OREANDA-NEWS. July 23, 2009. Belarus and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will continue working on the text of the EBRD strategy for Belarus for 2010-2013. The document is expected to be approved by the EBRD Board of Directors by the end of 2009. This is one of the main results of a visit of EBRD experts to Minsk on 21-22 July.

The mission included EBRD seniour banker Paul-Henry Forestier, EBRD political counsellor Franklin Steves and economic counsellor Alexander Plekhanov. The goal of the visit was to discuss the Bank’s strategy for Belarus for 2010-2013.

The EBRD representatives met with the First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, EBRD manager in Belarus Vladimir Semashko and held talks in the ministries of economy and foreign affairs and in the National Bank. During the meetings the Belarusian side provided its commentary on the draft document.

The EBRD strategy for Belarus adopted in December 2006 expires in 2009, the Foreign Ministry said. The strategy is an instrument to sum up the cooperation between the Bank and the country, to assess the economic reforms and to establish general frameworks for the Bank’s operation in Belarus for the next three years.