BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 25. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed 31 risk-sharing project agreements worth 28.5 million euros with 26 companies in Central Asia and Mongolia in 2025, setting a regional record, Trend reports via EBRD.
Under its Risk-Sharing Framework (RSF), the EBRD shares up to 50% of the risk on loans provided by partner financial institutions, helping unlock financing for local businesses and support private-sector development.
The transactions primarily supported privately owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in manufacturing, food production, agribusiness and services. Many projects combined financing with investment grants and advisory services aimed at strengthening companies’ capacity to manage financial and operational challenges, while improving social, environmental and governance (ESG) standards.
In Kazakhstan, Temirservice Astana received a KZT 1.9 billion (3.2 million euro) loan from Bank CenterCredit for the construction of an 11,000-square-metre Class A warehouse complex.
In the Kyrgyz Republic, aluminium extrusion manufacturer Steelex secured $4.8 million (4 million euro) from Demir Kyrgyz International Bank to support vertical integration and expand aluminium scrap recycling. The project includes the introduction of inclusive human resources (HR) policies, flexible working arrangements and a university internship programme. Additionally, the EBRD and Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank provided a joint $1.1 million (0.9 million euro) loan to plastic packaging producer HTI Group to modernise equipment and reduce energy consumption, supported by an investment grant for energy-efficient solutions.
In Mongolia, the EBRD signed its first RSF transaction in the telecommunications sector. A loan of up to $1.2 million (1 million euro), extended jointly with Khan Bank, will provide working capital to IT Zone, a leading ICT company and systems integrator. The company will also receive a grant to strengthen HR capacity and improve talent management practices.
In Tajikistan, Fortuna Co Group obtained a $1.2 million (1 million euro) loan from the Investment and Credit Bank of Tajikistan to install a 218 kW solar plant, purchase electric vehicles and modernise equipment.
In Uzbekistan, Trade Novatik, a producer of ready-made meals and packaged food, received a 1.1 million euro loan from Hamkorbank to expand production. The project includes a grant supporting renewable energy adoption, enhanced waste management and digital monitoring tools. Printing services provider Silkway Colour also secured a $2.8 million (2.38 million euro) loan to purchase energy-efficient printing equipment.
The EBRD has applied risk-sharing agreements since the early 2000s, expanding the framework to include unfunded risk participations, first-loss guarantees and co-lending models. The modern, scaled-up approach, particularly unfunded risk participation widely used today, gained momentum in the mid-2010s as part of the Bank’s strategy to mobilise private capital and support SMEs and green transition projects.