(TXF News, New York, 9 December 2020) Egyptian National Railways (ENR) raised the benchmark for big-ticket export finance collaboration at the end of 2019, after the state-owned company signed a €1 billion ($1.17 billion) dual ECA-backed buyer’s credit facility to back the procurement of 1,300 Transmashholding passenger coaches from the Russian supplier. The more than 15-year financing, which involved three countries and marked the largest project in ENR’s history to date, will be provided between Hungary’s HEXIM, the Hungarian Export-Import Bank and the Hungarian Export Credit Insurance that are operating in an integrated manner as the ECA of Hungary, and Russia’s Roseximbank, and the Russian Agency for Export Credit and Investment Insurance (EXIAR).
Russia
Ukrainian-UK Defense Cooperation: Will UKEF Have Kyiv’s Back?
(Eurasia Daily Monitor, Washington, 15 December 2020) In October 2020 a funding pledge was made by the UK’s export credit agency in the amount of 1.25 billion pounds ($1.68 billion) for the construction of missile boats and new naval infrastructure in Ukraine. Missile boats and naval bases are critically important to Ukraine’s capacity to deter an enemy as well as respond in a crisis in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. These capabilities are crucial to Ukraine in this closed maritime theater considering Russia’s overwhelming superiority when it comes to anti-ship missiles. Moreover, London promised to send Royal Navy ships to the region in order to boost Ukraine’s ability to combat threats in the Black Sea.
Russian Export Forum to focus on COVID-driven incentives for businesses
(RT News, Moscow, 7 December 2020) On December 9, the ‘Made in Russia’ International Export Forum will hold a roundtable on “Fine-tuning the export support framework: countering the downturn in global trade.” Russian and foreign experts are expected to focus on the current state of global trade, support measures as well as prospects for 2021. It will bring together experts from development institutions and export credit agencies, as well as specialized international organizations to discuss current trends in global trade and key support measures during the ongoing pandemic. The participants will also share their forecasts for the next year.
G12 ECA Group Issues First-Ever Joint Statement
(Global Trading Magazine, Dallas, 25 September 2020) At the Sept. 9 end of the two-day 2020 G12 Heads of Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) meeting, which EXIM Bank hosted virtually from its Washington, D.C. headquarters, the 12 Heads of ECAs issued its first-ever G12 joint statement. ECAs involved included: EXIM USA (Host), Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom. The 2020 G12 Heads of Export Credit Agencies (ECA) Meeting was a productive and open exchange that highlighted efforts aimed at stabilizing the availability of working capital and export credit in a volatile international market environment. The transparent discussion brought forth the important work each ECA is undertaking to mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ECA leaders reiterated their steadfast commitment to supporting their global supply chains—domestically and internationally—as well as promoting exports, job security, and financial investment, all of which underpin prosperity at home and abroad. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is an important time for Export Credit Agency leaders from around the world to find common ground on key initiatives, especially those that foster greater transparency,
ECAs back $9.5 billion financing for Russia’s Arctic LNG 2
(Reuters, London, 18 September 2020) International lenders have lined up about $9.5 billion in financial support for a Russian Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, a document seen by Reuters showed, even as such projects come under greater scrutiny over climate concerns. The $21 billion project, which received final investment approval a year ago, is expected to be launched in 2023 and to reach its full capacity of almost 20 million tonnes per year in 2026. Among the lenders is France’s Bpifrance, with an offer of $700 million in credit finance, the China Development Bank, expected to offer a facility worth $5 billion and Germany’s Euler Hermes, with a covered facility of $300 million. Japan’s JBIC is offering $2.5 billion, Italy’s SACE plans to put $1 billion into the project, while an unnamed Russian bank is reportedly considering a $1.5-billion investment. While the energy industry touts natural gas as a cleaner alternative to coal or crude, it is a source of carbon emissions and critics say LNG projects are hard to reconcile with the transition to low-carbon economy envisaged in the Paris climate agreement and the European Union’s Green Deal economic plan.
