DUSHANBE, February 22, 216, Asia-Plus – Mr. Jamoliddin Nouraliyev, First Deputy Chairman, National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) last week met in Istanbul with Mr. Suma Chakrabarti, the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), on the sidelines of the FT-EBRD Central Asia Investment Forum: Forging Relationships for Growth .

According to the NBT press center, the two discussed prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the Bank.

A special attention was reportedly paid to financing of the key projects in Tajikistan, including the CASA 1000 power transmission project.

The FT-EBRD Central Asia Investment Forum: Forging Relationships for Growth discussed the future of the region and the prospects for investment.  The forum provided a platform to discuss the practicalities of doing business in the region, the opportunities for international investors in Central Asia and how to navigate the complexities of operating in the region.

The EBRD last year invests record amounts in Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Tajikistan, keeps up speed in the Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.  Total EBRD financing in the region reaches over €10 billion.

Investment in Tajikistan reportedly increased nearly three times year-on-year, to €166 million in 2015 compared with €62 million in 2014.

The Bank invested in a record 15 projects across all sectors in Tajikistan last year.  Landmark transactions included an equity investment into Auchan’s first hypermarket in Central Asia, financing of Coca Cola’s new plant, and a loan to the state energy utility Barqi Tojik for upgrades necessary for the CASA 1000 electricity transmission project.  The EBRD also provided investment and advisory support to the financial sector, local enterprises and municipal infrastructure.