News

WASHINGTON – One year since Vice President Kamala Harris swore her into office, Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis travels to Nassau, Bahamas today with Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols, Special Presidential Advisor for the Americas Christopher Dodd, and other U.S leaders ahead of the Forty-Fourth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) later this week. While in Nassau, Chair Lewis will meet with leaders and partners from across the Caribbean region to discuss the role EXIM can play in financing new opportunities for U.S. exporters.

“EXIM can play a key role in promoting trade, boosting the economies of countries across the Caribbean, and creating new opportunities for businesses and workers,” said Chair Lewis. “While in the Bahamas, we look forward to continue building critical relationships with our allies that will help support American exporters looking to do business in the region.”

Chair Lewis has continued to push EXIM forward by reestablishing relationships with stakeholders around the world, renewing EXIM’s commitment to fulfilling its mission and Congressional mandates, and rebuilding the agency’s priorities in this new era. Notable accomplishments from year one include:

• EXIM authorized $5.9 billion in financing and provided critical support to U.S. businesses as they compete around the world.
• In FY 2022, EXIM provided small businesses financing of $1.5 billion, representing 29.3 percent (29.3%) of total authorizations. 1,589 transactions were authorized for the direct benefit of small business exporters, which amounted to 88.3 percent (88.3%) of total transactions.
• EXIM supported the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to strengthen America’s supply chains by launching the Make More in America Initiative, a new financing tool that will help bolster U.S. jobs and exports.
• EXIM’s $52.4 million loan guarantee in Honduras in 2022 helped create one of the largest solar projects ever financed in the Americas and supported more than 300 jobs across Ohio, Tennessee, Arizona, California, and Pennsylvania.
• Provided $175 million in support for climate finance in fiscal year 2022 – the highest volume of authorizations for clean energy technology in years.
• At the COP27, EXIM announced the issuance of two letters of interest for U.S. exports being used at a nuclear power project in Romania.
• Stood with our G7 and other key allied export credit agency partners in support of the Ukrainian people by closing for business in Russia.
• EXIM has done extensive outreach to insurance brokers and lending partners in order to expand EXIM’s relationships to support U.S. exporters and help them compete and win overseas.
• In December, EXIM signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) worth more than $1 billion with African financial institutions in the U.S.-Africa Business Forum (USABF) Deal Room at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit.
• The four subcommittees of EXIM’s Advisory Committee, the Council on Climate, Council on China Competition, and the two formed the Council on Advancing Women in Business, and Council on Small Business, provide strong stakeholder insight and recommendations.
• Appointed EXIM’s first Senior Advisor for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) to further support EXIM’s Strategic Plan for FY 2022-2026 and President Biden’s government-wide effort to advance DEIA opportunities for historically underserved communities.

“Over the past year, we have worked tirelessly to ensure that EXIM not only delivers on our mission and fulfills our Congressionally mandated responsibilities but continues to push forward to reestablish EXIM as a global leader in promoting America’s economic competitiveness,” said Chair Lewis. “While I am proud to say we have made significant steps towards our goal this year, there is more work to be done to support U.S. exporters and the jobs they create. As we look toward the future, we will continue to strive to exceed expectations in the pursuit of expanding U.S. exports and promoting economic prosperity.”

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. Since 1992, EXIM has generated more than $9 billion for the U.S. Treasury for repayment of overall U.S. debt. Learn more at www.exim.gov.