The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has appointed Mr. Holger Wiefel as the Bank’s new Head of Office in Tajikistan. He will be based in the country’s capital, Dushanbe, and is due to take up his duties on July 2, 2023, according to EBRD Resident Office in Dushanbe.
“I would like to use my professional and regional experience to advance our main goals in Tajikistan. These goals include introduction of green technologies, digitalization, improving access to finance for SMEs, support for women entrepreneurs, building resilience to climate change, and modernization of key infrastructure,” says Mr. Wiefel.
Mr. Holger Wiefel, the citizen of Germany, joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in November 2013 and brought rich professional experience from regions such as the Caucasus, China and Eastern Europe. Prior to this, he had worked as Associate Director, Regional Head, Central Asia & Mongolia, SME Finance & Development Group since September 2021.
In the Bank, he had worked as head of regional programs on lending to micro and small businesses in a large region stretching from Ukraine to Central Asia.
Mr. Wiefel had worked as Country Director, International Project Consult – IPC GmbH since 2005.
EBRD activities in Tajikistan cover all sectors, including energy, infrastructure, financial sector, corporates and SMEs, reaching 892 million euros in 158 projects. The new country strategy for Tajikistan sets out the Bank’s priorities in the country for the period 2020-25 and addresses issues such as a volatile macroeconomic environment, a challenging business climate and vulnerability to climate change factors.
The EBRD’s operational and strategic priorities in Tajikistan are based on the following three pillars: 1) strengthening the competitiveness of businesses and improving the business environment; 2) fostering regional integration, energy reform and infrastructure connectivity; and 3) supporting wider access to better infrastructure and business services for women, young people and underdeveloped regions.
