BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 16. The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is emphasizing tangible benefits for local communities in Central Asia, as part of infrastructure projects financed jointly with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the World Bank, a source from the Bank’s Analytical Department told Trend.
"The EDB's approach to ensuring measurable community benefits from large infrastructure projects is rooted in two decades of on-the-ground presence across all five Central Asian states. In practice, this means the Bank structures investments not just for macroeconomic impact, but for tangible outcomes at the local level," the source stated.
EDB highlighted its 2025 project portfolio, totaling $782 million across five key investments, as examples of this strategy.
"The Bank's 2025 project commitments - totalling $782 million across five investments - include the reconstruction of Almaty's thermal power plant with a transition from coal to gas, the reconstruction of the Astrakhan-Mangyshlak water supply pipeline, a large wind farm in Kazakhstan, the Kulanak hydropower plant, and a solar plant in Kyrgyzstan's Issyk-Kul region. Each of these directly affects the energy costs, water access, and air quality of the communities around them," the source explained.
On the water side, EDB ensures that projects are resilient to climate change impacts.
"On the water side, the Bank assesses its portfolio against multiple climate scenarios, with water deficit and extreme temperatures identified as the primary sources of potential loss - ensuring that investment decisions account for the resilience of the most exposed populations, not just financial returns," the source noted.
By leveraging its deep regional knowledge and partnerships with international development funds, EDB aims to deliver green infrastructure projects that benefit both the regional economy and the daily lives of local communities, setting a model for sustainable development in Central Asia.
