Export-Import Bank of the U.S. Chair Lewis Attends First-Ever Global Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels
Brussels, Belgium – Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis traveled to Brussels, Belgium last week as part of the U.S. delegation to the first ever global Nuclear Energy Summit, led by Senior Advisor to the President on Climate, John Podesta, alongside Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins, Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Marisa Lago, U.S. Trade and Development Agency Director Enoh Ebong and representatives from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. During the Summit, Chair Lewis participated in a series of meetings and discussions with heads of state and government leaders to highlight EXIM’s financing tools to support U.S. nuclear technology exports.
“It was a privilege to join the U.S. delegation to the first ever global Nuclear Energy Summit to highlight the role EXIM financing can play in turning projects into reality,” said Chair Lewis. “Nuclear energy is a key factor in driving the global energy transition. EXIM is committed to building upon our strong work of supporting U.S. exporters and helping advance critical nuclear energy projects around the world.”
Chair Lewis kicked off her trip meeting with Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis, Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja, and Nuclearelectrica CEO Cosmin Ghita, where she discussed EXIM’s recent work to provide financing for U.S. exporters involved in Romanian nuclear energy projects and underscored the agency’s continued commitment to collaboration. She also met with Bulgarian Minister of Energy Rumen Radev, where she underscored EXIM’s ability to support U.S. nuclear energy exports to Bulgaria.
Chair Lewis then joined a series of bilateral discussions led by Senior Advisor Podesta and the U.S. delegation with Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Sikela and Sweden’s Vice Minister for Climate and the Environment Daniel Westlén. During the discussions, Chair Lewis spoke about EXIM’s financing tools to support nuclear energy and small modular reactor (SMR) projects.
In the afternoon, Chair Lewis co-chaired a ministerial roundtable focused on de-risking nuclear project financing, where she underscored EXIM’s commitment to driving the global energy transition by supporting U.S. nuclear energy exports. Chair Lewis also held a meeting with Slovenia’s State Secretary for National Nuclear Programme Danijel Levičar, where they discussed EXIM’s nuclear financing capabilities.
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 U.S. debt. Learn more at www.exim.gov.