Afreximbank, China Eximbank sign deal to build industrial parks across Africa

25 Jul 2016
Financial Nigeria

Summary

The deal will allow both institutions to work together on a programme to provide capacity for light manufacturing and processing of raw materials in Africa.

Dr. Benedict Oramah, President, Afreximbank

The African Export-Import Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China have signed an agreement to create a $1 billion China-Africa Investment and Industrialization Programme to facilitate the construction of industrial parks and special economic zones across the continent.

The agreement will allow both institutions to work together on a programme to provide much-need capacity for light manufacturing and processing of raw materials in Africa, according to a statement released by Afreximbank on Saturday.

Dr. Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank, and Lui Liang, President of the Export-Import Bank of China, signed the agreement on behalf of their organizations during the 23rd Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of Afreximbank held in Mahe, Seychelles, from July 18 to 24.

The agreement is targeted at improving trade finance flows into Africa through risk participation arrangements, cross-referral of business contacts, and indirect funding of Export-Import Bank of China to obligors through Afreximbank as well as engagement in joint capacity building initiatives, including staff and information exchange. It also covers infrastructure that facilitate intra-regional trade such as shipping facilities, railways, rolling stock, and power.

The Afreximbank also signed a separate cooperation agreement with the Made in Africa Initiative to complement its agreement with the China Eximbank.

Under the terms of the deal with the Made in Africa Initiative, Afreximbank and the Initiative will pursue the facilitation of investment flows into Africa by working with African governments to create, develop, and improve “soft” and “hard” infrastructure required for industrialization.

The agreement also requires Afreximbank and the Initiative to engage in the promotion of export trading companies to facilitate market access for “Made-in-Africa” goods as well as investment promotion, including capacity building and knowledge transfer.

“The agreements signed here today will help create an effective and prudent framework which will allow us to reach our common goal, which is the pursuit of the industrialization and economic development in Africa,” said Dr. Oramah.


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