The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is interested in implementing “green projects” in Kyrgyzstan, EBRD Secretary General Kazuhiko Koguchi told in London during a meeting with Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UK Ulan Dzhusupov.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss topical issues of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the EBRD, in particular, to discuss the initiative of President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov to exchange external debt for the implementation of “green” initiatives, including projects in the field of climate change and “green economy”.
Dzhusupov emphasized that the Kyrgyz Republic is now giving the highest priority to sustainable development issues and said that the main mechanism for combating climate change and “green development” for the country is its rich hydro potential, which is used today by only 10%, as it requires significant investment injections. “Kyrgyzstan can also offer great opportunities in the construction of solar and wind power plants, as well as projects in other areas of the “green economy”, in particular, “green” transport, “green” agriculture, “green” industry and others,” the ambassador emphasized.
As a result of the conversation, the EBRD was handed over a number of infrastructure projects for the construction of small hydropower plants, including the construction of the Upper Naryn cascade.
Secretary General Koguchi, in turn, said that the EBRD is ready to consider the submitted projects and noted that the Bank is interested in the implementation of “green projects” in Kyrgyzstan, including the participation of the EBRD in the modernization of the energy sector and hydropower projects, which is very important for the global combating climate change.
At the end of the conversation, the parties agreed to continue close cooperation on these issues.
Source: Kyrgyz National News Agency