EDS24 Home

The Office of the Executive Director (EDS24) represents 9 European and Central Asia countries at the Board of the World Bank Group (WBG). These countries are: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Poland, Serbia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Constituency Map

The Executive Director contributes to the institution's governance, and represents his constituency’s member countries at the World Bank Group. With his peers, he particpates in the design of strategies, the endorsement of the annual budget as well as the approval of lending, grants, direct investments, guarantees and technical assistance. As part of his mission of promoting the interests of his constituency’s member countries, the Executive Director works closely with his colleagues to: (i) influence the WBG policies for recipient countries; (ii) assist his constituency’s member countries in identifying and seizing opportunities offered by the WBG; and (iii) advocate support for the implementation of initiatives, programs and projects supported by the WBG in member countries.

HIGHLIGHTS
Image
Private Sector June 20, 2019
Scaling Solar Expands to Central Asia with Uzbekistan Auctions

Uzbekistan has become the fifth country to join Scaling Solar, expanding the World Bank Group program beyond the African continent for the first time. Uzbekistan is looking to develop up to 1 gigawatt of solar power and has decided to use the Scaling Solar approach to tender an initial 100 megawatts.

Read More
Image
Report
Doing Business in Kazakhstan 2019

The second subnational Doing Business study for Kazakhstan has been released. The objective is to gain a broader understanding of the business regulatory environment across Kazakhstan—beyond the city of Almaty. The study expands the scope of the first study to overall 13 regions as well as the cities of Almaty, Nur-Sultan and Shymkent.

Read More
Meet the Executive Director
Image
Werner Gruber
Read More
ALTERNATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Image
Katarzyna Monika Zajdel-Kurowska
Read More
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OFFICE WEBSITES
By Country
By Executive Office Code
History of the Membership of the Constituency of EDS24
Api
Api
EDS24 IBRD Statement of Loans
EDS24 IDA Statement of Credits and Grants
Paid in Contributions to IBRD/IDA/IFC Trust Funds from EDS24
Doing Business
Resources
Jobs
Image
Use the search tool to find a job at the World Bank Group
Read More

Contact

The World Group
Office of he Executive Director - EDS24
1818 H Street, N.W. Mail Stop MC 13-1311
Washington, DC 20433 USA
Tel : +1 202-458-7050
Fax: +1 202-477-9110
eds24@worldbank.org
worldbank.org/eds24

More Contacts
In Depth

On November 2, 1992 seven countries joined Switzerland to form a new constituency: Azerbaijan, Kyrgyz Republic, Poland, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. With Kazakhstan joining on November 1, 2010, the size of the constituency increased to the current nine member-countries.

Our constituency is composed of a heterogeneous group of European and Central Asian medium and small economies at different stages of development. All share a strong interest in a rules-based multilateral system that balances the interests of all members of the international community.

The client countries of this constituency have successfully undertaken far-reaching economic reforms over the last 25 years with the support from the World Bank Group. The interaction and cooperation have intensified and evolved over this time, and the Bank has become a trusted partner accompanying them on their continuing economic reform path.

This constituency stands for an efficient, effective and agile Bank which focusses on assisting those most in need, including in those countries afflicted by fragility, conflict and violence, provides high quality support tailored to the needs of all its clients, and assumes a leadership role in crisis response and global issues such as climate change, in line with its mandate and comparative advantage. To succeed in ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity, the Bank needs to mobilize private sector financing, create markets and remain innovative harnessing the potential of the transformative technologies.

As a mixed constituency, EDS24 can benefit from the views and experiences of both non-client and client countries and is committed to find constructive solutions to the challenges of the World Bank Group.

Mr. Werner Gruber (Switzerland) assumed his official duties as Executive Director on November 1, 2016; Ms. Katarzyna Monika Zajdel-Kurowska (Poland) assumed her duties as Alternate Executive Director on June 1, 2018.

