BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is considering the possibility
of financing projects in the field of transport connectivity in
Azerbaijan, including the North-South railway, Head of EIB Group
Regional Representation for the South Caucasus (Tbilisi), Stella
Renita, said at the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Baku on
Wednesday, Trend’s
correspondent reports from the event.


According to her, currently, the bank is exploring investment
opportunities in the field of transport connectivity in Azerbaijan,
including specific projects, such as the North-South railway.


"We also consider other directions of connectivity. It is not
only about transport infrastructure, but also about energy, as well
as the digital sphere," she noted.


Renita cited the project of digital connectivity of the Black
Sea and the project "Caspian-Black Sea Green Energy Corridor" as
examples of the considered projects.


According to her, the next day after the forum, the presentation
of the technical and economic justification of the last project, in
which EIB participates, should take place.


Speaking about the bank's activity in the region, she said that
the volume of its credit portfolio in the countries of the South
Caucasus is about 4 billion euro. A significant part of the
financing is directed to infrastructure projects, in particular to
road construction.


As an example, Renita mentioned the East-West highway in
Georgia, which is part of the Middle Corridor. According to her,
EIB invested about 1 billion euro in this project.







"The bank supports the private sector mainly through lending
through local banks that direct funds to small and medium-sized
enterprises. About 120 enterprises have already benefited from EIB
financing.


The bank also provides technical assistance in the preparation
and implementation of projects. In Azerbaijan, such assistance, in
particular, was provided to assess the safety of the Boyuk-Kasik
corridor, which should become the basis for the further
implementation of the project.


EIB cooperates with other international financial institutions
and participates in joint financing of projects. In particular, the
bank has a mutual trust agreement with the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, which simplifies the preparation
and implementation of projects, including procurement
documentation," she added.


The EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum, marking the 30th anniversary
of the partnership between the European Union and Azerbaijan and
the 10th anniversary of the forum, is being held in Baku today.
This year’s forum is held under the theme “Connecting Corridors:
Connectivity and Infrastructure.” The main focus is on developing
transport connectivity and infrastructure, strengthening economic
cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan, and expanding regional
trade and investment.


The program includes high-level discussions, thematic sessions,
and business meetings involving representatives of the public and
private sectors.