Strategic partnership: the EDB and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation join efforts for water investment
Astana, 13 December 2023. The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB, Bank) signed a memorandum of cooperation with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI). Ruslan Dalenov, Vice Chairman of the EDB Management Board, and Bekniyaz Bolat, MWRI First Vice Minister, formalised this partnership during a ceremony in Astana.
The memorandum aims is to establish long-term, mutually beneficial collaboration focused on mobilising investment and grants for joint water and irrigation projects.
“We are committed to jointly developing sustainable infrastructure solutions that will support important water-related projects and contribute to overall economic growth,” highlighted Ruslan Dalenov.
As part of the memorandum, the parties intend to actively cooperate in financing investment projects and exchange expertise through participation in workshops, conferences and other events.
The EDB is currently implementing the Central Asian Water and Energy Complex mega-project based on research and projections of the most effective ways to comprehensively develop the sector. Bank analysts have conducted studies such as Investment in the Water and Energy Complex of Central Asia, Regulation of the Water and Energy Complex of Central Asia and Efficient Irrigation and Water Conservation in Central Asia. The latter outlines ten practical steps for preserving irrigated land potential and promoting water conservation, including four recommendations for adoption at the regional level and six at the national level. These measures are designed to conserve enough water annually to support sustainable development. The report intends to foster cooperation and joint efforts toward enhancing water and food security in Central Asia.
The EDB has also identified projects to cater to the region’s electricity and water needs. The Bank is financing the construction of the 100 MW KulanakHPP in the Kyrgyz Republic. Additionally, the Bank is evaluating several projects aimed at enhancing the region’s water and energy infrastructure.
Additional Information:
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is an international financial institution promoting integration and development in its member countries. For more than 17 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its member countries. The EDB's charter capital totals US $7 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’s operations are guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles.
Eurasian Development Bank
Aigerim Akhanova
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