The EDB Fund for Digital Initiatives at Digital Almaty 2025: “Digital transformation requires flexibility from development institutions”
Almaty, 3 February 2025. Alexander Petrov, Director of the Directorate of Digital Initiatives at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), spoke at the Digital Almaty 2025 Forum’s panel session titled “Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development: From Global Initiatives to Local Solutions.”
In his presentation, Alexander Petrov emphasised the bi-directional nature of digital transformation, highlighting the importance of both global initiatives shaping local solutions and the reverse process. As an example, he cited the success of the EDB Fund for Digital Initiatives’ COVID-19-Free Travel app. Originally launched for Russia and Armenia, this project later expanded across almost all CIS countries. A similar trend is seen with the “Work in the EAEU” project, which now serves users from 16 countries with a combined population exceeding 2 billion.
Alexander Petrov noted that creating an ecosystem of interconnected local solutions is often more effective than localising global solutions. He pointed to the GovStack project, implemented by countries in the region and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), as an example of how integrated local solutions can generate high added value and reduce costs.
He also highlighted the growing digital maturity of the private sector in the region. The EDB Fund for Digital Initiatives plays an active role in supporting this trend, as confirmed by dozens of completed projects. Among the Fund’s promising projects, he mentioned the National Digital Investment Platform of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, designed as a seamless one-stop-shop for investors.
In conclusion, Alexander Petrov addressed technological and regulatory shifts in digital transformation, noting the rising discussions around digital sovereignty. An important solution here would be an ecosystem for intraregional cooperation, where development institutions hold an advantage due to their flexibility and close ties to the real sector. In addition, he underscored the EDB Fund for Digital Initiatives’ capacity to support cross-sector projects.
Alexander Petrov also participated in the session titled “Digital Resources: Prospects for AI in Exploration and Mining,” where he discussed approaches to developing and integrating digital platforms at different levels of digital maturity, the importance of digital collaboration in cross-border projects, and digital-driven efficiency improvements in water research and management.
Additional Information:
The EDB Fund for Digital Initiatives was established in June 2020. Its objective is to assist the EDB member states in creating digital transformation tools and practices by integrating their information resources and participating in the development and financing of projects. The Fund’s flagship project is the COVID-19-Free Travel mobile app used in nine CIS countries.
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral development bank investing in Eurasia. For more than 18 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 adheres to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles in its operations.
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