WASHINGTON, U.S., March 10. Benjamin Todd, Vice
President of the U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM), highlighted
opportunities for U.S. companies in Azerbaijan during the
U.S.-Azerbaijan Trade and Business Conference in Washington D.C.,
held to mark the 30th anniversary of the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of
Commerce (USACC), Trend’s special correspondent reports.
Todd noted that U.S. firms have a strong presence in sectors
such as rail transport, airport and aircraft infrastructure, and
related logistics, and that EXIM Bank is ready to support financing
for projects in these areas.
“Cheap energy is another important factor. Lower energy costs
mean cheaper computing power, which creates opportunities for U.S.
companies in the artificial intelligence and data center sectors.
This was also on the agenda today,” he said.
He further highlighted new flexibilities at EXIM Bank in the
mining sector, particularly regarding critical minerals.
Traditionally, EXIM financing was tied to U.S. procurements, but
under the new framework, support can now be linked directly to
off-take agreements back to the U.S. “This allows us to finance
mines that sell their products to the United States in the critical
minerals space,” Todd explained.
He also stressed the importance of enabling infrastructure, such
as logistics corridors, to bring minerals to market. “EXIM Bank is
a key partner in financing these projects. U.S. companies are
extremely competitive in this sector, and we want to ensure they
have the support they need to pursue these opportunities,” he
added.
