SAMARKAND: With a mission to enhance sustainable economic and social development in Central Asia, the Silk Road Fund (SRF) has been investing in a range of fields, including energy, resources, infrastructure, finance, industry, and ESG (Environmental, social, and governance) investing, local media reported on Tuesday. The investments are part of Beijing’s broader efforts to foster high-quality partnerships and collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Among the key projects that the SRF has sponsored is the Samarkand International Convention, Exhibition, Cultural and Tourist Centre in Uzbekistan. This key cooperative endeavor between Uzbekistan and China, completed in 2022, has even hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. This is but one instance of the fund’s strategic investments, which span a broad geographic area, including South Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, North Africa, and Europe.
Silk Road Fund Boosts Central Asia’s Economic Development with Various Investments: Report
Another key initiative by the Silk Road Fund is a market-oriented private equity project in Kyrgyzstan, which offers support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) via various financial instruments. This project not only boosts the local economy by backing SMEs but also embodies the SRF’s resolve to forging sustainable economic partnerships.
Illustrating the significance of Central Asia in the context of the historical Silk Road, the SRF promised ten billion renminbi during the first China-Central Asia Summit in May 2023. This pledge was to set up a China-Central Asia investment and financing platform, furthering the SRF’s mission of promoting economic development and fostering regional collaboration and cooperation.