Last Updated: Apr 25, 2019

Meet the Executive Director
Image
Werner Gruber
Read More
ALTERNATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Image
Katarzyna Monika Zajdel-Kurowska
Read More
EXPLORE OUR CONSTITUENCY

Find out what the World Bank Group's branches are doing in Europe and Central Asia

  • Image

    Cyril Gabriel Teiva Prissette

    Senior Advisor to the Executive Director
    Nationality: Switzerland. Responsibilities: Institutio: IDA; Committees: Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE); Global Practice (GP): Agriculture; Social, Urban, Rural & Resilience, Cross-Cutting Solution Area: Fragility, Conflict & Violence Strategic Themes: Migration; Regions: West & Central Africa; Switzerland. Email: cprissette@worldbank.org
  • Image

    Anton Hilber

    Senior Advisor to the Executive Director
    Nationality: Switzerland. Responsibilities: Global Practice (GP): Environment and Natural Resources, Climate Change, Safeguards, Shareholding; Regions: Latin America and Caribbean, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Email: ahilber@worldbank.org
  • Image

    Ainur Yertlessova

    Advisor to the Executive Director
    Nationality: Kazakhstan. Responsibilities: Global Practice (GP): Education; Health, Nutrition and Population; Social Protection, Labor and Jobs; Gender; Strategic Priorities: Human Capital Project; Institutional Topic: Evaluation (IEG); Regions: Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Kazakhstan. Email: ayertlessova@worldbank.org
  • Image

    Nurgeldi Meredov

    Advisor to the Executive Director
    Nationality: Turkmenistan. Responsibilities: Institution: IBRD; Committee: WBG Audit Committee; Global Practice (GP): Energy and Extractives; Digital Development; Regions: Europe and Central Asia; Turkmenistan. Email: nmeredov@worldbank.org
  • Image

    Ilhomjon Rajabov

    Advisor to the Executive Director
    Nationality: Tajikistan. Responsibilities: Institution: IDA; Committees: HRC; Global Practice (GP): Water; Regions: South Asia and Tajikistan. Email: irajabov@worldbank.org.
  • Image

    Laurent Widmer

    Advisor to the Executive Director
    Nationality: Switzerland. Responsibilities: Institution: IFC; Global Practice (GP): Finance Competitiveness & Innovation; Strategic Priorities: Maximize Finance for Development; Institutional Topic: Trust Funds; Regions: East & Southern Africa; Kazakhstan, Switzerland and Uzbekistan. Email: lwidmer@worldbank.org
  • Image

    Kacper Jakub Kaminski

    Advisor to the Executive Director
    Nationality: Poland. Responsibilities: Committee: Budget (BC); Regions: Poland and Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Email: kkaminski@worldbank.org
  • Image

    Namig Naghdaliyev

    Advisor to the Executive Director
    Nationality: Azerbaijan. Responsibilities: Institution: MIGA; Global Practices (GP): Governance; Macroeconomic, Trade and Investment; Poverty & Equity; Regions: Azerbaijan and Central Europe. Email: nnaghdaliyev@worldbank.org
  • Image

    Jakhongir Normukhamedov

    Advisor to the Executive Director
    Nationality: Uzbekistan. Responsibilities: Global Practice (GP): Infrastructure, PPPs & Guarantees and Transport; Regions: South Eastern Europe and Uzbekistan. Email: jnormukhamedov@worldbank.org
  • Image

    Barbara Clarke-Bader

    Senior Executive Assistant
    Email: bclarkebader@worldbank.org
  • Image

    Maria Caroline A. Hazard

    Program Assistant
    Email: chazard@worldbank.org
Meet the Executive Director
Image
Werner Gruber
Read More
EXPLORE OUR CONSTITUENCY

Find out what the World Bank Group's branches are doing in Europe and Central Asia

EDS24_map Poland Serbia Switzerland Azerbaijan Kazakhstan Kyrgyz Republic Uzbekistan Turkmensitan Tajikistan
Constituency Highlights
Meet the Executive Director
Image
Werner Gruber
Read More
ALTERNATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Image
Katarzyna Monika Zajdel-Kurowska
Read More
EXPLORE OUR CONSTITUENCY

Find out what the World Bank Group's branches are doing in Europe and Central Asia

Allocation of Votes by Organization

Member countries are allocated votes at the time of membership and subsequently for additional subscriptions to capital.  Votes are allocated differently in each organization.

