The European Investment Bank (EIB) is finalising plans to open its first Regional Representation in Central Asia, a move marking a new phase in the bank’s engagement with the region, EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris told Trend in an exclusive interview.
«At the EU–Central Asia Summit, we signed a host country agreement with Uzbekistan, paving the way for the opening of our Regional Representation in Central Asia,» Kakouris said. «We expect all administrative steps to be completed soon, and the office to become operational shortly.»
The decision underscores the strategic importance of Central Asia in the EU’s external relations and highlights the EIB’s commitment to a long-term presence in the region.
According to Kakouris, the new office, based in Uzbekistan, will act as a regional hub for coordinating EIB Global’s operations across Central Asia and will strengthen cooperation with both public and private sectors under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative.
The agreement to establish the office was formalized earlier this year in Samarkand, during the inaugural EU–Central Asia Summit, attended by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, European Council President António Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
