Three supranational and one national development banks will take part at the 3rd AmChams Regional Economic Summit (ARES), June 25, 2026, in Sofia, Bulgaria, discussing their strategic focus and interest, as well as the key areas that require public and private financial efforts. Those institutions include the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Bank Group (WBG), and the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB).
On June 25, Sofia will welcome over 300 business leaders from the ARES Super-Region, spanning 15 countries across Southeast Europe, Central Asia, and Caucus. Building on the momentum of the previous editions in Istanbul (2024) and Athens (2025), the summit aims to deepen regional cooperation and strengthen cross-border economic ties across industries and markets.
“The cross-border projects and the regional development that goes beyond any border requires stable and comprehensive financial partners. We are delighted to have BSTDB, EBRD and the World Bank’s leading professionals to speak and share their views on how our ARES Super Region could and should develop. In our view, the formula should include public private partnerships, and these projects should benefit all stakeholders.” said Ivan Mihaylov, CEO of AmCham Bulgaria.
Financial Institutions at ARES 2026
The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank
At ARES 2026, the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank will be presented by Ms. Vessela Margaritova Senior Banker, General Industries, Transport and Tourism.
The BSTDB is a regional development bank whose mission is promoting the economic development and regional cooperation among the member starts of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) region. The Bank finances investment projects and trade-related activities in its eleven member countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.
Established BSEC member states, has an authorized share capital of EUR 3.45 billion and is rated by Moody’s Baa2/P-3/Stable and BBB/Stable/A-2 by Standard and Poor’s. The headquarters of the Bank are in Thessaloniki, Greece.
BSTDB engages in a wide range of project finance activities, from greenfield investments to post-privatization investments, modernization and expansion projects. In addition to direct lending, the Bank offers wide range of financial instruments like equity and quasi-equity investments and guarantee programs. The Bank offers also corporate loans for various needs including working capital financing to well-established companies.
The Bank provides financing across a broad spectrum of sectors including, manufacturing, agribusiness, energy, transportation, telecommunications, and financial services. BSTDB supports projects with strong developmental impact, promoting sustainable economic growth, private sector development, trade, infrastructure, energy transition and regional cooperation across the Black Sea region.
For guidance on submitting business proposals and information required by BSTDB, please visit:: https://www.bstdb.org/work-with-us#apply-for-financing-form
A detailed presentation brochure, Doing Business with BSTDB, is available at:: https://www.bstdb.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/doing_business_with_bstdb.pdf
For more information on the Bank and its financing products, please visit: https://www.bstdb.org/
EBRD Strategy in Bulgaria
EBRD will be presented by Manuela Naessl, Country Director, Bulgaria, EBRD.
EBRD’s strategy in Bulgaria and the wider SEE region is focused on energy security and decarbonization, supporting the region’s competitiveness through investments in value chains and economic governance improvements; and strengthening economic resilience – by financing connectivity projects and advising governments on large infrastructure investments.
In the past two years, EBRD supported major renewable energy and battery storage projects in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and North Macedonia, putting particularly Bulgaria at the forefront as a battery storage provider for the whole region. We have contributed to regional equity funds that in return attract further private capital – to invest in the innovation ecosystem and growth companies in SEE. EBRD also has a very successful PPP advisory business, advising not only Bulgaria, but also Greece and Romania on selected projects, which will help the government develop infrastructure and crowd in the private sector to finance these investments.
In Bulgaria, there are significant projects planned in the agrifood, mining and renewables sectors, on top of the commitments we already made this year for the refinancing of Sofia airport, and industrial decarbonization, for example. Looking ahead, EBRD will invest more in energy, infrastructure and attracting FDI investment into the region – further integrating SEE economies within and with important markets further afield.
The World Bank Group Bulgaria Country Office
Abebe Adugna, Regional Practice Director, World Bank Group, Antonio Nunez, Lead Transport Specialist, World Bank and Nicola Saporiti, Senior Investment Officer, International Finance Corporation (IFC).
The World Bank Group has been a development partner to Bulgaria since 1990, supporting the country on its notable transformation over the past three and a half decades. Despite this progress, structural challenges continue to hamper future productivity and private sector growth. With ambitious structural reforms, focused on stronger productivity growth and firms moving up the value chain, the country can converge to average real income in the EU within the next 15 years, ensuring more and better jobs and an improved standard of living for its population. The World Bank Group is working closely with the government and the private sectors to address these challenges.
The World Bank, over the last three decades, has provided Bulgaria with USD 3.3 billion in financing spread across 45 operations. The support was focused on increasing competitiveness and digital inclusion, supporting more resilient and inclusive service delivery, enhancing renewable energy generation and energy efficiency and addressing bottlenecks to private sector growth and productivity with an increased emphasis on private sector mobilization. The World Bank’s current portfolio consists of knowledge products, dominated by advisory services offering technical support to the authorities in diverse sectors, including, air quality improvement, energy, governance, forestry, education and skills, transport, and territorial development.
The International Finance Corporate (IFC) has committed USD 3.4 billion (including USD 1.8 billion core mobilization) since FY1999 in Bulgaria. Currently, IFC is focused on promoting PPPs (Public Private Partnerships) and modern and upgraded critical infrastructure; accelerating the adoption of cleaner energy sources; strengthening the capital and liquidity of local banks focused on small- and medium sized enterprise growth; increasing the capacity of the Bulgarian venture capital and private equity ecosystem; and mobilizing greater amounts of private sector capital. IFC has recently successfully closed several complex transactions focused on developing Bulgaria’s sustainable energy sector, enhancing energy security, boosting access to finance for women-led micro-, small-, and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), decarbonizing the hard-to-abate cement sector and upgrading advanced manufacturing capacity and boosting R&D for next-generation automotive technologies.
EBRD can provide companies with debt, equity and tailor-made bond or mezzanine structure for financing their growth ambitions. We are a long-term partner for companies that want to invest in the region and need a trusted partner with boots on the ground.
About Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB)
Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) is a lending institution 100% owned by the Bulgarian state and serves as the country’s national development bank.
The Bank plays a pivotal role in mobilizing public and private capital towards priority sectors, enhancing the competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy, supporting innovation and industrial development, accelerating the green and digital transitions, and facilitating access to finance where market gaps exist.
BDB is the first and only financial institution in Bulgaria accredited by the European Commission to manage budgetary resources under the InvestEU program. This unique partnership with the European Commission enables the Bank to channel EU-backed financing to Bulgarian businesses under preferential conditions, expanding access to capital for growth, innovation, digitalization and sustainable investment.
Objectives
ARES 2026 aims to:
- Foster regional trade and investment by connecting businesses with concrete opportunities
- Facilitate dialogue between policymakers and the private sector
- Generate high-value B2B interactions to support cross-border growth
The event will also provide a strategic forum for government representatives, business leaders, diplomats, and international organizations to exchange ideas and shape the region’s future economic agenda.