The Political Economy of Trade Finance ― Export Credit Agencies, the Paris Club and the Imf

Export Credit Agencies provide export credit insurance facilities to reduce the risk of nonpayment on exports incurred by domestic export industries by providing loans to foreign governments. Most countries have Export Credit Agencies that operate as official or quasi-official branches of their governments and they therefore represent an important part of government strategies to facilitate trade, promote domestic industry and distribute foreign aid.

This book explains the politics and economics of trade finance through an analysis of the role of Export Credit Agencies. It provides a detailed analysis of how firms use Export Credit Agencies to export goods to developing countries and how Export Credit Agency debt has contributed to the debt of developing countries. The book also illustrates how the commercial interests of Export Credit Agencies are represented in decisions about the structure and repayments of IMF loans. These decisions are related to debt rescheduling through the Paris Club – an informal group of creditor countries that provide debt treatments to debtor countries that are no longer able to meet their debt obligations. Finally, the book also explores how the OECD countries in particular changed the rules of their Export Credit Agencies in order to supplement private sector finance during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. This was done to facilitate exports from their countries, thus demonstrating that states still have an important role to play in supporting their national economies.

Pamela Blackmon is Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science, Pennsylvania State University, USA. Her research focuses on the policies of the international financial institutions, and she is currently examining the role of export credit agencies in international trade and finance.