BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 16. The Eurasian
Development Bank (EDB) is emphasizing tangible benefits for local
communities in Central Asia, as part of infrastructure projects
financed jointly with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the World
Bank, a source from the Bank’s Analytical Department told Trend.
"The EDB's approach to ensuring measurable community benefits
from large infrastructure projects is rooted in two decades of
on-the-ground presence across all five Central Asian states. In
practice, this means the Bank structures investments not just for
macroeconomic impact, but for tangible outcomes at the local
level," the source stated.
EDB highlighted its 2025 project portfolio, totaling $782
million across five key investments, as examples of this
strategy.
"The Bank's 2025 project commitments - totalling $782 million
across five investments - include the reconstruction of Almaty's
thermal power plant with a transition from coal to gas, the
reconstruction of the Astrakhan-Mangyshlak water supply pipeline, a
large wind farm in Kazakhstan, the Kulanak hydropower plant, and a
solar plant in Kyrgyzstan's Issyk-Kul region. Each of these
directly affects the energy costs, water access, and air quality of
the communities around them," the source explained.
On the water side, EDB ensures that projects are resilient to
climate change impacts.
"On the water side, the Bank assesses its portfolio against
multiple climate scenarios, with water deficit and extreme
temperatures identified as the primary sources of potential loss -
ensuring that investment decisions account for the resilience of
the most exposed populations, not just financial returns," the
source noted.
By leveraging its deep regional knowledge and partnerships with
international development funds, EDB aims to deliver green
infrastructure projects that benefit both the regional economy and
the daily lives of local communities, setting a model for
sustainable development in Central Asia.
