Kyrgyzstan has taken a major step toward economic independence, launching domestic production of its national currency-the som-for the first time in its history.

President Sadyr Japarov announced that the country has moved away from outsourcing banknote printing abroad, a shift expected to cut costs and strengthen financial sovereignty, The Caspian Post reports via Kyrgyz media.

Until now, Kyrgyzstan relied on foreign facilities to produce its currency. But with newly established capabilities and internationally certified standards, the country can now fully meet domestic demand-and even compete on the global market.

Japarov said that Kyrgyzstan has secured an international certification confirming that its banknote production meets strict global requirements. The president also highlighted advances in producing secure national documents, including passports, ID cards, driver’s licenses, and vehicle registration certificates.

In a sign of growing ambition, Kyrgyzstan is already receiving orders from other countries interested in outsourcing their currency and document production. Officials say the new system combines high-level security-making counterfeiting nearly impossible-with competitive pricing.