On 28 May, the information session of the EU financed program Central Asia Invest V was held in Nur-Sultan. The program aims to support and enhance business competitiveness, to boost investments, to develop the private sector and the economic diversification in Central Asian countries. The EU attaches great importance to boosting investments in Central Asia, and this is an important part of the New EU Strategy for Central Asia which was adopted on 15 May 2019.
During the session, the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan staff presented the fifth call of the program outlining its main features, new priorities and the application procedure. The total budget of the call covering all Central Asian countries is EUR 10 950 000. The participants can submit their concept notes until 24 June. The proposals will have to cover at least one of the following priorities: access to finance, business, tax regulation and informal economy, promotion of intra-regional and international trade, capacities building of entrepreneurs and job seekers.
In his opening speech, EU Ambassador Sven-Olov Carlsson noted: “We do expect to receive many project proposals from Kazakh organization, as we do believe that your country, given its achievements in foreign trade and investment policy, is well placed to be a leading force in promoting intra-regional integration. Moreover, it has valuable experience and good practices to share with its neighbors having achieved quite high levels of human capital development and poverty reduction in the region. This is something to be proud of, but it is also a responsibility”.
Earlier, similar information sessions were held in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).
