News

Mexico City, Mexico: The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) and Mexico's Banco Nacional de Obras y Servicios Publicos, S.N.C., (Banobras) will host a conference in Mexico City September 23-24, 2002, to explore ways to finance U.S. exports to develop Mexico's environmental infrastructure. Ex-Im Bank Vice Chairman Eduardo Aguirre, Jr. announced the planned conference while participating in a trade mission to Mexico with U.S. Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans.

Banobras and Ex-Im Bank want to work as partners to finance projects where cutting-edge U.S. technologies can meet the needs of Mexican municipalities in the areas of renewable energy, water supply and waste management, Aguirre said. Presidents Fox and Bush launched a Partnership For Prosperity to narrow the economic gaps between and within our two societies, and to unfetter the economic potential of all of our citizens. The environmental conference is a step toward furthering that great initiative.

Aguirre said Ex-Im Bank expects to work closely with the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy and other U.S. government agencies to bring the environmental conference and subsequent initiative to fruition. Mexican municipalities, U.S. exporters, and U.S. and Mexican trade and environment officials will attend the conference. Under the initiative, Mexican municipalities will identify environmental projects which Ex-Im Bank will finance with Banobras's guarantee, to be implemented using U.S. exports.

Banobras is a government-owned bank that provides financing support to Mexican municipalities and private entities.

Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal government agency that helps finance the sale of U.S. exports, primarily to emerging markets, by providing loans, guarantees and export credit insurance. In fiscal year 2001, Ex-Im Bank supported $12.5 billion of U.S. exports worldwide.