Baku: Azerbaijani Finance Minister Sahil Babayev engaged in a meeting with a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), led by Elisabetta Falcetti, the Bank’s Managing Director for Trkiye and Caucasus. The discussions aimed at reinforcing the cooperative relationship between Azerbaijan and the EBRD, emphasizing both ongoing project implementations and future initiatives.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Minister Babayev highlighted the vital role of EBRD’s cooperation in fostering Azerbaijan’s socio-economic development. He pointed out the collaborative efforts within the framework of the bank’s Country Strategy for 2025-2030, which focuses on economic diversification, private sector development, green transition, and enhancing regional connectivity.
The EBRD’s investment in Azerbaijan, amounting to 3.71 billion euros across 202 projects, was noted during the meeting. The current EBRD portfolio in Azerbaijan stands at 898 million euros, with a significant portion allocated to the private sector. Minister Babayev also underscored Azerbaijan’s role as a donor partner to various EBRD-managed funds, reflecting bilateral cooperation.
Elisabetta Falcetti expressed her satisfaction with the ongoing development of cooperation with Azerbaijan, reiterating the EBRD’s commitment to continue joint efforts in supporting the private sector, expanding green finance mechanisms, and developing sustainable infrastructure.
Additionally, discussions covered projects related to water supply and wastewater systems in Sheki, along with initiatives under the Baku-Absheron Water Program. The importance of considering debt sustainability, implementation capacity, and balanced risk distribution was emphasized as crucial criteria for assessing new projects, alongside the combined use of loans, grants, and technical assistance instruments.