Business news

MINSK, 15 January (BelTA) – The Belarusian Economy Ministry and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have discussed plans to expand cooperation in 2016-2020, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Economy Ministry.

“As part of the mission to work out a new EBRD strategy for Belarus for 2016-2020, First Deputy Economy Minister of Belarus Alexander Zaborovsky met with a delegation of the EBRD. The parties discussed the ways to expand cooperation between Belarus and the EBRD within the framework of the new strategy, strengthen the bank’s presence in the public sector and increase the number of projects in the transport and energy sectors, as well as continue the joint work in the utilities sector,” the press service said.

Belarus stressed the importance of attracting EBRD expert and financial assistance in its economy for the successful implementation of the government’s plans on economic reforms.

The EBRD delegation comprised Managing Director for Eastern Europe and Caucasus Francis Malige, Director for Belarus, Moldova and Caucasus Bruno Balvanera, Director for Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan Denis Morozov and head of the EBRD Office in Belarus Francis Daley.

The Economy Ministry noted that the EBRD now works in Belarus within the framework of its strategy for 2013-2015 and focuses its efforts and attention on the private sector mainly. As for the public sector, the bank supports projects to upgrade and reconstruct water supply systems in a number of Belarusian cities as well as the Belinvestbank pre-privatization project. The EBRD is also expected to finance consulting services in the preparation of the project to reconstruct a part of the M10 motorway on the principles of the public-private partnership (currently the Belarusian government and the EBRD are getting ready to sign the corresponding agreement).