TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, November 26. The European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European
Union signed a 3 million euro grant agreement to support the
development of critical raw materials (CRM) in Central Asia, the
bank said, Trend
reports.
The agreement, signed at the 3rd European Union – Central Asia
Economic Forum in Tashkent by EU Commissioner for International
Partnerships Jozef Síkela and EBRD Vice President for Banking
Matteo Patrone, will fund the replenishment of the CRM technical
assistance facility.
The grant aims to assist governments and private businesses in
expanding activities related to the exploration, extraction,
processing, and refining of CRMs across the region. The technical
cooperation funds will also support harmonising national standards
with international and EU environmental, social, and governance
(ESG) standards.
“The facility will help employ best practices and sustainable
technologies in the critical raw materials sector, enhancing
regional capacity and compliance with global standards,” the EBRD
said.
The EU-Central Asia Economic Forum, following previous editions
in Bishkek (2021) and Almaty (2023), is organized with the OECD and
ITC. It gathers EU and Central Asian officials, private sector
representatives, and international institutions to discuss
investment, regional cooperation, and strategic initiatives.