Industry conference to gather key market players, provide platform for knowledge-sharing
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Worldwide Expert Conferences are organising a specialised conference “Belarus: Trade Finance 2016”, which will be taking place in Minsk on 16-17 March this year. The event will be hosted by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the EBRD partner-banks and will bring together senior banking industry professionals from all over the world.
As a result of the conference industry representatives from different countries will have a better understanding of Belarus’ contemporary business environment, so they could plan their future activity in this market and in the region with more confidence.
The EBRD's Trade Facilitation Programme promotes foreign trade to, from and within the EBRD countries of operations, including Belarus. Through the Programme, the Bank provides guarantees to international confirming banks, taking the political and commercial payment risk of international trade transactions undertaken by banks in the countries of operations.
Since the inception of the TFP in Belarus, the programme has supported over 1,760 trade transactions worth around €845 million. Currently there are three active issuing banks in the country under the TFP: Belarusky Narodny Bank, Belinvestbank, and Priorbank.
The EBRD not only stimulates regional business through the TFP but also provides a unique knowledge-sharing platform for the market professionals. Almost 30 bankers from Armenia, Belarus, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Morocco, Russia and Ukraine, who have successfully completed an introductory e-learning module “Introduction to Trade Finance”, will receive their certificates at the conference in Minsk.
David Bischoff, Policy Manager at the ICC says: “Promoting the correct application of ICC Trade Rules is a core objective of the ICC Banking Commission. We are delighted that the EBRD’s eTrade Finance e-Learning Programme helps us support them through its Trade Facilitation Programme making it a successful tool for the development of regional trade.”
The e-learning programme for trade finance professionals, which is funded by the EBRD Shareholders Special Fund, was jointly established by the Bank and ICC in 2010. The programme has to date trained over 3000 professionals from 187 banks representing a wide range of EBRD countries of operation.