership
- Corporate, contractual or institutional – what partnership stands for P3’s?
The Forum ECA for a long period has attracted the attention of representatives of international and local law firms, lawyers' associations of different countries, as well as representatives of state structures known in the legal community and became an excellent platform for large-scale meetings of lawyers specializing in business support.
On July 5-6, 2018, the 1st international legal forum was held in Bishkek, which was organized on the initiative of the Association "Lawyers of Kyrgyzstan" in cooperation with the KSU named after after G. Balasagyn, KRSU named after B.N. Yeltsin, KSLA, AUCA and the Council for Business and Entrepreneurship Development.
Within the framework of the Forum, issues related to access to justice, to the legal profession, issues of judicial reform were discussed, as well as issues on the development of corporate law and application of information technologies in judicial and law enforcement practice. In these discussions, the experience of foreign countries was presented and taken into account.
Kalikova & Associates was represented at the Forum by Nurbek Sabirov, Partner and Head of Practice "Court Representation and Arbitration". Nurbek made a presentation on "The problematic aspects of corporate law in the Kyrgyz Republic".
Kalikova & Associates is pleased to announce the release of the updated edition of its legal information and reference guide "Business in the Kyrgyz Republic: Legal Aspects", 2018.
This issue was prepared by our team of lawyers practicing in various areas of commercial law. We hope that the updated information will be useful guide for those who are interested in doing business in our country.
On May 23, 2018, Kalikova & Associates represented by Magomed Saaduev, Partner and Albina Rakhmidinova, Senior Lawyer attended a seminar organized by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
The seminar focused specifically on international experience and recommendations related to the effective management of contracts between the public and private sectors to offer long-term infrastructure solutions in developing countries. A separate section of the seminar was devoted to the first PPP project in the history of the Kyrgyz Republic related to the organization of hemodialysis services in the cities of Bishkek, Osh and Jalal-Abad.
Albina Rakhmidinova, Senior Lawyer and PPP practice team member, made a presentation on the key provisions of the PPP Agreement, the main obligations of both the public partner and the private partner, the liability of the parties and the monitoring of the project. She also shared her experience in preparing and implementing the first PPP project in the country.
The seminar was intended for the public sector employees involved in PPP projects and dealing with PPP agreements, contract management, hemodialysis services, and associations of hemodialysis care providers.
On May 17, 2018 a seminar on intellectual property was held with the support of the Chamber of Tax Consultants. The speaker was Aleksei Vandaev, who is a senior lawyer of Kalikova & Associates.
Such issues as legal definition and protection of trademarks, requirements to designations, international procedure for the registration of trademarks, liability for trademark infringement, as well as judicial and alternative dispute resolution methods of protecting exclusive rights to trademarks were presented in the seminar. In addition, Aleksei shared with the audience common mistakes that are made by designers, when developing new designations and logos.
The 7th Annual Ak Ilbirs National Film Awards ceremony took place at Manas cinema theater on April 27, 2018. The award ceremony was held after the screening of films shot in 2017 and nominated in 2018.
Poll results:
Best Film Award - Centaurus, directed by Aktan Arym Kybat.
Best Director Award - Aktan Arym Kubat.
Best Screenplay Award - Centaurus, Aktan Arym Kubat together with Ernis Abdyjaparov.
Audience Choice Award - In Search of Mom directed by Ruslan Akun.
Best Documentary Film Award - Oimok, directed by Kasiyet Kubanychbek kyzy.
Best Short Film Award - Cinephile, directed by Askar Nurakun uulu.
Best Film of Central Asia Award - Oralman, directed by Sabit Kurmanbekov (Kazakhstan).
Best Actress of Central Asia Award - Shahzoda Matchanova for Masuma (Uzbekistan).
Outstanding Contribution to National Cinema Award - Jamal Seidakmatova the People's Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema Award - Nurzhuman Ihtymbaev, the People's Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Kalikova & Associates has been the official watch partner of this award for a number of years providing coordination and vote counting services to jurors during selection of winners.
Kalikova & Associates is ranked as a the top-tier law firm by the LEGAL 500 EMEA 2018 international rating as 'very responsive' and 'knowledgeable' with expertise in banking and finance, minerals and metals, oil and gas, dispute resolution, projects and infrastructure, intellectual property, and IT and telecoms.
