Export credit agencies, commonly known as ECAs, are public government-owned agencies and entities that provide government-backed loans, guarantees and insurance to corporates from their home country that seek to do business overseas in developing countries and emerging markets.

ECAs aim to help promote the exports of their home country by allowing exporters to provide buyer’s credit to importers and by insuring transactions that take place in risky markets.

An ECA’s role is usually limited to guaranteeing transactions, and it is not uncommon to have several ECAs guaranteeing different parts of a deal involving exporters from various countries (particularly in big-ticket project financing). However, more and more ECAs are providing direct loans.

Export finance refers to credit facilities and techniques of payment at the pre-shipment or post-shipment stages.