Kubanychbek Omuraliev: It is always difficult to leave the country

Interviewed by Irina Malkova

THE WORK OF THE DIPLOMATS ASSUMES FREQUENT MOVEMENT WORLDWIDE, AND THEY ARE READY FOR THIS. A LAST FRIEND OF OUR MAGAZINE, THE CONSUL GENERAL OF THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC OF KUBANYCHBEK OMURALIYEV IN MAY THIS YEAR HAS BEEN APPOINTED BY THE AMBASSADOR OF KYRGYZSTAN IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS. WE MET WITH HIM BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE FROM THE UAE TO CONGRATULATE AN APPOINTMENT AND TALK ABOUT THE PAST THREE YEARS IN DUBAI.

Kubanychbek Kasymovich, tell me, with what feeling are you leaving the Emirates?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: I would say with a sense of satisfaction, because the goals and tasks that were set before me by the president and the government of my country have been fulfilled. Firstly, we worked hard to develop close ties between Kyrgyzstan and the UAE, and raised our relations to a new level. Unfortunately, for objective and subjective reasons, earlier bilateral relations did not develop very well, despite the fact that my compatriots began to come to the Emirates for a long time - some to relax, some for business. In recent years, many of our citizens have begun to work here - doctors, brand store consultants, in banks and hotels, mainly in the service sector. Now our people work almost everywhere. Only at the airport in Duty Free more than 200 people work.

And how many Kyrgyz are currently living in the UAE?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: We have 2,000 citizens on the consular account, but, according to various estimates, from 5 to 6 thousand. Most of my compatriots live in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. But they also live and work in the other Emirates. When the consulate general just opened 18 years ago, no more than a couple dozen Kyrgyz citizens lived in the Emirates.

What has been done during this time and at what level is bilateral relations now?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: I started to work in February 2012. Much has been done over this period, but most importantly, we organized the first official visit of the President of Kyrgyzstan to the UAE in December 2014. This historical event was the main indicator of the development of relations between Kyrgyzstan and the UAE. During the visit, 8 interstate agreements were signed relating to both the protection of citizens' rights and economic issues. An emirate delegation of business circles headed by the UAE Minister of Energy is going to visit our country very soon.

With regard to economic issues - what is the current trade between Kyrgyzstan and the UAE?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: In recent years, commodity circulation has amounted to about 200-300 million dollars. If 17-18 years ago it was tens of thousands of dollars, now it is hundreds of millions. Emirates mainly buy gold, jewelry from it, fruits, meat from us. And from here, most of the equipment is driven. It should be noted that the UAE is the main trading partner in the Middle East and 98% of all trade with the region is carried out through the Emirates.

And how many employees work in the consulate general?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: Three diplomats and two more people are technical personnel.

And you five have done so many things, including the visit of the president?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: We tried. In recent years, our activities have been well covered in the local press. So, I hope we represented our country with dignity. After all, the Consulate General has no political functions, it is more concerned with protecting the rights of citizens and trade issues, but we sought to establish and develop political relations. The embassy of Kyrgyzstan is being opened for the first time in the UAE, which will further strengthen bilateral ties.

Is it a pity to leave such a beautiful, successful country like the UAE?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: Leaving any country where you have taken root, overgrown with acquaintances, friends and colleagues, is always difficult. But that is our job. We are going where we are assigned. Typically, heads of diplomatic missions work from 2 to 4 years.

You are going to Belarus with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic. What tasks are set for you?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: I have been given confidence, and I have to work. Belarus is our ally. Kyrgyzstan in May of this year joined the EAEU, in addition, the CIS Executive Committee is located in Minsk, and there are many tasks in this direction. Our embassy will work not only with Belarus, but also with the Baltic countries - Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. So you definitely won’t be bored.

Where are your children now?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: My children are adults, even grandchildren are. The eldest daughter works in an international organization in Afghanistan. She graduated from the Faculty of International Relations in Bishkek, and graduated from Edinburgh, Scotland. I used to work in Kosovo, now it's my third year in Kabul. His son is 26 years old, he is a businessman, lives in Bishkek with his wife and two children.

You have a brave daughter!

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: Yes, she has such a character.

How were you not afraid to let her go to Afghanistan?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: I try to support her. Naturally, my wife is always against it, but my daughter is an adult. She even joked somehow: "Do not let him go to Kabul, then I will go to Sudan."

And what path did you yourself go?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: I am a mechanical engineer by profession. In Soviet times, he worked for a couple of years in his specialty, then he took up foreign economic activity, entered graduate school in Moscow and graduated from it with a degree in Economics. I did not have time to defend myself, because my studies began before the collapse of the USSR, and when it was over, the Union was gone. In a word, difficult times have come and the requirements have become different, so I went into business. At first I worked in Bishkek in the foreign economic direction, then I was invited to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where I oversaw North America, then I worked as deputy director of the economic department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which we and my colleagues created. After three and a half years he worked in America as an adviser to the envoy. When I returned, there were other tasks - it was necessary to fight corruption, and I was appointed head of the Secretariat of the National Council for Good Governance. Then the Foreign Ministry again, and in 2012, I was appointed the Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the UAE as the President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.

What is your most striking impression of the country over the years?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: The country itself and the moment when the Emirates won the EXPO 2020 - especially how they worked on it. And of course, work to protect the rights of citizens and organize the visit of the President of Kyrgyzstan to the UAE.

In everyday life, how did you work with Kyrgyz citizens?

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: The most important thing our efforts were directed at was that our compatriots feel our protection, feel that if something happens they will not be abandoned. I remember it was very nice when the American restaurant was opened here, we, consuls general, were invited to the opening, and it turned out that our people got a job there. I went up and told the restaurant manager that they would always be under my protection, and at that moment one of our citizens even burst into tears. I always tried to quickly respond to questions from citizens, even on my Facebook page, I always kept in touch with people. Another indicator was the fact that once the head of the correctional institutions in Dubai told me that diplomats and diplomatic missions often visit prisoners in their countries, but leaders rarely come. Once a quarter I went and talked with our citizens and the leadership of the institution, and the result is obvious - at present in the UAE only two of our citizens remain in prisons. According to law enforcement agencies, this indicator is the lowest not only among the CIS countries, but also in comparison with other countries.

Do you miss your homeland? After all, all the time you have to move from one country to another.

Kubanychbek Omuraliev: Of course I miss. When you are abroad, you begin to value your own people more, as they do for you, and when you are constantly nearby, sometimes we don’t notice each other. But our work is such that we do not choose where to go - we are assigned to different countries, and we must work and adequately represent our homeland. Through you partly evaluate the whole country, because you represent it at the highest level. If something goes wrong, they might think badly about the country. This is a big responsibility, so you need to have patience, be educated and sociable, but the most important thing is to always remain human.

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