Istanbul welcoming EBRD family meeting

ISTANBUL

This night photo shows the two sides of the Bosphorus Strait, which runs between the Asian and European countries. The Istanbul Congresss Center is the venue for the EBRD meeting, where regional issues will be discussed at a top level. DAILY NEWS photo / Emrah GÜREL

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Board of Governors Annual Meeting will be held in Istanbul on 10-11 May 2013 a debut Turkey annual convention for the EBRD.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is scheduled to deliver a speech at the opening session of the meeting on May 10 in the Istanbul Congress Center.

In addition to Prime Minister Erdoğan, heads of states or governments of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Jordan and Yemen will participate in the opening session. The organizers expect approximately 3,000 international and local participants to attend this meeting. The shareholders of the bank will discuss the operations and evaluate the financial results of the last year during their closed sessions.

In addition to the Board of Governors meeting, there will be many events including seminars, investment forums which are open to all invitees. Under the Turkey investment outlook session, three parallel forums will be held with the participation of high level panelists. Equality at work platform, transformation of Turkey as a business and investment hub and Istanbul as an international financial center will be separately discussed during the Turkey investment outlook session on May 10.

Heads of States/Governments of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Jordan and Yemen will be hosted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a closed working breakfast before the opening session of the annual meeting. The leaders will exchange views on how best to promote cooperation and investment in the region. The role of the EBRD for the development of the region will also be discussed at the breakfast.

In 2011 the EBRD has decided to expand its operations to the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region. Bank has started to operate in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia in 2012. Turkey has strongly supported this decision. The breakfast has a special meaning in this sense.

Given the historical developments there is a comprehensive agenda which needs to be addressed thoroughly.