Export-Import Bank of the U.S. Chair Lewis Joins U.S. Delegation in Cape Town; Advances Critical Minerals Priorities
Cape Town, South Africa – Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis traveled to Cape Town, South Africa last week as part of the U.S. delegation led by Amos Hochstein, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Adviser for Energy and Investment, and Jose Fernandez, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment. The delegation attended Mining Indaba, a conference with both private sector representatives and government officials focused on investment in critical minerals projects on the African continent.
“It was a pleasure to meet with private sector and government partners and discuss how we can collaborate to turn critical minerals and battery supply chains from plans to reality and support American jobs,” said EXIM President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis. “We are eager to leverage our financing tools and solutions to support projects in Africa and around the world to meet our shared goals and help drive the global energy transition.”
Chair Lewis began her visit by participating in ministerial events leading up to the Mining Indaba conference, where she spoke with government leaders from across the African continent about EXIM’s mandate to support U.S. exporters doing business in sub-Saharan Africa and commitment to fostering a secure and sustainable battery supply chain.
On Monday, Chair Lewis met with multiple private sector representatives to discuss the role EXIM financing can play in supporting critical minerals projects up and down the battery supply chain. She ended the day by attending an event hosted by U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety and Prosper Africa Coordinator British Robinson at the U.S. Consul General’s residence. During the event, Chair Lewis also engaged with South African Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel for a discussion about EXIM’s financing tools.
On Tuesday, Chair Lewis delivered remarks ahead of a panel discussion focused on developing Africa’s infrastructure to advance the critical minerals supply chain, where she spoke about the role EXIM financing can play in supporting key infrastructure and critical minerals projects. She also met with the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire’s Minister of Mines Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly and joined Under Secretary Fernandez for a bilateral meeting with the Republic of Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy Lefoko Moagi. During the meetings, Chair Lewis underscored the agency’s desire to support commercial ties between the U.S. and partner nations to advance critical minerals projects.
On Wednesday, Chair Lewis met with multiple private sector representatives to discuss how EXIM’s financing tools can support critical minerals projects to drive a more diverse, secure, and sustainable battery supply chain. She finished the day by speaking at an event hosted by Invest Africa, where she highlighted the agency’s recent work on the African continent and continued commitment to supporting U.S. exporters looking to do business in sub-Saharan Africa.
Chair Lewis concluded her visit to Cape Town by attending an event hosted by the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center to mark the launch of their new Critical Minerals Task Force. She ended the visit by meeting with South Africa Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, where she spoke about EXIM’s Minority and Women Owned Business Division and her continued efforts to empower female entrepreneurs in both the U.S. and Africa.
Learn more about EXIMs financing tools for critical minerals projects here.
About EXIM:
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is the nation’s official export credit agency with the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. To advance American competitiveness and assist U.S. businesses as they compete for global sales, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. As an independent federal agency, EXIM contributes to U.S. economic growth by supporting tens of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. Learn more at www.exim.gov.
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