Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 4 June (BelTA) – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) may reach a record high annual investment volume in Belarus in 2018. EBRD Vice President Alain Pilloux made the statement as he met with Belarusian Economy Minister Vladimir Zinovsky, BelTA has learned.

The Belarusian Economy Ministry press service quoted the EBRD representative as saying that the bank intends to tightly work together with Belarus in order to prepare new projects and expand cooperation avenues. According to preliminary estimates, the EBRD may reach a record high annual investment volume in Belarus in 2018.

In 2016 the EBRD’s annual investments totaled €124. In 2017 the figure rose to €163 million. In 2013-2014 the EBRD’s investments peaked at about €250 million per annum.

During the meeting Alain Pilloux and Vladimir Zinovsky discussed a broad range of cooperation matters, including cooperation to support small and medium businesses, and possible new joint investment projects. Vladimir Zinovsky assured the EBRD representatives that the Belarusian side views the European bank as a reliable partner and intends to continue the constructive dialogue and build up cooperation with it.

Belarus has been an EBRD member since 1992. According to the bank’s financial report for the year 2017, in 1992-2017 the EBRD lent a total of €1.971 billion to Belarus.