“We understand why opening correspondent accounts with banks in Europe and the USA is a challenging task for Central Asian countries. The main question is how well our compliance aligns with international standards and how risk management is organized,” she noted.
The head of the bank also added that she cannot assess the situation in the markets of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, as her experience with these countries dates back to an earlier time. At the same time, she pointed out that significant progress has been made in Tajikistan in this area over the past few years.
“I am confident that substantial work has also been done in neighboring countries,” Atobek added.
Furthermore, she indicated that the level of business activity and the volume of financial transactions also influence foreign banks' interest in the regions.
“More business and turnover mean we become more attractive to foreign banks. They openly state this,” the bank chairwoman emphasized.
Atobek shared that financial institutions in the region have begun to establish direct connections with foreign partners and are gradually building trust-based relationships.
“We are actively engaging in dialogue to demonstrate our readiness to operate in accordance with international standards. As a region, we can develop common approaches and share best practices,” she concluded.
