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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
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Feature Story September 30, 2020
Women Empowerment in Agribusiness

In Azerbaijan, these women have joined forces to save collectively and use their savings as seed capital to invest in their small agribusinesses. They are just one of 38 groups with a total of 468 members managing 110 businesses across the country.

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News July 24, 2020
Turkmenistan granted observer status in the World Trade Organization

Turkmenistan is moving forward in strengthening its multilateral trade cooperation by becoming an observer country in the World Trade Organization (WTO). On July 22, 2020, the member-states of WTO General Council unanimously adopted the resolution on granting Turkmenistan the status of an observer in WTO.

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Meet the Executive Director
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Werner Gruber
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ALTERNATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Katarzyna Monika Zajdel-Kurowska
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OFFICE WEBSITES
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History of the Membership of the Constituency of EDS24
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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
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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

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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
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Werner Gruber
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ALTERNATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Katarzyna Monika Zajdel-Kurowska
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EXPLORE OUR CONSTITUENCY

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

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    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
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    Laurent Widmer

    Senior 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
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    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
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    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
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    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.
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    Barbara Clarke-Bader

    Senior Executive Assistant
    Email: bclarkebader@worldbank.org
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    Caroline A. Hazard

    Program Assistant
    Email: chazard@worldbank.org
Meet the Executive Director
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Werner Gruber
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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
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Werner Gruber
Read More
ALTERNATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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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
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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

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    First Caspian Economic Forums unites the heads of the Governments of the countries of the region

    Executive Director Werner Gruber attends the Forum in Turkmenistan
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    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.
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    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.
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

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    One of the Largest Landfills Gets a Makeover in Serbia

    In an innovative new public private partnership project, IFC and MIGA are providing €260 million in financing and guarantees to close the existing landfill and build and manage the new landfill, waste facilities and waste to energy facilities.
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    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.
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    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.
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    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.
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    Kazakhstan: Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2020-2025

    The Board of Directors approved the new Country Partnership Framework for Kazakhstan on December 12, 2019. The CPF is a strategic document that will guide the World Bank Group's support to Kazakhstan during the period 2020-2025.
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