Does South Africa need its own export-import bank?

This research paper evaluates the feasibility of establishing a state-owned export credit agency (ECA) in South Africa, concluding that such an institution is unnecessary due to the existence of a robust trade finance market and current fiscal constraints.

• The research concludes that a new state-owned export credit agency (ECA) is unnecessary and unfeasible for South Africa because the country already possesses a fully-fledged trade finance market that is comparable to international markets and is sufficiently financed.
• Trade and trade insurance facilities in South Africa are currently provided by two state institutions, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC), which operate alongside private providers. These state entities are distinguished by a higher risk appetite than private providers, allowing high-risk trade participants to access facilities.
• Despite the overall strength of the trade finance market, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaged in cross-border trade still face challenges accessing this market. The paper recommends that the ECIC and IDC act as drivers of growth for SMEs by offering streamlined trade finance solutions.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2018). Does South Africa need its own export-import bank? https://saiia.org.za/research/does-south-africa-need-its-own-export-import-bank/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Does South Africa need its own export-import bank? 2018. https://saiia.org.za/research/does-south-africa-need-its-own-export-import-bank/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Does South Africa need its own export-import bank? |date=17 October 2018 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/does-south-africa-need-its-own-export-import-bank/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2018does, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Does South Africa need its own export-import bank?}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2018}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/does-south-africa-need-its-own-export-import-bank/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }