In 2022, African countries imported and exported $1.1 trillion worth of goods and services, equivalent to 54 percent of the continent’s GDP. However, cashflow limitations restrict banks in Africa from meeting client demand for trade finance, IFC annual bank surveys and an IFC-WTO joint study of West Africa show.
Under the facility, IFC will provide risk participation in a portfolio of trade transactions originated by Deutsche Bank with local issuing banks in Africa. The initial portfolio will cover risk for 40 issuing banks across 18 countries on the continent, 14 of which are classified by the International Development Agency (IDA) as small, fragile and/or conflict-affected.
