Partnerships are at the heart of how the EBRD works. The Agreement Establishing the EBRD obliges it to cooperate with other economic development actors, and the range and quality of the EBRD’s partnerships are a key determinant of its ability to deliver transition impact.
Cooperation with others allows the EBRD to draw on the complementary skills and expertise of other international financial institutions (IFIs) and to mobilise financing, especially when commercial co-financing is unavailable.
Effective coordination across all actors in the development finance system is today more required than ever. In the face of the multi crisis the world is facing, all actors need to innovate to share and leverage skills, balance sheets, risk and networks across systems.
The EBRD’s partnerships are extensive with MDBs, DFIs, the European Union, bilateral and multilateral donors and the UN system, individually and through associations like EDFI and the Heads of MDB Groups.
Partnerships with Multilateral Organisations
In addition to extensive regular operational and policy collaboration across the IFI system, the EBRD has formalised strategic partnerships with a number of multilateral organisations, highlighted below.
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Partner |
Description |
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Our MoU (2011) agrees to strengthen and deepen work together on a range of projects to build capacity and promote private sector development in Caucasus and Central Asia. |
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Our MoU (2021) agrees to intensify cooperation and strengthen partnership in strategic areas. |
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Our MoU (2021) sets out a framework for stronger and deeper cooperation to promote sustainable private-sector development in countries of Northern Africa. |
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Our MoU (2016) sets out a framework for cooperation on promoting economic development and investment across common countries. |
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| CDP |
Our MoU (2022) aims to promote continued collaboration and partnership in key priority areas between our institutions. |
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Our MoU (2014) focusses on developing joint collaboration to support SMEs in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. |
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Our MoU (2015) agrees to expanding cooperation between the two institutions in project activities, and the exchange of experience and expertise. |
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Our MoU (2021) aims to enhance cooperation by leveraging each-other’s strengths in a complementary manner and creates efficiencies and strengthens impact. |
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Our MoU (2011) sets out a new framework for cooperation between the EBRD and EIB for their activities outside of the EU region. |
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Our MoU (2011) with the IsDBG agrees a framework for exploring further cooperation and opportunities for co-financing. Our MoU (2014) with ICD focuses on developing joint collaboration to support SMEs in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. |
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Our MoU (2019) agrees to closer cooperation and seeking to enhance the use of each other’s respective products to increase the flow of private sector investment into emerging economies. |
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| NDB | Our MoU (2017) agrees to collaborate and exchange information to foster sustainable development and infrastructure in the emerging markets of their respective regions of operations. |
| OECD | Our MoU (2020) strengthens cooperation in strategic priority areas such as private-sector development, the green economy and sustainable and inclusive development, and public and corporate governance. |
Partnerships with the United Nations (UN)
The EBRD has agreed strategic partnerships with a number of UN agencies to leverage the UN’s global convening power, expertise, and strengthen partnerships in the EBRD’s regions. The EBRD has formalised partnerships with the follow UN entities:
| Partner | Description |
| FAO |
Our MoU (2017) builds on 20 years of effective collaboration, first established in 1994, to further support joint efforts to make agricultural food systems stronger, greener and more inclusive. |
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Our MoU (2017) agrees to strengthen cooperation in judicial capacity building with the aim of boosting the investment climate in the economies in which the EBRD invests. |
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Our MoU (2014) strengthens cooperation to develop value chains and food security in the agribusiness sector and to promote climate-resilient agriculture. |
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Our MoU (1992) promotes early collaboration between the two organisations on issues of mutual interest such as labour conventions around child labour, forced labour, and discrimination. Another MoU was signed in 2006 to reflect the increased level of cooperation. |
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Our MoU (2018) focusses on know-how and experience exchange, as well as joint work to support the implementation of frameworks for a fair, effective and sustainable maritime industry. |
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Our Declaration of Intent (2022) agrees to strengthen the strategic partnership between our two organisations and focusses on know-how and experience exchange, as well as joint work to support safe, orderly and regular migration. |
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Our MoU (2021) boosts efforts in making gender equality and women’s empowerment a priority in the Covid-19 response and recovery efforts, expecting to benefit millions of women who have been deeply hurt by the pandemic, especially those in insecure employment. |
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Our MoU (2021) builds on the good collaboration established in 2014 and renews our joint comment to support environmentally sustainable recovery and development in the economies of central and eastern Europe, Central Asia, Mongolia and the southern and eastern Mediterranean. |
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Our MoU (2019) pledges both institutions to bring together public and private stakeholders to enhance vocational education, skills and training for women and young people and increase their access to employment. |
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Our MoU (2020) strengthens cooperation and dialogue in the field of good governance, building the capacity of civil society organisations to provide oversight and work collaborating with the private sector on anti-corruption and governance issues. |
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Our MoU (2019) agrees to deepen cooperation for the promotion of sustainable tourism development as a driver for social, economic and environmental development. |
IIn addition, the EBRD is a member of and signatory to several UN initiatives, such as the Better than Cash Alliance, the UNEP Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles and the UN Principles for Responsible Investment.
MDB Working Groups
The EBRD is an active member or leader of many MDB working groups. MDB working groups address a variety of development priorities to facilitate a system-wide response on key issues such as infrastructure, leveraging private finance, value for money, additionality, climate financing, migration and forced displacement, and the development and application of standards, for example in the use of blended finance.
MDB working group publications
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Since 2016, MDBs have published an annual report measuring the mobilisation of private investment in development projects structured and supported by MDBs and DFIs.
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MDBs report yearly on climate finance commitments made in countries in which they operate.
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The DFI Working Group on Blended Concessional Finance reports yearly on trends in the use of blended concessional finance in DFI operations.
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In 2020, MDBs considered their role in financing the Sustainable Development Goals with a “Decade of Action” to 2030.
- In 2018, MDBs developed a Harmonised Framework for Additionality: this joint MDB work was endorsed by the G20 and G7.
RDB Collaboration Initiative
The four regional development banks (RDBs) – African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, EBRD, and Inter-American Development Bank – play a unique role in the development landscape, and collaborate closely through regular meetings amongst Heads.
In 2023, the EBRD is the chair of the Heads of RDB meetings.
