The President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Sir Suma Chakrabarti will visit three Caspian Sea states next week, read a message from the EBRD May 20.

Chakrabarti will visit Turkmenistan on May 23-24, Azerbaijan on May 24-25 and Kazakhstan on May 26-27.

In all three countries, he will visit presidents and top government officials to discuss the growing importance of Central Asia and the Caucasus for the EBRD. He will discuss innovative investment approaches in all three countries and sign several agreements.

Chakrabarti will also meet representatives from the business and diplomatic communities. In Kazakhstan, he will speak at the Astana Economic Forum and co-chair the Foreign Investors Council with the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"I believe, as do EBRD shareholder countries and institutions, that the Bank has a large role to play in the region. Regional economic connectivity and integration is one of our key priorities as a bank," he said on the eve of the visit.

"Promoting private sector investment and market transition is what the EBRD was created for 25 years ago, and we want to do more of that in the Caspian region and in Central Asia. My first trip to Turkmenistan will give me an opportunity to discuss that with the authorities," Chakrabarti added.