Manas to Become Kyrgyzstan’s Third City of National Significance

In 2026, Manas will officially receive the status of Kyrgyzstan’s third city of national significance, joining Bishkek and Osh, Orda.kz reports, citing Kaktus.media.

Kamchybek Tashiev, head of the State Committee for National Security, called the renaming of the city (formerly Jalal-Abad) “a strategically sound move,” noting that Manas is becoming a key center of development in the country’s south.

Large-scale improvement projects are currently underway in the city.

Some politicians have said that Manas will become the capital of Kyrgyzstan. If we’re worthy of it, why not? Time will tell. But for that to happen, the city and the people need to be prepared — psychologically prepared. It’s not easy being the capital: the city is allocated significant resources, and it needs to be transformed and modernized,Tashiev said.

Earlier, deputies proposed relocating the capital and moving the Cabinet of Ministers to Manas as early as 2025, arguing that such a move could help ease congestion in Bishkek and address existing infrastructure issues.

Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova