Nhar il-Ħamis 14 ta’ Mejju, il-Ministru tal-Finanzi Edward Scicluna saħaq fuq l-importanza li l-Bank Ewropew għar-Rikostruzzjoni u l-Iżvilupp (il-BERŻ) ikun f’kuntatt mas-settur privat fil-Libja, minkejja l-qagħda diffiċli li l-pajjiż jinsab fiha bħalissa. Huwa kien qed jindirizza l-24 laqgħa annwali tal-Bord tal-Gvernaturi tal-BERŻ fil-kapitali tal-Ġeorġja, Tbilisi.
Huwa stqarr: “Irridu nżommu quddiem għajnejna li minkejja dak li naraw jew nisimgħu fuq il-midja, u hi kemm hi ħażina s-sitwazzjoni politika fil-Libja, hemm diversi ċittadini li jobdu l-liġi u diversi negozji privati li qed jistennew li jkollhom mill-ġdid id-demokrazija u l-istabbiltà ekonomika. Minħabba li l-Libja hija wieħed mill-pajjiżi li fihom jopera l-BERŻ, il-Bank m’għandux jiddeludi lill-poplu u entitajiet Libjani. Huwa importanti li jkun hemm kuntatt magħhom u li nuruhom li s-sitwazzjoni tagħhom qed tiġi mmoniterjata mill-qrib b’xi forma ta’ preżenza, anki jekk ibbażata tenmporanjament fi stat ġar. Ċertament, għandhom bżonn il-konsolazzjoni u l-appoġġ tagħna.”
Uffiċjali governattivi għoljin minn aktar minn 60 pajjiż, kapijiet ta’ istituzzjonijiet internazzjonali, nies li jieħdu d-deċiżjonijiet fil-livell globali, diriġenti ta’ kumpaniji u staff tal-BERŻ qed jieħdu sehem fil-laqgħa mifruxa fuq jumejn sabiex jikkunsidraw strateġija għas-snin li ġejjin għar-reġjuni li fihom jaħdem il-Bank.
Il-BERŻ huwa instituzzjoni finanzjarja internazzjonali li toffri appoġġ għal proġetti f’aktar minn 30 pajjiż, mil-Lvant tal-Ewropa għall-Asja ċentrali, u n-Nofsinhar u l-Lvant tal-Mediterran. Il-Bank, li jinvesti primarjament fi klijenti mis-settur privat li l-ħtiġijiet tagħhom ma jistgħux jiġu ssodisfati għall-kollox mis-suq, jippromwovi l-intraprenditorija u jinkoraġġixxi tranżizzjoni lejn ekonomji tas-swieq miftuħin u demokratiċi.
Malta ilha azzjonista tal-BERŻ minn mindu ġie stabbilit fl-1991 biex joffri sostenn lit-tranżizzjoni lejn l-ekonomija tas-suq u d-demokrazija wara l-kollass tas-sistema komunista fl-Ewropa tal-Lvant.
Il-Ministru Scicluna għada l-Ġimgħa se jkollu taħditiet bilaterali mal-President tal-BERŻ, Suma Chakrabarti.
Finance Minister Highlights Importance of Engagement with Libya’s Private Sector
On Thursday 14th May, Minister for Finance Edward Scicluna stressed the importance for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to engage with the private sector in Libya, in spite of the current challenging situation there. He was addressing the EBRD’s Board of Governors’ 24th annual meeting in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.
He stated: “We must keep in mind that notwithstanding what we see or hear on the media, and no matter how bad the political situation on the ground in Libya, there are several law abiding citizens, several private businesses waiting for democracy and economic stability to return. Since Libya is one of the EBRD’s countries of operations it should not let the Libyan people and entities down. It is important to engage with them and show them that their situation is being monitored closely by some form of presence even if temporarily housed in a neighbouring state. They certainly need our comfort and support.’’
Top governmental officials from more than 60 countries, heads of international institutions, global decision-makers, corporate executives and staff from the EBRD are taking part in the two-day event to consider a strategy for the EBRD regions for the coming years.
The EBRD is an international financial institution that supports projects in over 30 countries, from Eastern Europe to central Asia and the southern and eastern Mediterranean. Investing primarily in private sector clients whose needs cannot be fully met by the market, the Bank promotes entrepreneurship and fosters transition towards open and democratic market economies.
Malta has been a shareholder of the EBRD since it was founded in 1991 to support the transition to market economies and democracies after the collapse of communist rule in Eastern Europe.
Minister Scicluna will have bilateral talks with EBRD President, Suma Chakrabarti, tomorrow, Friday.
Thursday 14th May 2015
