24 February, Bishkek, 2026 – A comprehensive technical assessment of the Photometric Laboratory of the Center for Standardization and Metrology under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic has been completed. The assessment marks an important milestone on the laboratory’s path toward official accreditation and strengthening its status as a national center of competence in photometric testing. 

The national quality infrastructure is an invisible but critically important foundation of a modern economy. It determines whether products on store shelves can be trusted, whether fair trade conditions are ensured, and whether consumers are protected. Strengthening this system is a strategic priority of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) consistently supports these efforts by providing systematic and long-term assistance in modernizing key quality institutions. 

The Director of the Center for Standardization and Metrology under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic, Aibek Musaev, emphasized: 

“Thanks to UNDP’s support, we have not only configured the equipment — we have built the methodological foundation of a fully functioning testing system. Ahead lie calibration, interlaboratory comparisons, and accreditation. We are moving along this path deliberately and consistently because we want every conclusion we issue to be impeccable — both for consumer protection and for international recognition.” 

The photometric laboratory is equipped with two modern high-precision measurement complexes. These systems allow for the determination of the full range of regulated parameters of lighting products, including luminous flux, luminous intensity, color rendering index (CRI), chromaticity coordinates, correlated color temperature (CCT), spectral power distribution, and electrical power. 

UNDP supported the technical assessment, provided training for laboratory specialists in modern testing methodologies in line with current standards, and developed and implemented specialized software tools for processing and analyzing photometric data. This has improved measurement accuracy, reduced data processing time, and increased the laboratory’s potential productivity to several dozen samples per month. 

UNDP’s support is aimed not only at technical equipment but also at establishing a sustainable quality assurance system. The next step will be the laboratory’s completion of mandatory procedures for official accreditation: metrological calibration of equipment in accredited centers and participation in interlaboratory comparison tests to confirm the reproducibility and comparability of measurement results. 

The UNDP Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic, Alexandra Solovieva, noted: 

“Investments in quality infrastructure are a strategic contribution to the country’s sustainable and long-term competitiveness. UNDP systematically supports the Kyrgyz Republic in strengthening institutional capacity and developing the national quality infrastructure in accordance with international requirements and standards, ensuring its recognition and integration into global conformity assessment systems.” 

Only after successfully completing these procedures will the laboratory be able to apply for accreditation within the national system, which will grant its conclusions legal validity and ensure international recognition of its testing results. 

UNDP’s systematic support for the development of the national quality infrastructure contributes to strengthening the country’s export potential, enhancing the competitiveness of domestic products, and protecting consumer rights. In this context, measurement accuracy is not merely a technical parameter but a foundation of trust in Kyrgyzstan’s economy. 

The development of the photometric laboratory is a concrete embodiment of UNDP’s broader programme: promoting sustainable economic growth through strengthening quality institutions, improving energy efficiency, and expanding Kyrgyzstan’s access to technical regulation instruments aligned with international requirements. 

The activities are carried out with expert and financial support from the Russian Federation.