EDB Outlines Vision for Regional Integration at ADFIAP Forum in Colombo
Colombo, Sri Lanka, 23 September 2026 — The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) joined the 49th Annual Meeting of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP), taking place on 23–25 September 2026 in Colombo. Vera Barkatina, Head of the EDB's Technical Assistance Fund Coordination Office, represented the Bank at the event.
The forum featured a session titled "Regional Integration: Building Resilient Economies." In her remarks, Vera Barkatina outlined the EDB's approach to regional integration, which goes beyond trade to encompass interconnected systems: harmonized financial regulation, cross-border investment, and integrated supply chains. She emphasized the role of the Technical Assistance Fund (TAF) as a tool that unlocks project preparation, creates enabling conditions, and expands investment activity across the Bank's member states.
Vera Barkatina noted that the TAF has two core mandates. The first is supporting the preparation of investment projects planned for implementation with EDB participation. The second is developing the institutional environment to facilitate investment activity, with governments of member states as the primary beneficiaries.
Examples of TAF-supported projects include:
- The Eurasian Commodity Distribution Network concept
- Feasibility study for a railway border crossing on the China–Kazakhstan border
- The project to establish an International Financial Platform in Uzbekistan.
Vera Barkatina also addressed regional cooperation in healthcare, food security, and disaster preparedness. She highlighted projects such as wheat flour fortification in Tajikistan (jointly with WFP), the "Milk to Schools" programme in Armenia, and training for energy sector specialists from Central Asia in partnership with UNESCAP.
"Regional integration is neither just about trade nor about launching one large cross-boarder project. It is about building interconnected systems that strengthen economic resilience and reduce shared vulnerabilities. This requires a combination of infrastructure development, regulatory frameworks and sound investment preparation. Technical assistance helps bring these elements together, turning regional concepts into bankable projects and creating the conditions for investment capital to come in," noted Vera Barkatina.
Other participants in the session included representatives from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the consulting company auctusESG. The moderator was Izwan Zainuddin, CEO of Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB).
The 49th ADFIAP Annual Meeting is taking place under the theme "Partnerships for Prosperity: Unlocking Regional Potential." As part of the event, the EDB also received three awards for projects in the fields of local economic development, technology, and corporate social responsibility.
Additional Information:
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral development bank investing in Eurasia. For 20 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its member countries. By the end of June 2026, the EDB’s cumulative portfolio comprised 348 projects with a total investment of US $22.1 billion. Its portfolio consists principally of projects with an integration effect in transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy, agriculture, manufacturing and mechanical engineering. The Bank adheres to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles in its operations.
The EDB is implementing three mega-projects as part of its 2022–2026 Strategy: the Eurasian Transport Network, the Eurasian Commodity Distribution Network and the Central Asian Water and Energy Complex.
The EDB Media Centre:
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