Improving the Role of Eximbanks/ECAs in the OIC Member States
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the exchange of experiences among specialized institutions involved in trade and project
financing, particularly EXIM Banks and DFIs, at regional and global levels.
Asian EXIM Banks Forum
The AEBF was conceived and initiated by Export-Import Bank of India in 1996 for Asian ECAs to
exchange information and share ideas in a structured manner. The Asian ECA forum’s principle
task is to develop and enhance regional cooperation and forge stronger link among its member
institutions, thereby fostering a long term relationship within the Asian ECA community.
COFACE Partner Network
Coface is a French company established in 1946 to specializing in export credit insurance and
since 2006, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Natixis, the financing, asset management and
financial services arm of the French Banking Group BPCE. In 1992, Coface created the Coface
Partner Network, a worldwide network of private and public institutions operating in the trade
credit insurance sector. This includes insurance companies, business information agencies,
multi-line insurance companies, factoring companies and ECAs. Through such partners. Coface is
able to provide credit insurance to a global clientele. The network currently includes over 60
partners in Europe, Asia Pacific, America, Africa and the Middle East.
1.5.2 Transactional Cooperation
Apart from the more strategic co-operation that has developed through membership in the
above associations, there have been two main areas of transactional co-operation amongst ECAs
that have been observed: a) debt collection and buyer information; b) reinsurance on multi-
sourced transactions.
In the first instance, many ECAs will offer services to their “sister” ECAs on information about
companies within their own countries, as well as perform debt collection services on a fee basis.
This is a common practice within countries where credit information on local companies is
limited and has been a source of fee income for the local ECA. The Aman Union has created a
database of buyers from member countries to facilitate this exchange of information.
In the second instance, where production may be in one country and the supply of inputs can
come from many countries, this can mean that exporters or contractors have to negotiate
financing with a range of ECAs to put together a multi-sourced package. Over the past many
years, the OECD ECAs have recognized this difficulty and have agreed to a series of co-
operation/reinsurance agreements between themselves. This means that one agency will be
nominated as Lead ECA (usually the one from the country where the main contractor resides and
/or which will supply the largest portion of the contract). The financing package on offer will be
in the form of that usually offered by the Lead agency. As a result it will be broadly equivalent to
having sought support from each agency, but the administration will be much more
straightforward.
As an example, an exporter or project sponsor may wish to procure 35% of the project supply
from Country A country, 30% from Country B, and 35% from a range of other countries. In this