The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ( EBRD ) has approved loans for two infrastructure projects in Türkiye. 

The bank is providing a €110 million ( US$129.62 million ) loan extension to complete the Ümraniye-Ataşehir-Göztepe metro line in Istanbul. It has also signed a €42 million sovereign loan for a new wastewater treatment plant in Osmaniye, one of the provinces heavily impacted by the February 2023 earthquakes. 

The Ümraniye-Ataşehir-Göztepe metro line will connect major residential districts, business centres, a key healthcare institution, and the rapidly developing Istanbul Financial Centre, significantly improving mobility on Istanbul’s Asian side.  

By offering a fast, low-carbon alternative to private vehicles, the project will support economic productivity, ease congestion, and improve the quality of life for Istanbul’s residents. 

In addition to boosting connectivity, the project is aligned with the action plan that Istanbul has adopted under the EBRD’s Green Cities initiative and will make a strong contribution to the city’s climate objectives by reducing congestion, pollution and emissions.  

The city adopted its action plan in February 2025 following a development process supported by the EBRD, with donor funding from the Taiwan Business-EBRS Technical Cooperation Fund. 

Reconstruction efforts

In Osmaniye, one of the provinces heavily impacted by the February 2023 earthquakes, the bank is financing the construction of a modern wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 75,000 cubic metres per day, replacing an overloaded facility that is unable to meet growing demand. 

The EBRD noted that infrastructure needs remain significant in the region affected by the earthquakes. To date, the EBRD has invested over €1.6 billion in support of the country’s reconstruction efforts, including credit lines, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, private-sector partnerships, and assistance with key infrastructure projects. 

Osmaniye’s new wastewater plant will bring effluent quality into line with European Union standards, improve regional water quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by incorporating anaerobic digestion and biogas recovery.

At the same time, a dedicated capacity building programme will strengthen crisis response, asset management, and operational resilience within the city of Osmaniye under the EBRD’s Earthquake Response Framework. 

Iller Bankasi, the body responsible for disbursing all critical municipal infrastructure financing provided by international financial institutions in the earthquake-affected region, will act as the implementation agency for Osmaniye.