DUSHANBE, October 21, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov yesterday met in Luxembourg with Mr. Wilhelm Molterer, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), according to the Tajik MFA information department.

The sides reportedly discussed a broad range of issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the EIB and agreed to continue cooperation on development and implementation of joint projects to enhance primary sectors of Tajikistan’s economy.

Cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Investment Bank reportedly began in 2009 after signing of a cooperation agreement by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Philippe M.P.J. Maystadt, who was President of the European Investment Bank from 2000-2011.

Established in 1958, the European Investment Bank (EIB), with headquarters in Luxembourg, is the European Union''s nonprofit long-term lending institution.  The EIB is a publicly owned international financial institution and its shareholders are the member states of the European Union.  

Although about 90 percent of projects financed by the EIB are based in EU member countries, the bank does fund projects in about 150 other countries: non-EU south-eastern European countries, Mediterranean partner countries, ACP countries, Asian and Latin American countries, Russia and other eastern neighbors of the EU.  According to the EIB, it works in these countries to implement the financial pillar of the union''s external cooperation and development policies by encouraging private sector development, infrastructure development, security of energy supply and environmental sustainability.