Ashgabat, 5 November 2011 – Today, Mr. Joseph Mik, Investment Officer working at the International Finance Corporation’s Regional Office for Central Asia and Azerbaijan delivered a lecture on the World Bank Group at the Turkmen Institute for Foreign Relations. Future leaders and representatives of the Turkmen government have learned about the World Bank Group and its activities across the world.

The presentation was divided into two parts. The first, talked about the World Bank Group, its history, structure, the agencies of the World Bank Group, and its activities. The second part, focused on IFC’s activities. Mr. Mik spoke about IFC’s important role in development of emerging economies and developing countries through support to the private sector.

The presentation offered detailed information about the global institution and presented interesting statistics in various sectors. The presentation also talked about various sectors of the Turkmen economy where IFC could use its experience, financial and human resources to support achievement of its development objectives, including increasing of the share of private sector in GDP.

This presentation is part of the exercise of the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s office in Turkmenistan on delivering a series of lectures by UN agencies present in the country, as an outreach event on the occasion of the UN Day to familiarize the future leaders of the country with the United Nations System and its specialized agencies.

Turkmenistan signed the Articles of Agreement of the World Bank Group on September 22, 1992. In 1996, the Bank established a Liaison Office in Ashgabat to enhance communications with the government and to provide operational support. Currently, the World Bank Group continues to conduct a dialogue with the Turkmen Government by providing assistance in a number of areas of mutual interest.

• World Bank presentation from the lecture (PDF format)