Assistance to the Government of Republic of Belarus on Improving Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises

Overview
Project Summary Document

TCRS 9201

Status Approved

Location

Belarus

Business Sector

Corporate news

Notice Type

Public

PSD Disclosed

22 Mar 2018

Project Description

In many countries, state-owned enterprises represent a substantial part of the economy and are very significant in terms of employment and market capitalisation. The importance of state-owned enterprises is emphasised by the fact that they usually provide indispensable services to both the population and businesses. Consequently, good corporate governance of state-owned enterprises is critical to ensure their positive contribution to the economy, minimize fiscal risks and to improve their competitiveness, as well as to make them more resilient and attractive to clients. This is particular crucial for Belarus, where state-owned enterprises form a substantial part of the economy. Promotion of good corporate governance practices is part of the EBRD mandate. In its Country Strategy for Belarus, the Bank has committed to improve state-owned enterprises competitiveness and productivity. In September 2017, the EBRD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of the Republic of Belarus - represented by the State Committee on Property of the Republic of Belarus - and aimed at strengthening corporate governance of state-owned enterprises in Belarus. The EBRD efforts are also backed by the international community. A recent International Monetary Fund’s (“IMF”) Country Report for Belarus, the IMF mission “encouraged the Belarussian Government to accelerate and deepen structural reforms” and “urged implementation of a comprehensive reform strategy for state-owned enterprises to improve productivity and efficiency (…) including by implementing the policy to separate ownership and regulatory functions and strengthening the independence and capacities of state-owned enterprises’ boards”. On 9 November 2017, in its Concluding Statement the IMF mission noted that “Some important changes have already been made, but progress in many areas is slow and implementation has lagged, with a preference for pilot projects in the state-owned enterprises sector, rather than a more comprehensive approach”. On 7 December 2017, in a joint meeting with the State Property Committee, the EBRD, the IMF and the World Bank agreed that the EBRD will take the lead in this pilot project aimed at developing capacity to exercise ownership function at the level of a state-designated project company and enhancing corporate governance of a select state-owned enterprise to be transferred under its governance.

EBRD will take the lead in undertaking a legal and corporate governance review of Belavtodor group of companies and will simultaneously focus on organizing corporate governance structure of, and developing capacity to exercise ownership function by, a centralized ownership unit to be designated by the State Property Committee of the Republic of Belarus. An existing legal entity designated by the Government of Belarus - Republican Unitary Enterprise “Institute of Real Estate and Valuation” (the “State-owned Project Сompany”) is going to be corporatized into a joint-stock company and will serve as a pilot for the exercise of the State ownership function with respect to selected state-owned enterprises. After the foregoing transformation, this State-owned Project Сompany will test the centralized model for governance of state-owned enterprises for a larger-scale implementation. If the pilot project is successful, it might be replicated with other state-owned enterprises, including those to be managed by a centralized unit for governance of state-owned enterprises e.g., the State-owned Project Company and/or later on by an Asset Management Fund, which may be established, but not under this Project.

Enquiries

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

General enquiries

Specific enquiries can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.

TCRS 9201

Status Approved

Location

Belarus

Business Sector

Corporate news

Notice Type

Public

PSD Disclosed

22 Mar 2018

Project Description

Any competitive selections for business opportunities relating to this project will be published on the EBRD's website: Consultancy Procurement Opportunities.

General enquiries

EBRD project enquiries not related to procurement:
Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

The AIP sets out how the EBRD discloses information and consults with its stakeholders so as to promote better awareness and understanding of its strategies, policies and operations following its entry into force on 1 January 2020. Please visit the Access to Information Policy page to find out what information is available from the EBRD website.

Specific requests for information can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)

If efforts to address environmental, social or public disclosure concerns with the Client or the Bank are unsuccessful (e.g. through the Client’s Project-level grievance mechanism or through direct engagement with Bank management), individuals and organisations may seek to address their concerns through the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM).

IPAM independently reviews Project issues that are believed to have caused (or to be likely to cause) harm. The purpose of the Mechanism is: to support dialogue between Project stakeholders to resolve environmental, social and public disclosure issues; to determine whether the Bank has complied with its Environmental and Social Policy or Project-specific provisions of its Access to Information Policy; and where applicable, to address any existing non-compliance with these policies, while preventing future non-compliance by the Bank.

Please visit the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism webpage to find out more about IPAM and its mandate; how to submit a Request for review; or contact IPAM via email ipam@ebrd.com to get guidance and more information on IPAM and how to submit a request.

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Assistance to the Government of Republic of Belarus on Improving Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises

Project Description

Enquiries

Business opportunities

General enquiries

Project Description

General enquiries

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)