OPIC Commits Financing to Two Projects in Ukraine

August 30, 2017

(OPIC) Projects aim to expand lending to small businesses in agriculture and other underserved sectors

WASHINGTON – The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, has committed financing support to two projects in Ukraine that will promote lending to small and medium businesses that are critical to economic stability and growth.

  • OPIC committed $10 million to Ukraine’s Agroprosperis Bank (AP Bank) to support lending to small and medium enterprise (SME) farmers in Ukraine, who are a critical source of food production in the country, but often struggle to access financing to purchase seeds, spare parts and fuel for the machinery that is used in planting and harvesting.
  • OPIC is also supporting $7.8 million in financing to Ukraine’s Bank Vostok to help expand the bank’s SME lending portfolio to reach underserved populations such as businesses located in rural areas.


OPIC’s commitment to supporting private sector development in Ukraine has resulted in quadrupling OPIC’s investment portfolio there since 2014, across sectors ranging from financial services to agriculture and energy.

This week, OPIC President and Chief Executive Officer Ray W. Washburne is visiting Ukraine, his first official visit with OPIC, as part of an official delegation led by U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. Ukraine is a foreign policy priority for the U.S. and OPIC continues to work on projects that will support further private sector-led development in the country.

“OPIC plays an important role promoting stability in Ukraine through projects that directly impact the country’s small and medium sized businesses,” said Mr. Washburne. “Limited access to financing is one of the main challenges these businesses face and OPIC financing will help local banks expand lending to the small businesses that create jobs and contribute to economic growth.”

OPIC’s current investment portfolio in Ukraine totals $522 million across 18 projects.

banner1

Welcome to the Exporting Source

Your one-stop resource for finding help to export to new customers, to learn about government export programs, to join export-promoting trade missions, to sign up for trade conferences and training, and to link to other exporting services. Whether you're an old hand at exporting or just getting started, the Exporting Source provides a place to locate foreign customers, export financing and foreign investment assistance.

The Export Practitioner
 

Providing readers with expert reports on changes to U.S. export licensing rules, enforcement policies and regulations for defense and dual-use products and technology.

Washington Tariff & Trade Letter

Providing exclusive, behind-the-scenes news and analysis every week of U.S. trade policies, regulations and legislation, export controls, trade sanctions, and enforcement of antidumping and countervailing duty laws.

Mastering Deemed Exports
 

An invaluable video training tool that helps exporters, universities and research laboratories alert all employees to the potential fines and legal sanctions that can come from violating EAR and ITAR restrictions on giving certain foreign nationals access to controlled U.S. technology.