During the meeting, held within the framework of the 38th plenary session of the Foreign Investors Council, the parties discussed prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and the financial institution in the coming years.

The President expressed gratitude to the EBRD leadership for its contribution to the economic development of the country.

“We are bound by relations of strategic partnership. Kazakhstan is one of the Bank’s key partner states, and such cooperation fully aligns with our long-term policy. Our collaboration has been successfully developing for many years,” noted Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

It was emphasized that over the past thirty years, the Bank has invested more than €11 billion in Kazakhstan across 354 projects. As a result, Kazakhstan has become one of the EBRD’s largest partners in the region.

At present, the Bank’s portfolio in Kazakhstan comprises 131 projects with a total value exceeding €3.1 billion.

The Head of State welcomed the signing of a Framework Partnership Agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and the EBRD aimed at expanding cooperation to promote the country’s sustainable development.

President Tokayev stated that Kazakhstan is currently implementing an ambitious reform program designed to build a more diversified, competitive, and technologically advanced economy.

In turn, Odile Renaud-Basso commended Kazakhstan’s favorable investment climate and the structural economic transformations that provide a solid foundation for achieving strategic objectives.

“Kazakhstan is one of our most important countries of operation. This year we have observed a very high level of investment activity. Agreements have already been signed for projects worth over $1 billion. Taking into account projects under preparation, we expect total investments this year to reach €1.3 billion. This will mark the highest level of investment in the history of our work in Kazakhstan,” said the EBRD President.

Renaud-Basso confirmed the Bank’s readiness to continue supporting Kazakhstan in the development of infrastructure, transport accessibility, irrigation, and the energy sector. The EBRD intends to place particular emphasis on supporting the private sector, fostering small and medium-sized enterprises, and financing investment projects. One of the priority areas will be investment in critical raw materials.

The parties also underscored the importance of enhancing cooperation in the fields of digitalization and artificial intelligence. The EBRD stands ready to support the development of Kazakhstan’s innovation ecosystem, contributing to the digital transformation of the national economy.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-pretoria/press/news/details/1255217?lang=ru