MINSK, 19 October (BelTA) – Belarus considers an opportunity to attract the resources of the World Bank (WB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), First Deputy Economy Minister Alexander Zaborovsky said during the round table Belarus' Talks with the IMF: Key Aspects and the Balance of Interests in the BelTA press center.
These issues were discussed with the representatives of the World Bank, the EBRD, and the IFC in Washington at the beginning of October 2016.
“We had productive meetings with the senior representatives of the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Finance Corporation. We discussed issues included in three major blocks,” Alexander Zaborovsky said. “Firstly, we discussed the financing of the infrastructure and the implementation of infrastructure projects in the country in the broad sense of the word. This pertains to the road infrastructure, the healthcare infrastructure, the efforts to raise the efficiency of the housing and utilities sector, etc.”
The support of the small and medium-sized business in Belarus was also on the agenda. Besides, the sides focused on the cooperation in the provision of technical aid and consulting assistance. “This pertains to the sectoral inspection, issues connected with the housing and utilities and energy sectors. New technologies and management approaches are needed to reduce costs in these industries,” the first deputy economy minister explained.
“We think that we can attract about $350 million from the pool of these organizations – the World Bank, the EBRD, and the IFC – to the economy of the country,” he said. “Of course, all of them are interested in the progress of the talks with the International Monetary Fund because this amount can be at least doubled if we develop the program with the IMF.”
According to Alexander Zaborovsky, these organizations have additional instruments for providing assistance to the states fulfilling programs with the International Monetary Fund and its organizations.
“Therefore, we could even set the goal to raise $1 billion in resources which could be invested in the economy of our country after the signing of the program,” he added.
