The African Development Bank (AfDB) is set to provide $450 million to the African Import – Export Bank (Afreximbank). The money will go to trade facilitation and financing in Africa.
The facility consists of a 3-year $150 million unfunded Risk Participation Agreement (guarantees) and a 4-year $300 million Trade Finance Line of Credit, according to the press statement from AfDB.
This composite facility will help to expand Afreximbank’s risk bearing capacity for the confirmation of letters of credit and to support more trade through the provision of increased liquidity to local financial institutions and corporates in Africa.
The project is aligned with AfDB’s High 5 priority goals: (i) light up and power Africa; (ii) feed Africa; (iii) industrialize Africa; (iv) integrate Africa; and (v) improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.
It will boost intra-Africa trade, promote regional integration, and contribute to the reduction of the trade finance gap in Africa. Given Afreximbank’s commitment to helping African economies diversify their exports, strengthen trade value chains and promote value addition, this facility will contribute to macroeconomic resilience in at least 28 countries.
It will provide financing to more than 100 financial institutions and corporates and support at least $2.8 billion of trade in Africa over a 4-year period.
AfDB’s additionality in this project stems from (i) its ‘AAA’ rating that will enable Afreximbank enhance its trade finance confirmation capabilities; (ii) its ability to avail medium-term liquidity support to Afreximbank to provide appropriate trade finance to local banks and corporates in Africa; and (iii) its demonstrable appetite for Africa risk.
About Afreximbank: The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is the foremost Pan-African multilateral financial institution devoted to financing and promoting intra- and extra-African trade. The Bank was established in October 1993 by African Development Bank, African governments, African private and institutional investors, and non-African investors.
Its two basic constitutive documents are the Establishment Agreement, which gives it the status of an international organization, and the Charter, which governs its corporate structure and operations.
Since 1994, it has approved more than $51 billion in credit facilities for African businesses, including about $10.3 billion in 2016. Afreximbank had total assets of $9.4 billion as at 30 April 2016 and is rated BBB+ (GCR), Baa1 (Moody’s), and BBB- (Fitch). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo.