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Minister Rau meets EBRD President

15.06.2021

The Polish foreign minister’s meeting with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso was an opportunity to discuss the political directions and strategic areas relevant to Poland’s cooperation with the Bank.

Deputy Minister Jabłoński takes part in meeting of EU development cooperation ministers

The meeting on Tuesday was held as part of the first Polish visit of the newly appointed EBRD president, who took up the position on 2 November 2020.

The main topics raised included the prospects for greater involvement of Polish entities and institutions in the Bank’s projects. President Renaud-Basso presented some of the Bank’s activities, including those connected with accelerating the green transition process, a process which also is one of the Polish government’s main priorities for the coming years. Also discussed were plans to develop the Bank’s operations, including in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The talks also covered the EBRD’s business orientations in Belarus in view of the current situation in this country. The EBRD president updated the minister on the Bank’s new approach to operations in Belarus that would strengthen control procedures, including additional reviews of all projects.

“During our economic transition, we received substantial support from the EBRD. Today, the best testimony to the effectiveness and success of this institution is that Poland is a country of fast-growing innovative technologies and a symbol of entrepreneurship,” stressed the minister. “Today, our priority should also be that the goods and services offered by Polish companies make an important contribution to projects carried out at the initiative or with the support of EBRD instruments,” he added.

The chief of Polish diplomacy also mentioned the possibility of Poland’s cooperation with the EBRD under the Three Seas Initiative. He pointed out that this project will facilitate the technological and infrastructural development of the region, which is crucial for strengthening its economic potential. This corresponds to the EBRD’s priorities.

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Since the EBRD’s inception in 1991, Poland has been both a shareholder and a country of operation, one in which the Bank has so far invested around EUR 11 billion in more than 450 projects. In 2020, together with Turkey, Egypt, Ukraine and Greece, Poland was among the largest beneficiaries of the Bank, with EBRD investment in Poland in that year amounting to almost EUR 800 million (through 26 projects). Most funding was allocated for the energy sector (wind farms), industrial sector (a battery and polypropylene plant), and the financial sector.

 

MFA Press Office
 

 

 

Photo: Tymon Markowski / MFA

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