The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested a record €2.8bn across 65 projects in six economies in the southern and eastern Mediterranean region in 2025, with 70% going to the private sector, the bank announced on February 4.

The figure made SEMED the third-largest recipient of EBRD investment last year, after a total of €2.4bn was invested in those economies in 2024. The bank also mobilised a record €747mn of private investment in the region in 2025, up from €514mn in the previous year.

Egypt remained one of the bank's largest operating economies, with a record €1.3bn in investment across 26 projects. Seventy per cent of that investment went to the private sector, 60% took the form of green finance and almost half went to projects with a gender equality component.

The EBRD provided €200mn to the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, the first investment in Egypt's electricity grid under the country's NWFE initiative. The bank and Banque Misr extended a €68mn syndicated loan to Orange Egypt for its 5G licence.

In Jordan, the EBRD invested €201mn across 10 projects. Eighty-six per cent of that investment went to the private sector, over 44% constituted green finance and 80% supported women and young people's participation in the workforce. The bank mobilised a Basel III-compliant subordinated loan of up to $155mn for Capital Bank, with EBRD investment of $35mn (€29.8mn).

Following the EBRD's approval of Iraq's economy of operation status in 2025, the bank launched its first investment there, providing a $100mn (€85mn) trade finance facility to the National Bank of Iraq to help boost import and export activity.

In Lebanon, the EBRD continued to support imports of essential commodities with €22mn of trade finance. Under its Advice for Small Businesses programme, the bank delivered more than 132 new advisory projects in Lebanon, bringing the total to 554.

EBRD investment in Morocco reached an all-time high of €895mn in 2025, up from €530mn in 2024. Thirty-three per cent went to the private sector and over 80% was green finance. A €300mn loan to ONEE represents the region's first sustainability-linked loan in the energy sector.

The EBRD delivered €398mn across 12 projects in Tunisia, including a first €50mn tranche of a development-linked loan of up to €190mn to Tunisie Telecom to help upgrade its mobile network from 4G to 5G.

The bank also provided €28mn through six transactions in 2025 to support the Palestinian economy, bringing total cumulative financing since 2017 to €185.5mn, it added in its press release.