Chui Water Resource Efficiency

signed

A sovereign loan of up to €15.23 million for the benefit of Water Resources Services (WRS), a government agency under the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic. The loan is expected to be co-financed by a capital grant from the European Union (EU)'s Asia Pacific Investment Facility (APIF) in the amount of up to €3.6 million and from the EBRD Shareholder Special Fund (SSF) in the amount of up to €5.0 million. The proposed project (the "Project") is a sub-operation under the Integrated Water Resources Management Framework. The proceeds of the Bank's investment will be used for rehabilitating main irrigation canals and introducing automated control system in the northern part of Kyrgyzstan. The Project complies with the Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure Sector Strategy (BDS19-069(F)), which articulates the importance of efficient use of finite water resources, and the Strategy for the Kyrgyz Republic (BDS/KY/24-01F), which aims to support improved water security and sustainability of water supply through improvements in water sector management and irrigation. It is fully in line with the Bank's GET approach 2021-2025 (BDS20-082(F)) and the Bank's Strategy for the Promotion of Gender Equality 2021-2023 (BDS21-133(F))) and SDG 5 on Gender Equality. The Project supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 by reducing freshwater withdrawal from natural resources in response to climate change impacts. It also contributes to SDG 5 by addressing barriers that limit women's access to economic opportunities from new irrigation infrastructure, and SDG 2 by enhancing food security and promoting sustainable agriculture.