BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is preparing to open its first Regional Representation in Central Asia, marking a new milestone in the bank’s engagement with the region, EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris told Trend in an exclusive interview.
"At the EU-Central Asia Summit, we signed a host country agreement with Uzbekistan, paving the way for opening our Regional Representation in Central Asia," Kakouris said. "We expect all administrative steps to be finalised soon and the office to become operational shortly".
According to him, the decision reflects the region’s growing importance in the EU's external engagement and the EIB's commitment to being a long-term, on-the-ground partner.
The new office will serve as a regional hub for coordinating EIB Global’s activities across Central Asia. "It will deepen our engagement under Global Gateway," Kakouris noted, adding that "having staff on the ground will strengthen cooperation with both the public and private sectors".
Meanwhile, the EIB and Uzbekistan formalized an agreement to establish a regional EIB office in the country. The signing took place in Samarkand during the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit in April this year, in the presence of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, European Council President António Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.