Sooronbay Jeenbekov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sooronbay Jeenbekov
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Сооронбай Жээнбеков
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Official portrait, 2016
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| 5th President of Kyrgyzstan | |
| In office 24 November 2017 – 15 October 2020 |
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| Prime Minister | Sapar Isakov Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev Kubatbek Boronov Sadyr Japarov |
| Preceded by | Almazbek Atambayev |
| Succeeded by | Sadyr Japarov (acting) |
| 18th Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan | |
| In office 13 April 2016 – 22 August 2017 |
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| President | Almazbek Atambayev |
| Deputy | Cholpon Sultanbekova |
| Preceded by | Temir Sariyev |
| Succeeded by | Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev (Acting) |
| Governor of Osh | |
| In office 16 August 2012 – 11 December 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Aytmat Kadyrbayev |
| Succeeded by | Taalaybek Sarybashev |
| Personal details | |
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Sooronbay Sharipovich Jeenbekov
16 November 1958 Biy-Myrza, Kirghiz SSR, Soviet Union (now Kyrgyzstan) |
| Political party | Independent Birimdik (affiliated) |
| Other political affiliations |
Social Democratic |
| Spouse | Aigul Tokoyeva |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Asylbek Jeenbekov Zhusupzhan Jeenbekov |
| Residences | Ordo House, Ala Archa State Residence |
| Alma mater | Kyrgyz National Agrarian University |
Sooronbay Sharip uulu Jeenbekov (born 16 November 1958) is a politician from Kyrgyzstan. He was the fifth president of Kyrgyzstan from 2017 until he stepped down in 2020. This happened after a week of protests in the country. Before becoming president, he served as the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from April 2016 to August 2017.
As president, Jeenbekov worked on foreign policy and tried to improve public trust in the government. However, during his time, there were concerns about economic development and how the country handled the COVID-19 pandemic. He resigned during political unrest after the 2020 parliamentary election. Sadyr Japarov took over as acting president and prime minister, and later became the official president.
Jeenbekov was expected to continue the plans of the previous president, Almazbek Atambayev. But they had disagreements just months after Jeenbekov became president.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jeenbekov was born in Biy-Myrza, Osh Region, on 16 November 1958. His father managed a collective farm, and his mother was a homemaker. Jeenbekov is one of nine children in his family.
He studied at the Kyrgyz Academy of Agriculture and became a zoological engineer. Later, in 2003, he also earned a degree in accounting from the Kyrgyz National Agrarian University.
Political Journey
Jeenbekov began his career as a teacher at the Lenin School when he was 18. In 1983, he became a chief livestock specialist in the Osh region. He then worked as an instructor for the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan in 1988.
In 1993, Jeenbekov entered politics and was elected chairman of a collective farm. He became a Deputy in the Assembly of People's Representatives in 1995. Over the years, he held several important roles. These included Minister of Agriculture (2007), governor of the Osh region (2010), and director of the State Personnel Service (2015). In March 2016, he became the first deputy head of the Presidential Administration before being appointed Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan.
Becoming President in 2017
Jeenbekov stepped down as prime minister on 21 August 2017. He did this to become an official candidate for the 2017 Kyrgyz presidential election. He wanted to be on equal footing with other candidates.
The election took place on 15 October 2017. Jeenbekov won with 54.74 percent of the votes. This election was seen as a peaceful transfer of power in Kyrgyzstan's history.
Presidency (2017–2020)
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Jeenbekov officially became president on 24 November 2017. One of his first actions was to give the highest honor, "Hero of the Kyrgyz Republic", to former president Atambayev. He also made a small change to his daily routine by leaving for work early to avoid traffic, which many people in Bishkek liked.
His first trip as president was to Russia, where he met with Vladimir Putin. In April 2018, Jeenbekov dismissed his Prime Minister, Sapar Isakov, after the parliament voted against the government.
In May 2018, Jeenbekov promised to fight against divisions in the country. He said they would act against anyone trying to create a "north-south" issue.
Jeenbekov opened the Central Mosque of Imam Sarakhsi in September 2018. It is the largest mosque in Central Asia. He did this with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
He also opened the 2018 World Nomad Games in Cholpon-Ata on 3 September 2018. This was a big international event hosted by Kyrgyzstan. In April 2019, he met with Valentina Shevchenko, a famous mixed martial artist from Kyrgyzstan. He praised her for representing the country well. In May 2019, he ordered a ban on uranium mining in Kyrgyzstan.
