ASTANA – Kazakhstan has pledged $25 million to extend its partnership with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) through the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia Regional Capacity Development Center, based in Almaty, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva announced on LinkedIn.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and Timur Suleimenov sign an agreement for the extended partnership. Photo credit: Georgieva’s LinkedIn page. “With the new pledge of $25 million, Kazakhstan shows its leadership and commitment to supporting stronger institutions and more resilient economies across the region.
We are grateful for this partnership and excited for what we can achieve together,” she wrote. The center provides support to nine countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It is part of the IMF’s global network and serves a region with a combined population of nearly 100 million people.
The center was officially opened in Almaty in June 2023 with Georgieva’s participation. Its work focuses on strengthening regional expertise and institutional capacity, including improving professional qualifications, budget planning, statistical systems and economic forecasting, as well as supporting financial stability.
Since beginning operations, the center has hosted more than 615 events and provided training to over 4,670 participants from across the region, including 1,370 from Kazakhstan. The initiative is also expected to support Almaty’s business and educational tourism sectors and create opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.