Ömürbek Babanov

Ömürbek Babanov Өмүрбек Бабанов
14th Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan
In office 1 December 2011 – 1 September 2012 Acting: 1 December 2011 – 23 December 2011
President	Almazbek Atambayev
Preceded by	Almazbek Atambayev
Succeeded by	Aaly Karashev (Acting)
In office 23 September 2011 – 14 November 2011 Acting
President	Roza Otunbayeva
Preceded by	Almazbek Atambayev
Succeeded by	Almazbek Atambayev
Personal details
Born	(1970-05-20) 20 May 1970 Shymkent, Kazakh SSR, USSR
Political party	Respublika-Ata-Zhurt
Alma mater	Russian State Agricultural University

Ömürbek Toktogulovich Babanov (Kyrgyz: Өмүрбек Токтогулович (Токтогул уулу) Бабанов, Ömürbek Toqtoğuloviç (Toqtoğul uulu) Babanov; born 20 May 1970) is a Kyrgyz politician who was Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 1 December 2011 to 1 September 2012. Before his appointment as Prime Minister, he was Deputy Prime Minister in the Government of Almazbek Atambayev. He was also acting Prime Minister from 23 September 2011 until 14 November 2011, as the Prime Minister Atambayev was a candidate in the presidential election.^[1] He again became acting Prime Minister on 1 December 2011 when Atambayev took office as President. He was confirmed by Parliament on 23 December 2011.^[2] On 1 September 2012 Babanov resigned as Prime Minister.

With an estimated wealth of $1.5 billion, he is one of the richest people in Kyrgyzstan.^[3]

Babanov participated in Kyrgyzstan’s presidential election in 2017 as an independent. During a television debate, candidate Sooronbay Jeenbekov promised to imprison Babanov as part of a proposed fight against corruption.^[4] He came second to Jeenbekov with 33% of the vote.

Babanov is half-Turkish and his wife is Kazakh. These facts were used to smear him during the 2017 election.^[4]

References