The trip starts 4 September in Armenia, and will continue in Georgia and finish in Azerbaijan.

 

First Vice President Rigterink, accompanied by Matteo Patrone, EBRD Managing Director for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, will meet government officials, central bank governors, business leaders and representatives of international financial organisations in each country. He will also mark the handover between the outgoing EBRD Regional Director for the Caucasus, Catarina Bjorlin Hansen, and her successor, Alkis Vryenios Drakinos.

 

In Armenia, the First Vice President will sign a credit line with a local partner bank to further boost the development of the private sector. In Georgia, Mr Rigterink will launch a programme with one of the EBRD’s key partner banks as part of its commitment to supporting small and medium size enterprises. In Azerbaijan he will participate in the launch of the public-private partnership for technical and vocational education and training organised by the State Vocational Education Agency, aimed at strengthening skills capacity in the food production industry. 

 

Ahead of the visit, Mr Rigterink said: “This visit is an opportunity to meet government representatives and members of the business community to discuss the priorities in the region, especially given Russia’s war on Ukraine and increasing economic uncertainty. The Caucasus is an important region for the Bank and we are committed to offering continuous support for the sustainable economic development in the region through our investments, advisory services and policy engagements.”

 

The EBRD has invested over €10 billion in 680 projects across the region, in both the private and public sectors.