Prior to her appointment, Ambassador Sydykova, 44, was one of Kyrgyzstan’s best-known journalists, establishing the independent "Respublica" newspaper in 1992, where she remains an editor-in-chief to this day. In 1995, she was accused of slander against the authoritative regime of Askar Akayev and was deprived of her right to practice journalism. In 2000, the Washington, D.C.-based International Women's Mass Media group presented its award for courage in journalism to Ambassador Sydykova.

A member of the Political Council of Kyrgyzstan, Ambassador Sydykova graduated from Moscow State University.