BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The Silk Road Fund (SRF) maintains its dedication to investing in diverse sectors, fostering sustainable social and economic development in Central Asia, a source at the SRF told Trend.
According to the SRF, these sectors encompass infrastructure, energy and resources, industrial cooperation, financial cooperation, as well as Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. The source mentioned, that the SRF’s investments in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and other Central Asian countries span various sectors.
"In particular, SRF invested in the Samarkand International Convention, Exhibition, Cultural and Tourist Centre in Uzbekistan, which is a landmark project for the cooperation between China and Uzbekistan. Completed in 2022, the Centre successfully served as the venue of Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, and has strongly supported the development of local tourism and people-to-people exchanges along the Silk Road," the source at the fund said.
It was also mentioned that SRF is presently involved in a market-oriented private equity project in Kyrgyzstan. This project includes investments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through a diverse range of instruments such as common shares, preferred shares, and mezzanine debt.
Highlighting Central Asia's historical significance as a pivot of the Silk Road and its key role in cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the source mentioned that during the first China-Central Asia Summit in May 2023, SRF committed 10 billion renminbi ($1.4 billion) to establish a China-Central Asia investment and financing platform.
The Silk Road Fund, a medium- and long-term equity investment fund established by China, aims to enhance high-quality collaborations within the Belt and Road initiative.
The fund directs its investments towards diverse projects across key Belt and Road countries and regions spanning Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa, and Europe. SRF focuses on sectors such as infrastructure, energy, resources, industrial cooperation, financial collaboration, and sustainable investments.