Investment promotion for sustainable development: The roles of DFIs and export credit agencies

In recent years and in the aftermath of the world financial crisis, economic slowdown in Europe has encouraged European governments and the European Union (EU) to set up support programmes and instruments that can stimulate national economies and help create the jobs needed to tackle both (youth) unemployment and crumbling growth rates. By providing access to (trade) finance and mitigating risk, the ambition is to help enterprises to expand and grow internationally, as “foreign exposure by these companies can increase enterprise competitiveness, provide access to foreign markets and resources, create new opportunities for exports, and generate profits” (UNCTAD, 2015).