Fundamentals of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and its Role in Southern Mediterranean Arab Countries: introduction for civil society organizations

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was established in 1991, in response to the major changes in the political and economic context in Central and Eastern European countries.1 Today it has 65 shareholders, of which 63 are countries, and the other two are the European Union and the European Investment bank. The Bank provides project financing for banks, industries and businesses, both new ventures and investments in existing companies, mainly in private enterprises, as well as few publicly owned companies.