European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Founded in 1991 after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the EBRD is owned by 77 countries plus the European Union and the European Investment Bank. Its mandate is to support open, market-oriented and private-sector-led economies across Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa.

The Bank provides loans, equity investments, guarantees and trade finance to companies, banks and infrastructure projects. It also offers business advice and works with governments on policy and institutional reforms, so its work combines investment banking-style transactions with development finance and public-policy engagement.

The EBRD is especially strong in private-sector finance, green-transition projects and complex markets where commercial capital is limited. In 2024, it financed a record volume of projects, with most investment directed to private-sector clients and more than half supporting green projects.