A good project proposal does not automatically mean the project will be implemented. What matters is whether, even during the planning stage, consideration is given to how it will be funded, who will carry it out, and what conditions it must meet to be viable for the funding institutions.
Representatives from UNDP Country Offices in several countries, Slovak partners, and Eximbanka officials addressed this very topic during the Slovak Partnership Days 2026 event. The discussion focused on how to better integrate technical assistance, project preparation, and available financial instruments so that future plans do not remain merely at the stage of studies and analyses.
Eximbanka was represented at the event by Matúš Šársky, Director of the International Relations Department, who spoke during the panel discussion titled “Making Projects Bankable.” He focused primarily on how the UNDP’s project preparation can be linked to realistic financing and export support opportunities, while also creating opportunities for the involvement of Slovak suppliers.
One of the key prerequisites for success is to take into account the project’s financing conditions from the very beginning of its preparatory phase. Thanks to their knowledge of the local environment, development priorities, and investment needs, UNDP Country Offices are able to identify promising opportunities. Subsequent technical assistance, feasibility studies, and well-prepared terms of reference can gradually bring the project to a stage where it has clearly defined technical, financial, and implementation parameters.
At this stage, Eximbanka can take over the project preparation by assessing its financial viability, designing an appropriate financing or insurance solution, and creating the conditions for the involvement of a Slovak exporter. A project prepared in this way can move from the planning stage to an actual investment, while also opening up opportunities for Slovak technologies, services, and specialized solutions.
The collaboration between UNDP and Eximbanka thus links two important parts of a single process: the high-quality preparation of development projects and their actual financing. The goal is to ensure that promising projects do not remain on paper but are transformed into concrete investments, while also creating new opportunities for Slovak companies in foreign markets.