(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, MAY 8 - In Sarajevo the annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the EBRD, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, took off yesterday and will bring together about 3,000 participants, including businessmen, finance, economy and treasury ministers, as well as other senior government officials, and investors. The objective of the conference, said Bosnian Prime Minister Denis Zvizdic, is to strengthen the EBRD investment in the private sector. Numerous events focusing on different issues will be held on the sidelines, such as the one on "boosting growth" in the countries of the Western Balkans. The leaders of Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina will discuss some key issues. The signing of some important deals regarding infrastructure projects, primarily for 5C corridor, related to the energy sector, digital infrastructure and the development of SMEs, is also expected. In 2018 the EBRD invested in the six Western Balkan countries 1.1bn euros in 67 different projects aiming to help these countries achieve higher standards ahead of their forthcoming EU membership. (ANSA).