News

Sal Island, Cape Verde - Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Chairman and President Kimberly Reed met today with Cape Verde Secretary of State for Finance Gilberto Barros.  Chairman Reed and Secretary Barros reaffirmed the importance of the continued economic relationship between the United States and Cape Verde.

Chairman Reed said, "We are very excited about the potential role that our United States' Africa Strategy, include Prosper Africa, can play in strengthening the sub-Saharan African nation of Cape Verde and across the continent.  Secretary Barros emphasized Cape Verde's commitment to transparency, good governance, and private sector solutions, as well as how the island nation is an important hub and strategic link between continents."

"Secretary Barros and I had a productive discussion about the ways U.S. investors, including the Cape Verdean diaspora community, and exporters of 'Made in the U.S.A.' products and services can make a positive difference in this emerging market.  We discussed the importance of specific economic sectors, including maritime and aviation infrastructure, and small businesses. Cape Verde also is a good platform for U.S. companies seeking to do business on the Africa continent," added Reed. 

Chairman Reed participated in this meeting on her return from leading the Presidential Delegation to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa.

Other members of the U.S. Presidential Delegation were Bonnie Glick, deputy administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Andrew Olmem, deputy assistant to the president for economic policy and deputy director of the National Economic Council; Jessica Lapenn, charge d'affaires ad interim, United States Embassy, Pretoria; and Cyril Sartor, special assistant to the president and senior director for African Affairs, National Security Council.

ABOUT EXIM BANK:

EXIM is an independent federal agency that promotes and supports American jobs by providing competitive and necessary export credit to overseas purchasers of U.S. goods and services. A robust EXIM can level the global playing field for U.S. exporters when they compete against foreign companies that receive support from their governments. EXIM also contributes to U.S. economic growth by helping to create and sustain hundreds of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. In recent years, 90 percent of the total number of the bank's authorizations has directly supported small businesses. Since 2000, EXIM has sent $14.8 billion to the U.S. Treasury after paying for all of its administrative and program expenses.

For more information about EXIM, please visit www.exim.gov. Please see information about EXIM's products available to support U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa.