Ex-Im Bank in Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is a priority region for Ex-Im Bank.  Since 1999, Ex-Im Bank has supported over $3.8 billion in transactions throughout sub-Saharan Africa.  For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, Ex-Im Bank supported 127 transactions totaling $434 million in 18 sub-Saharan countries. Click here to view our Sub-Saharan African Country Limitation Schedule to see where Ex-Im Bank can support you. 

Significant focus has been dedicated to the needs of U.S. exporters, lenders and international buyers in this region.  When reauthorized by the U.S. Congress in 2006, Ex-Im Bank was mandated to increase financing support of U.S. manufactured goods and services to sub-Saharan Africa in a manner consistent with the reasonable assurance of repayment standard. Through our product offerings, specialized initiatives and dedicated staff, Ex-Im Bank is positioned to assist in managing risk and facilitating exports to countries throughout the region.  Ex-Im Bank devotes two business development officers to the sub-Saharan Africa region and a Board member who is responsible for promoting exports to the region. 

For additional information on your country of interest, please visit our Country Resources Portfolio for helpful links and contacts.

To further our efforts Ex-Im Bank’s Board of Directors has appointed a sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee (SAAC) to bring practitioners from the field to advise Ex-Im Bank in its efforts to fulfill the Congressional mandate.  The SAAC provides a forum where outside practitioners offer ideas on how the Bank can increase its support for exports to the region while still satisfying its reasonable assurance of repayment requirement. The SAAC also discusses issues facing the private sector, including banks, when using Ex-Im Bank for transactions in SSA.

The SAAC was originally composed of five members representing commerce, banking, trade finance and small business. In 1999, the Bank increased the number to eight, and by 2000 the SAAC had grown to ten members. Click here for brief biographies of the current Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee members.

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