IBRD: Each member receives votes consisting of share votes (one vote for each share of the Bank's capital stock held by the member) plus basic votes (calculated so that the sum of all basic votes is equal to 5.55 percent of the sum of basic votes and share votes for all members).

IFC: Each member receives votes consisting of share votes (one vote for each share of IFC's capital stock held by the member) plus basic votes (calculated so that the sum of all basic votes is equal to 5.55 percent of the sum of basic votes and share votes for all members).

IDA: Each member receives the votes it is allocated under IDA replenishments according to the rules established in each IDA replenishment resolution. Votes consist of subscription votes and membership votes.

MIGA: Each member receives votes consisting of share votes (one vote for each share of MIGA's capital stock held by the member) plus parity votes, calculated so that the aggregate number of votes of category 1 and category 2 members is the same. Members choose which category they want to join at the time of membership. Category 1 members were originally defined as developed countries and category 2 members as developing countries.

Voting Status by Executive Director:

Meet the Executive Director
Image
Werner Gruber
Read More
ALTERNATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Image
Katarzyna Monika Zajdel-Kurowska
Read More
EXPLORE OUR CONSTITUENCY

Find out what the World Bank Group's branches are doing in Europe and Central Asia

  • Image

    Cyril Muller’s speech at Westminster International University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Sharing my optimism for Uzbekistan’s future

    SPEECHES & TRANSCRIPTS - FEBRUARY 27, 2019
    Uzbekistan is very dear to my heart – it was one of the first countries I worked on when I joined the World Bank. I am always delighted by the chance to travel to this wonderful and vibrant country, and I am privileged to have the opportunity to once again work on Uzbekistan during this historic time.
  • Image

    Turkmenistan is preparing to hold the First Caspian Economic Forum

    Article - February 06, 2019
    Turkmenistan has started the detailed preparation to the First Caspian Economic Forum to be held on the 12th of August 2019 in the National Tourist Zone “Avaza.” It is favorably symbolical that the date of this first in the history large Caspian forum coincides with the Day of the Caspian Sea. The implementation of measures on preparation and hosting the First Caspian Economic Forum unfolds in accordance with the Concept of holding the Forum affirmed by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
  • Image

    Project of construction of Trans Caspian gas pipeline is discussed in Brussels

    Investment Project - 10/23/18
    The EU expressed keen interest to the construction of Trans – Caspian gas pipeline and delivery of Turkmen gas to European market. Participants of the talks from European Union side expressed the willingness to support the attraction of investments to this important energy project, which, as President of Turkmenistan noted, meets not only national objectives but is also to improve energy security of the continent.
  • Image

    Visit of the Serbia's Prime Minister Ana Brnabić to the World Bank

    Event
    The Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, visited the World Bank in Washington. She met with President Jim Yong Kim, with whom she discussed the cooperation with the World Bank Group to support Serbia’s economic reforms, in particular, in the areas of public sector reforms, education and innovation, and the development of a future growth strategy in a digitalized world.
  • Image

    Transit and Transport: Aspects of implementation of the Lapis Lazuli Agreement are discussed in Turkmenistan

    On November 28, 2018, the International Conference of Ministers of Transport of the States Parties to the Agreement on Transit and Transport Cooperation (Lapis Lazuli) began its work in the Avaza National Tourist Zone in the city of Turkmenbashi. The Lapis Lazuli agreement was signed on November 15, 2017 at the ministerial session of VII the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA VII) in Ashgabat. Its adoption was an important input to the intensification of productive partnership for improvement of economic integration of the region and significant growth of trade volume. Greetings message of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the participants of International Ministerial Conference on Lapis Lazuli have been read before the start of the plenary session. It was followed by the speeches of the heads of the delegations Vice-premier of the Government of Turkmenistan Muhammethan Chakiyev, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Yagub Eiyubov, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Achilbay Ramatov, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Turkey Mehmet Cahit Turhan, Minister of Transport and of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Hamid Tahmasi and Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Akakiy Sagirashvili. Launch of test deliveries via Lazuli transport corridor, agreement on the tariffs for transit by this routes and other aspects of the project are among the main subjects of the forum. The Conference, held under five-side Agreement, is to become another step in implementation of the project of international Lazuli transport and transit corridor, which is aimed at the improvement of productive cooperation in geo-economic space including the regions of Central and South Asia, Caspian and Black Sea basins and Mediterranean.
  • Image

    World Bank Group Annual Meetings 2018

    Bali, Indonesia: October 12 - 14, 2018
    The 2018 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund will be held in Bali, Indonesia, from October 12 - 14, 2018.
  • Image

    World Economic Forum Annual Meeting

    Event on January 26, 2018
    President Ilham Aliyev from Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili from Georgia and Deputy Prime Minister Erbolat Dossaev from Kazakhstan speak at the WEF in Davos about the Strategic Outlook of Eurasia.
  • Image

    Swiss Minister meets Presidents of Development Banks

    Event on January 24, 2018
    Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann, also Swiss Governor of the WBG, met on January 24, 2018 the Presidents of the development banks and high-ranking representatives of the Swiss private sector at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The subject of the 13th edition of the traditional lunch meeting was “The Future of Jobs: Digitalization and Development”. The participants discussed how to realize the opportunities and confront the challenges of digitalization for the future of jobs in developing and emerging economies. Access to quality education, better vocational training and affordable infrastructure were identified as key enablers for a digital economy, which benefits everyone. The lunch-meeting also fostered a deeper cooperation between the Swiss private sector and the development banks. The WBG was represented by its President, Jim Yong Kim and by the COO of IFC, Stephanie von Friedeburg.
  • Image

    Switzerland is a leader in private investment solutions for sustainable development

    Swiss asset managers have a leading position in providing investment solutions that support the achievement of the sustainable development goals. This was demonstrated by an international conference held by Swiss Sustainable Finance in Zurich on 16 January. Some 240 participants from 12 countries seized the opportunity to inform themselves about innovative partnerships for development investments. Keynote speaker Karin Finkelston, Vice President Partnerships at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), presented concrete examples illustrating how private investment can improve livelihood while delivering attractive returns.
Meet the Executive Director
Image
Werner Gruber
Read More
ALTERNATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Image
Katarzyna Monika Zajdel-Kurowska
Read More
EXPLORE OUR CONSTITUENCY

Find out what the World Bank Group's branches are doing in Europe and Central Asia

  • Image

    Building Resilience into Development: Pioneering Earthquake Bonds Reinforce World Bank Leadership in Providing Financial Protection Against Natural Disasters

    The World Bank issued in Feb 7th, 2018 the biggest Catastrophe Bonds ever. $1.4bn for Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Chile. This is the biggest transfer of natural catastrophe risk from sovereigns to the financial markets. The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO has supported this operation which will help middle income countries building their resilience.
  • Image

    Doing Business 2019

    Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency
    For policy makers, knowing where their economy stands in the aggregate ranking on the ease of doing business is useful. Also useful is to know how it ranks compared with other economies in the region and compared with the regional average. Another perspective is provided by the regional average rankings on the topics included in the ease of doing business ranking and the ease of doing business score.
  • Image

    Turkmenistan is the heart of the Great Silk Road - New book of President of Turkmenistan

    Turkmenistan devotes high importance to transport and transit sectors. The country has been developing transit routes in view of its favorable geographical location. In October 2017, the new book of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov «Turkmenistan is the heart of the Great Silk Road» has been officially launched. According to the Press Center of the Turkmen State Publishing Service, the book has been published in Turkmen, English and Russian languages, and is intended for a wide range of readers.
Api
Related
Yearly Reports
  • Image

    World Development Report 2019

    The Changing Nature of Work
  • Image

    Doing Business 2019

    Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency
    Comparing Business Regulation for domestic firms in 189 Economies.
  • Image

    World Bank Annual Report 2018

    Ending Poverty. Investing in Opportunity
    It covers the period from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018, focuses on how the World Bank is partnering with countries to end extreme poverty by 2030, promote shared prosperity, and support the global sustainable development agenda.
  • Image

    Global Economic Prospects 2018

    Darkening Skies
    It shows how a more subtle view of human behavior provides new tools for interventions.