The Republic of Congo has signed the instrument of accession to the Agreement Establishing the African Export-Import Bank, becoming the 35th African country to join the Bank.

The total assets of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) rose 612 per cent to $3.7 billion between 2003 and 2012, Bank President Jean-Louis Ekra told the Bank’s owners today as they held their Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.

Activities marking the 20th anniversary of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) began in Addis Ababa today with Bank President Jean-Louis Ekra saying that the only means through which Africa could benefit from its abundant natural resources was through processing and eventual joining of the global value chain.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) will hold business development roadshow in Conakry from 25 to 26 June to create awareness of its financing products among the Guinean business community, the Bank has announced in Cairo.

The African Export-Import Bank will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its establishment and hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 19 to 22 June 2013. African heads of state will be joined at the events by the continent’s top political and business leaders.

Two current African heads of state and a former President are among dignitaries expected to lead events at activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), which will take place in Addis Ababa from 19 to 21 June, according to the programme of events released by the Bank.

The African Export-import Bank (Afreximbank) this week announced the issuance of a 500 million-dollar bond as part of an equity raising effort to further strengthen its banking operations going forward.

To help fill the gaps in availability of accurate information and statistics on African trade and trade finance and to publish research on trade-related issues of interest to entities promoting and financing African trade, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is to begin the publication of the Journal of African Trade, a peer-reviewed journal.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) will hold a series of activities in Addis Ababa from 19 to 23 June to mark the 20th anniversary of its establishment, Bank President Jean-Louis Ekra, announced in Cairo yesterday.

Media Contact: Obi Emekekwue (oemekekwue@afreximbank.com; Tel. +202-2456-4238; Mobile +2010-2086-6222) Cairo, 22 February 2013 – The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) should target financing to support agricultural businesses in Nigeria to boost exports and make African products more competitive in the global market, the Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said in Cairo

Liberian Palm Developments Ltd., the joint venture between Equatorial Palm Oil of the United Kingdom and BioPalm Energy, Ltd., a subsidiary of Singapore-based Siva Group Incorporated, has appointed the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as advisor to help it secure the $140 million financing facility for its Palm Bay project located near Liberia’s deepwater port of Buchanan.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has signed facility agreements to provide almost 55 million Euros to three firms for equipment procurement and to enhance cocoa beans processing capacities as part of the Bank’s programme to support value-additive activities to move Africa away from remaining an exporter of raw produce.