Kazakhstan discusses co-op prospects with EBRD, WB

By  Trend

Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin has held meetings with Regional Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Agris Preimanis and Permanent Representative of the World Bank (WB) in Kazakhstan Ato Brown, Trend reports via the prime minister's website.

The meetings discussed issues of deepening cooperation with the international financial institutions and promising areas of interaction in the process of building a sustainable, balanced and diversified economy and structural reforms in Kazakhstan.

In particular, Mamin and Preimanis discussed strategic areas of cooperation in the energy sector with a focus on renewable energy sources, infrastructure and transport, support for small and medium-sized businesses through the financial sector, etc. In addition, reforms in the public-private partnership, tariff policy in regulated sectors, as well as transformation processes and privatization program were considered.

During the conversation with Brown, Mamin reviewed the implementation progress of the Partnership Framework Strategy and the Joint Economic Research Program. Special attention was paid to the draft Country Partnership Strategy for 2019-2024, in particular, issues of improving the quality of human capital, private sector development, the investment climate and trade, as well as the modernization of transport infrastructure and regional development prospects.

Tourism, agribusiness, industrialization, digital innovations, transport and logistics and development of regional infrastructure were considered among the priority sectors for cooperation.

At the same time, the parties outlined the priority of cooperation in the framework of the Joint Economic Research Program with an emphasis on long-term projects aimed at achieving the goals of the Development Strategy of Kazakhstan until 2025.

It should be noted that over the years of cooperation, the EBRD has financed 253 projects in Kazakhstan for a total of 7.676 billion euros. The current portfolio of EBRD consists of 123 projects totaling $2.75 billion.

The World Bank’s project portfolio includes 22 projects, including 7 current projects (beyond the framework agreement) and 15 projects under the Partnership Framework Agreements.