While addressing delegates from the EBRD Constituency, Minister for Finance Edward Scicluna stated that, “it is important for the countries represented at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the EBRD, to address the current issues pertaining to the North African and Middle East countries, with special emphasis on migration.” The Constituency is composed of Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Israel, Kazakhstan and Malta.

This year’s Constituency meeting was hosted by the Maltese Ministry for Finance and the Central Bank of Malta. The meeting took place at the Laparelli Building, housed in the Central Bank of Malta.

Minister Scicluna continued by explaining the country’s challenge to increase women’s participation in the labour market by means of tax breaks for women returning to work as well as free childcare facilities.

The minister praised the projects of the EBRD in various sectors and augured further efforts in the future.

The participants were briefed on the EBRD’s work in SEMED by the Managing Director of SEMED Ms Janet Heckman. SEMED was instrumental in carrying out numerous infrastructural projects in the region, mainly in the energy sector. In the host country’s topic speech, Dr Aaron Grech from CBM spoked about Sustaining Rapid Economic Growth Necessities and strong investment in Malta.

Minister of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan Bakhyt Sultanov, Minister of Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirko Sarovic, and the Head of Administration and Finance at the Ministry of Finance in Cyprus Kyriacos Kakouris gave a detailed overview of the state of their economies and the EBRD projects undertaken in their countries.