Participants of the EDB's Annual Meeting and Business Forum discussed the issue of attracting investments for economic growth
Almaty, 25 May 2026.
"Eurasia 2030+: Investments, Growth, and New Opportunities" plenary session was held as part of the EDB's Annual Meeting and Business Forum. It focused on the development of the economies of Central Asia and other EDB member states, as well as on the implementation of the Bank's 2027–2031 Strategy.
Approved by the EDB Council, the Strategy opens a "new page in the Bank’s development," said Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the EDB Management Board. "2026 is a special year for the Eurasian Development Bank. The EDB celebrates its 20th anniversary. Since 2006, the Bank has been operating in the Eurasian region and supporting the development of economic ties and cooperation between its member states," the Bank's Head noted.
According to Olzhas Bektenov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Chairman of the EDB Council, whose welcoming address was read at the Forum, the global economy is undergoing a period of profound transformation: trade routes are shifting, new production chains are being created, and competition for investment, technology, and human capital is becoming more intense. Thus, Eurasia is acquiring particular significance as a region of new opportunities for growth and cooperation. Under its current 2022–2026 Strategy, the EDB has invested US $5.2 billion in Kazakhstan, which is comparable to the total investments made over the previous 15 years.
Investments in Armenia have exceeded US $380 million over the past four and a half years. Vahe Hovhannisyan, Armenia's Minister of Finance, stated that the country's economy has grown by an average of 7.9% over the past five years, while the country's priority is the transition from exporting raw materials to high-tech economy and technological services. Therefore, the economy requires long-term money and flexible financial instruments.
A new high-tech, export-oriented oilseed processing plant is being built in Belarus with the EDB's support: the Bank is collaborating with private investors. At the session, Vladislav Tatarinovich, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Belarus, stated that special attention is being paid to maintaining macro-stability and industrial development. This requires technological modernization, as well as own innovative developments and logistics. "The key task is to maintain the support for integration projects at a level of at least 65% of the portfolio. The EDB could act as a project office and offer advantageous financial support instruments for such projects," the minister suggested.
The EDB's cumulative investment portfolio in Kyrgyzstan has quadrupled over the years of the current Strategy implementation. Bakyt Sydykov, Minister of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic, noted that high growth rates are associated with increased investment, and maintaining annual growth at a minimum of 8% will require industrial development, formation of a regional hub for logistics and trade, and unlocking of the country's energy potential, which also calls for attracting long-term financing. "International development banks can become a catalyst for structural transformation and regional integration," the minister suggested.
Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation Ivan Chebeskov stated that the global economy is undergoing profound structural changes, with its growth becoming less sustainable and concentrated in specific sectors only. The principles of attracting capital are also changing, so the role of the EDB as a link for the economies of the region is only increasing. The key element of the new Strategy will be the creation of an end-to-end transport and logistics space; the Bank's investments in this sphere have already reached US $1.8 billion.
Tajikistan is also counting on the development of logistics, as the country remains the fastest-growing economy in the region. Vosidiyon Farhod Sadullo, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan, noted the importance of improving infrastructure connectivity, and developing transport corridors and digital infrastructure.
According to Nikolai Podguzov, EDB's investments in Uzbekistan (that became a member of the bank in 2025) will reach US $1.5-2 billion in the medium term, with several major projects already approved. Khurram Teshabaev, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, noted that the country's priority investment areas include strengthening transport connectivity, deep processing of raw materials and localization of production, green economy and sustainable energy, digital economy, and artificial intelligence.
The second part of the panel discussion was focused on various economic aspects of Eurasia's development. The session was moderated by Al Arabiya journalist and news presenter May Ben Khadra, and the keynote speaker was Daron Acemoglu, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He noted that the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies is necessary for further growth.
EDB Senior Managing Director Azamat Tyuleubay stated that Eurasia has the potential to become a growth hub for the entire world: Central Asia is growing at an annual rate of 6%. Demand for electricity has increased, and transport and warehouse infrastructure is also developing. The market is also attracting an increasing number of international investors, including from the Gulf countries and China. The Bank also notes growing interest from foreign partners.
Philippe Laborie, Senior Vice President and Deputy CEO of the Groupe ADP / TAV International airport Almaty, and Sergey Tkachuk, shareholder of Prilesie-Logistic LLC, discussed the issues of attracting investments to logistics projects. The region is transforming from a transit hub into a major consumer market, which leads to the growing demand for distribution logistics and new warehouse capacity. Experts also view investments in the agricultural sector as promising: there, productivity can be increased through the introduction of technology and the localization of production to meet the growing needs of the domestic market.
Sanjar Usmanov, Chief Investment Officer of the Turkic Investment Fund, noted that the region has been underfunded in basic infrastructure for decades. Economic transformation, however, will unlock significant potential for added value creation and increase demand for both energy and human capital.
Additional Information:
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral development bank investing in Eurasia. For more than 20 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its member countries. By the end of December 2025, the EDB’s cumulative portfolio comprised 326 projects with a total investment of US $19.6 billion. The Bank's portfolio consists principally of projects with an integration effect in transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering. The Bank’s operations are guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles.
As part of its 2022–2026 Strategy, the EDB is implementing 3 mega-projects: The Water and Energy Complex of Central Asia, The Eurasian Transport Network, and The Eurasian Commodity Distribution Network.
The EDB Media Centre:
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