Black Sea Trade and Development Bank Welcomes Black Sea Economic Cooperation Secretary General
Event | 24-Feb-2026
Driving Regional Impact Through Strategic Alignment
The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) today welcomed a high-level delegation from the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), led by Ambassador Lazar Comanescu, Secretary General of BSEC PERMIS. The delegation also included Ambassador Dimitrios Rallis, Deputy Secretary General and Mr. Kenan Murtuzov, Executive Manager.
The delegation met with BSTDB President Dr. Serhat Köksal and senior BSTDB executives, including Messrs. Ziya Aliyev, Vice President Banking and Asterios Tsoukalas, Secretary General, to explore ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two institutions and advance sustainable economic development across the Black Sea region.
Discussions focused on enhancing coordination between BSEC’s Economic Agenda and BSTDB’s development policy. The two sides explored practical ways to translate policy objectives into concrete projects delivering measurable impact across the region. The meeting also addressed opportunities for joint initiatives and coordinated action in international fora, with the aim of increasing visibility and promoting the investment potential of the Black Sea region.
Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Köksal expressed appreciation for the continued commitment of BSEC and its member states to regional cooperation. He stated: “We are greatly honoured by your visit today. In a rapidly evolving global environment, regional institutions must act with clarity, coordination, and purpose. Strengthening the synergy between BSEC and BSTDB enables us to respond more effectively to our member countries’ development needs and to reinforce the Black Sea region’s economic resilience. Through closer alignment between BSEC’s Economic Agenda and BSTDB’s financing instruments, we can move decisively from dialogue to implementation and from ambition to concrete results.”
The visit reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between BSTDB and BSEC and underscored their shared commitment to fostering stability, resilience, and inclusive growth in the Black Sea region.
The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) is an international financial institution established by Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. The BSTDB headquarters are in Thessaloniki, Greece. BSTDB supports economic development and regional cooperation by providing loans, credit lines, equity and guarantees for projects and trade financing in the public and private sectors in its member countries. The authorized capital of the Bank is EUR 3.45 billion. For information on BSTDB, visit www.bstdb.org.
Contact: Haroula Christodoulou
Find us at: LinkedIn / Facebook / Instagram / X
