DUSHANBE, March 30, 2015, Asia-Plus — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is continuing to support the development of international trade in Tajikistan with both financial support and training.
The EBRD on March 30 provided a new trade finance facility to Access Bank Tajikistan under the EBRD’s Trade Facilitation Program (TFP), according to the EBRD Resident Office in Dushanbe.
On the same day, jointly with Tajik Banking Association, the Bank held a workshop on the latest rules of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on International Standard Banking Practice (ISBP).
The workshop, which took place at the National Bank of Tajikistan, was opened by the National Bank’s Chairman, Abdujabbor Shirinov, who said: “We are very pleased to be able to host today’s event which will offer to commercial banks updates and training on the latest changes to the ICC’s ISBP rules and regulations.”
Richard Jones, Head of the EBRD’s resident office in Dushanbe, said: “Technical assistance and trainings such as the TFP workshop are an integral part of the EBRD’s mission in the country. I am very pleased that around 40 trade finance officers and bankers from over a dozen local banks were able to attend the workshop.”
A new TFP facility for AccessBank Tajikistan for the amount of €200,000 was signed alongside the workshop. “We are very pleased that AccessBank Tajikistan, which the EBRD co-founded and which already partners with us to support MSMEs, will now also be able to support Tajik companies trading with foreign partners through our trade facilitation program,” added Richard Jones.
Launched in 1999, the TFP aims to promote foreign trade to, from and among the EBRD’s countries of operations. Under the program, the EBRD not only provides guarantees to international confirming banks, but also grants short-term loans to select banks and factoring companies for on-lending to local exporters, importers and distributors.
The TFP currently includes over 100 partner banks in 23 countries where the Bank invests, with limits exceeding €1.5 billion in total, and more than 800 confirming banks worldwide.
Since the beginning of its operations in the country, the EBRD has invested close to US$ 320 million in Tajikistan across many sectors of the economy.
