EBRD lending up to $ 200 mln to Kazakhstan’s Bank CenterCredit to support entrepreneurship and green economyThe European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will provide a lending facility of up to $200 million to Kazakhstan-based Bank CentreCredit JSC (BCC), the EBRD press service said in a press release Monday.“The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Kazakhstan, including those owned or led by young people or women, and helping to improve access to green technologies by providing a financing package of up to US$ 200 million (€172.4 million) in local currency equivalent to the country’s third largest commercial lender, Bank CenterCredit (BCC),” the press release says.This is the largest bilateral financing package that the EBRD has ever provided to a bank in Kazakhstan.The package consists of four separate senior loans of up to US$ 50 million (€43.1 million) each.The first loan is aimed at supporting MSMEs across Kazakhstan, which are the backbone of the country’s economy, accounting for nearly 40% of GDP and employing over 4.4 million people.The second loan will be provided under the EBRD’s Kazakhstan Women in Business (WiB) program.The third loan will be offered under the EBRD’s Youth in Business (YiB) program for Central Asia, targeting MSMEs led or owned by individuals under the age of 35.Finally, the fourth loan will be issued under the Bank’s Kazakhstan Green Economy Financing Facility II, with support from CIF, which is designed to promote the use of renewable energy sources and help companies and households to reduce their energy consumption.The loan supporting MSMEs and the loans under the WiB and YiB programs are supported by Kazakhstan’s government, the EBRD said.The EBRD has invested almost US$ 12 billion (€10.2 billion) in Kazakhstan to date through 345 projects, making the country the largest and longest‑running recipient of EBRD investment in Central Asia.The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), established in 1991, is focused on investment in projects that support the transition to a market economy and development of business and entrepreneurial activities. The EBRD's shareholders include 72 countries, the European Union and the European Investment Bank. Since 1992 the EBRD has invested 10 billion euros in 317 projects in Kazakhstan.Bank CenterCredit (BCC), founded in 1988, serves individuals and legal entities. The major stakeholders of the bank are Bakhytbek Baiseitov (40.11%), the chairman of the BCC board of directors, and Vladislav Li (9.2.%), a member of the board of directors.As of February 1, 2026, BCC ranked 3rd by assets among the 23 second-tier banks operating in Kazakhstan, according to the National Bank of the country. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX