The European Investment Bank (EIB) participated in the EU-Central Asia Connectivity Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, as part of EU-led efforts to assist Central Asia in mitigating the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russian aggression in Ukraine.

EIB Vice President Teresa Czerwinska represented the bank at the conference with a keynote address at the opening.

Mrs. Czerwinska talked about the bank's big plans to expand its work in the region, fund projects in renewable energy, transportation, and digital connectivity, and offer valuable advice and technical help in the planning of projects.

VP Czerwinska said: “The European Investment Bank, the bank of the European Union, is ready to do its part and support this vision of cooperation between Europe and Central Asia. The EU Strategy on Central Asia is a good starting point. It offers a format for cooperation on sustainable and climate-considerate development between Central Asia, EU Member States, different donors, and international financial institutions. To facilitate this development, EIB - as the largest multilateral bank in the world and the largest multilateral financier of climate action - can offer both finances and technical know-how.”

The one-day conference brought together leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as the European Union (EU) and Team Europe, including the EIB, to discuss ways to boost investments, digitise the economy, facilitate trade within and beyond the region, and diversify transport routes. Transport, energy, and digital connectivity projects in the region will be prioritised.

The EU and EIB have been helping Central Asia move toward sustainable, climate-neutral growth that benefits everyone and is based on democracy and the rule of law. Due to the region's economies' shared history and challenges, as well as their growing ties, responses that are closely coordinated will be more helpful.

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Source: EIB