The Legal 500 praises Gulnara Kalikova as a legal advisor heavily involved in mineral and metals and projects and infrastructure matters, as well as infrastructure PPP projects involving the construction of a centralised medical laboratory and haemodialysis units. Ulan Tilenbaev, focuses on the TMT, minerals and metals, oil and gas, energy, and banking and finance sectors. Maksim Smirnov is experienced in oil and gas, minerals and metals, and advertising and competition. Alexander Ahn is active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A. Marina Lim focuses on the food services, logistics and natural resources sectors. Nurbek Sabirov is experienced in matters related to the minerals and metals, construction and real estate, and retail and consumer sectors. Magomed Saaduev predominantly handles energy, logistics and corporate matters. Aicholpon Jorupbekova is active in natural resources, corporate and M&A and restructuring matters.
Senior lawyer Aleksei Vandaev specialises in IP, and has 'excellent analytical, logical reasoning and negotiation skills' and Senior lawyer Jyldyz Tagaeva focuses on mining and metals, oil and gas, and anti-corruption and compliance matters.
Magomed Saaduev, Partner at Kalikova & Associates, took part in an international seminar on "Public-Private Partnerships: promoting international standards and best practice in Uzbekistan " in Tashkent, organized by the EBRD with the support from the UN and IFC to develop public private partnership in Uzbekistan and to study international experience.
The event was attended by representatives of a number of ministries and departments and the business community of Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of international financial institutions accredited in the country. Magomed Saaduyev made a presentation in which he shared his experience in the development of PPPs in Kyrgyzstan, new reforms in the Kyrgyz PPP legislation, in particular the drafting of the PPP Act in which Kalikova & Associates was directly involved.
The Kyrgyz first PPP project for the promotion of hemodialysis services in Bishkek, Osh and Jalal-Abad has been shortlisted in the Best Healthcare Project Category of the Partnerships Awards 2018.
Now in its 20th year, the Partnerships Awards is the largest event recognising and rewarding the best in PPP. The Awards is for entries for organisations and projects across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. All the Partnerships Awards winners will be announced on Thursday, 10 May 2018 in London.
The Kyrgyz first PPP project for the promotion of hemodialysis services in Bishkek, Osh and Jalal-Abad is being delivered under the agreement between the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health as a public partner and Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH (Germany) as a private partner. The Kyrgyz Ministry of Health has prepared the PPP project and selected a private partner with the support of IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and a consortium of consultants from RebelGroup International, Dentons and Kalikova & Associates. The project was initiated and financed by the German Development Bank KfW and supported by the governments of Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.
Kalikova & Associates congratulates all stakeholders on the occasion of being shortlisted in the best healthcare project category of the Partnerships Awards 2018.
On 16-19 January 2018, the Leaders Advancing Democracy Summit (LEAD Alliance), organized by the International Republican Institute, was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
LEAD is a program that brings together emerging leaders from diverse sectors and civil society of Mongolia, Bhutan, Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan. Within the framework of the Summit, participants met with prominent political and social figures, including ministers and members of the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia.
Lawyer of Kalikova & Associates, Ermek Mamaev became one of six participants and the leader of the team from Kyrgyzstan, selected by the organizers on a competitive basis.
At the end of the Summit, each team received a small grant to implement short-term projects in their communities in the following areas:
- transparency & anti-corruption;
- environment & urbanization;
- poverty alleviation & unemployment.
At present, team LEAD Kyrgyzstan is implementing a social project aimed at helping people with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan.
On 14-15 February 2018, the Citizens Forum of Central Asia was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on water related issues coincided with the VIII World Water Forum in Brazil
Main goals and objectives of the Forum:
- to promote the goals of the VIII World Water Forum in Brazil, taking into account the proposals from the civil society of Central Asia.
- to create partnerships to ensure the "participation of all sectors of society" and partnerships promoted by the 2030 Sustainable Development Program, including those groups of society that often and easily stay behind.
- to contribute to the Agenda for Action of the High-level Panel on Water.
To achieve these goals, the Forum participants worked in 4 groups: Local communities, Academia, Women (Gender), and Youth. Two delegates from Kyrgyzstan attended the Forum as a part of the Youth group, including the Lawyer of Kalikova & Associates, Ermek Mamaev.
As a result, the Forum participants developed proposals regarding the water resources of Central Asia, which will be presented during the VIII World Water Forum to be held in Brazil on 18-23 March 2018.