Foreign Policy
Jeenbekov's foreign policy aimed for balanced relationships with other countries. He said Kremlin (Russia) would be Kyrgyzstan's main partner. He also wanted stronger ties with China and the European Union. He worked to improve relations with neighboring Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. This was important because there had been some disagreements before.
He often traveled to other countries, especially Russia and Kazakhstan. In June 2018, he stated that Kyrgyzstan would also develop relations with Turkey, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and the Arab world. In his first year, Kyrgyzstan signed many agreements with other nations and started diplomatic relations with four new countries.
In March 2019, Jeenbekov said Kyrgyzstan planned to work more closely with the United States and the United Kingdom.
Important Visitors to Kyrgyzstan
Jeenbekov hosted several important leaders during his presidency:
| Date | Country | Visitor |
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| 1 September 2018 |  Turkey |
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| 5 September 2018 |  Hungary |
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán |
| 28 March 2019 |  Russia |
President Vladimir Putin |
| 12 June 2019 |  Mongolia |
President Khaltmaagiin Battulga |
| 13 June 2019 |  China |
President Xi Jinping |
| 14 June 2019 |  India |
Prime Minister Narendra Modi |
| 27–28 November 2019 |  Kazakhstan |
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev |
Concerns About Family Connections
During Jeenbekov's time in office, there were growing concerns about family connections in high government positions. People noticed that many important roles were given to individuals related to the president or from his home region. For example, his brother, Asylbek Jeenbekov, was a member of parliament.
Many people felt this went against the idea of a fair and democratic government. This concern about family ties in power became a major reason for public dissatisfaction.
Public Health During the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic hit Kyrgyzstan very hard. There were many deaths, and experts believed the actual number was higher than officially reported. International organizations provided a lot of money to help the country.
However, there were public concerns about how these funds were used. Some people and media outlets suggested that certain companies, linked to officials, might have overcharged for medical supplies. For example, protective suits and masks were reportedly bought at much higher prices than what volunteers could find them for. These concerns about how money was spent during the pandemic affected public trust in the government.
In June 2020, Jeenbekov went into quarantine after some of his staff tested positive for COVID-19. He declared 30 July a Day of National Mourning to honor those who died from the pandemic.
Relationship with Former President Atambayev
When Jeenbekov became president in November 2017, he and the former president, Almazbek Atambayev, were allies. Atambayev had strongly supported Jeenbekov in the election. Jeenbekov even gave Atambayev the highest national honor.
However, their relationship changed over time. After Atambayev left office, he became more involved in politics and started criticizing Jeenbekov. He expressed regret for supporting Jeenbekov, saying he had brought "this person to power."
The disagreements grew, and Jeenbekov dismissed some officials who were close to Atambayev. Jeenbekov later said that Atambayev was trying to influence his presidency too much. The tension between them eventually caused a split within their political party.
2020 Protests and Resignation
After the 2020 Kyrgyz parliamentary election in October 2020, protests broke out across the country. Many people were unhappy with the election results and demanded Jeenbekov's resignation. There were accusations that parties close to Jeenbekov had bought votes.
On 6 October, protesters took control of government buildings in Bishkek. The Central Election Commission then canceled the election results. Jeenbekov said he was ready to step down once a new, legitimate government was in place. He declared a state of emergency in Bishkek and sent the army to the streets.
Jeenbekov officially resigned on 15 October 2020. He stated that he did not want to risk the country's unity and peace. He asked politicians to calm the situation and allow people in Bishkek to return to their normal lives.
After the Presidency
The day after Jeenbekov resigned, he was given the status of an ex-president. This means he has certain benefits, like personal security, a place to live in a government residence, a car, and free medical care.
He has made a few public appearances since then. For example, he attended the inauguration of the new president, Sadyr Japarov, in January. A week later, Jeenbekov traveled to Saudi Arabia for a religious pilgrimage.
Personal Life
Sooronbay Jeenbekov is married to Aigul Jeenbekova. They have two children, a daughter named Baktygul and a son named Iman. His younger brother, Asylbek Jeenbekov, is also a politician. Another brother, Zhusupbek Sharipov, is a former governor and currently an ambassador. Jeenbekov speaks both Kyrgyz and Russian.
Awards and Honors
- Order of Manas (2015)
- Medal of Dank (2011)
- Honored Worker of Agriculture
- Order of Nazarbayev (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Sooronbay Jeenbekov para niños