Russia’s Eximbank opens first correspondent account in Uzbek currency
MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. Eximbank of Russia, a part of of the Russian Expo Center Group, opened the first correspondent account in Uzbek currency for Russian banks, at the same time opening several accounts in rubles for Uzbekistan’s banks, which is aimed at expanding the capabilities of exporters and importers of the Russian products, the Russian Export Center (REC) announced on Thursday.
Nigeria’s Ajaokuta Steel completion to receive Russian ECA support
(Nairametrisc, Lagos, 2 November 2019) Recent reports are that the completion of Nigeria’s long-abandoned Ajaokuta Steel Complex would be funded by the Russia’s MetProm Group with funding from the Russian Export Centre. Nairametrics understands that although massive plants and other gigantic equipment in the complex were idle and most had been overgrown with weeds, most of the facilities were still functional, and as such over the years, the problems facing the company had not prevented the workers from receiving salaries. The Ajaokuta Steel Complex was originally built by another Russian firm, TyazhPromExport (TPE), but in 2016 the Federal Government decided to jettison TPE because the company did not want to complete the steel mill. A rail line and functional seaport are still needed to ease the operation of the steel mill.
Putin is resetting Russia’s Africa agenda to counter the US and China
(Quartz Africa, New York, 22 October 2019) The first-ever Russia-Africa summit will be held from Oct. 23-24 in Sochi, Russia, marking the culminating point of the return of Russia to Africa, with more than 50 African leaders and 3,000 delegates invited. This convening is only another illustration of the recent increase in economic, security, and political-diplomatic engagements to foster Russia-Africa relations. Over the last decade there has been a proliferation of Russia-Africa bilateral committees, economic forums, and conferences for economic coordination. In 2011, the Russian Agency on Insurance of Export Credit Investments (EXIAR) was created in order to facilitate Russian companies’ activities and the protection of investments. Russia has boosted its initiative to strengthen ties with the African continent, signing a number of agreements and memorandum of understandings (MoUs) to collaborate on various rail projects during the Russia-Africa economic forum in Sochi on October 23-24. In other news, the CEO of the Russian Agency for Export Credit and Investment Insurance (EXIAR), Nikita Gusakov, said that Russia was seeking to benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, noting that the main challenge was to attract Russian companies to Africa. The AfCFTA hopes to encourage a movement from commodity exports to exportation of finished goods.
India, Russia identify new prospects for ECA led cooperation
(Elets Technomedia, Noida Uttar Pradesh, 4 September 2019) With bilateral trade between India and Russia showing a robust growth, growing by 17% to $ 11 billion in 2018 alone, Russian Export Centre (REC) is focusing on providing a wide range of financial and non-financial support in order to realize the full potential of the bilateral trade between the two countries by improving export conditions and leveling existing trade barriers. Russian Agency for Export Credit and Investment Insurance (EXIAR JSC) and ROSEXIMBANK JSC, are the shareholders in REC.
Russian Export Center to support Belarus’ export to third countries
(Belarus News, Minsk, 21 August 2019) The Russian Export Center intends to support Belarus-Russia integration projects on advancing to the markets of third countries. Plans are in place to sign a cooperation agreement with Eximgarant of Belarus, which will help lower costs of financing thanks to reducing the number of intermediaries, and will facilitate development of trade and export operations. One of the promising cooperation areas is promoting export to Egypt. The Russian Export Center has been authorized to implement the project to establish a Russian industrial zone in Egypt. It provides for setting up an industrial facility of 525 hectares in the East Port Said Industrial Zone located in the Suez Canal Special Economic Zone. The project will enable Russian exporters and suppliers to localize production in Egypt. The Russian Export Center is ready to support Belarusian enterprises which eye the African market. The Russian Export Center is a state institute established to support non-commodity export. Last year, the center provided around $19 billion to promote Russian export, and $1.33 billion to finance joint trade operations with Belarus.
