Alikbek Jekshenkulov

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Alikbek Jekshenkulov, born on May 25, 1957, is a Kyrgyz politician. He was Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister from 2005 to 2007 and now leads the opposition party For Justice (Za spravednost).

Education and early career
- He graduated in 1980 from the Ukrainian Agricultural Academy as an engineer in forest economy.
- In 1999 he earned a Doctor of Political Sciences from the Diplomatic Academy of Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
- From 1980 to 1982 he worked with the State Committee for Forest Economy.
- He held several roles in the Komsomol (Communist Youth) and became a top official in Kyrgyzstan’s Komsomol.
- In 1990–1992 he was Deputy then First Deputy of the State Committee for Youth Affairs.
- In 1992 he joined the President’s staff and led the Standing Parliamentary Commission for international relations from 1992 to 1994.
- From 1994 to 2000 he served as Deputy, then First Deputy Foreign Minister.

Diplomatic and political rise
- In 2000 he became Kyrgyz ambassador to Austria and the country’s representative to international organizations in Vienna, later also at the OSCE.
- On January 14, 2004 he was named Head of the Foreign Policy Section and Deputy Head of the President’s Administration.
- In September 2005 President Kurmanbek Bakiyev appointed him Foreign Minister; Parliament confirmed him. He was seen as a compromise candidate after Bakiyev’s first pick was not confirmed.

As foreign minister
- He advised Presidents Askar Akayev and Kurmanbek Bakiyev on foreign policy.
- Talks with the United States about the Manas air base continued in 2006.
- He noted that the dispute involved issues beyond rent, including ecology, security, and taxes.
- In June 2006 he visited China with President Bakiyev and they signed cooperation agreements.
- In October 2006 he accompanied the president to Uzbekistan; six agreements were signed, including Uzbek gas deliveries to Kyrgyzstan and cooperation against terrorism, separatism, and drug trafficking.
- In January 2007 he met with the Kyrgyz diaspora in Moscow and discussed work permits and possible dual citizenship with Russia’s Sergei Lavrov. He left the post in February 2007.

Later career and opposition activity
- In May 2007 he became director of the International Agency of Development and Politics (IADP) in Bishkek.
- On November 29, 2008, opposition groups held a major gathering in Bishkek led by Jekshenkulov and others.
- On December 24, 2008 he became a member of the Politburo of the United People’s Movement and a leader of the For Justice party.
- He and his supporters faced arrests and investigations over protests and alleged misuse of office.
- On March 9, 2009 he was arrested in Bishkek in connection with a murder case. On March 16, 2010 he was sentenced to five years of probation, but the court did not find evidence linking him to the murder.