Встреча с Pamir's bridges: 20 лет вместе

Meeting with Pamir's Bridges: 20 Years Together

Today, our office hosted a very special meeting—one that was both deeply personal and professional. We were delighted to welcome our long-standing partners who, over the years, have become true friends: Bernard Repond, the founder of the Swiss association Pamir's Bridges, and Ishen Obolbekov, a member of the organization.

Our partnership with Pamir's Bridges spans more than 20 years. Throughout this time, funded by the association and voluntary donations from Swiss citizens, over 100 bridges have been built in mountainous areas across the entire Kyrgyz Republic.

For many years, this large-scale, long-term project was seamlessly led by our colleague Erkinbek Koichumanov, who passed away suddenly in November of last year. Today’s meeting was also dedicated to honoring Erkinbek’s memory, his invaluable contribution, and his profound dedication to the cause.

“Trust, precision, commitment, and real action—this is what set Erkinbek apart and defined him for us,” shares Bernard Repond.

Almost every year in early autumn, Bernard and Erkinbek would travel thousands of kilometers together along rugged mountain roads to inspect each constructed bridge and verify it against the design layout. Yet, the main secret to their success was not just technical precision.

“Erkinbek had remarkably warm, genuine relationships with everyone involved in the process—from local authorities to the village residents themselves. He truly understood the needs of the people and knew his work inside out. This is exactly what helped to successfully launch and carry through the construction of each project,” recalls Bernard.

There is still one remaining bridge that Erkinbek began building with partial support from Pamir's Bridges—located in the Ak-Suu district of the Issyk-Kul region, on the way to the Khan-Tengri State Natural Park. This infrastructure is of paramount importance: primarily, it is essential for the park rangers, as it will significantly strengthen territory protection and enhance anti-poaching efforts.

Bernard Repond will head there to once again honor the memory of his friend and connect with the meaningful work that has forever bound his heart to Kyrgyzstаn.