Mauritania - Trade Finance Facility to Support SMES

The project aims to provide an EUR 10 million Trade Finance Line of Credit (TFLOC) to Banque pour le Commerce et l’Industrie (BCI). Established in 1999, BCI is one of the leading trade finance bank in Mauritania. BCI’s selection as beneficiary of the proposed facility was based on its local roots and support to SMEs in the country's key economic sectors, as reflected in its portfolio and trade finance track record. BCI has subsidiaries in Mali, Guinea and Senegal and aims to consolidate its role as an active trade finance banking group in the sub-region. The Bank's intervention through the facility will strengthen access to finance for the private sector. The facility will help meet the trade financing needs of SMEs in key sectors of the country's economy, under the challenging situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It will support the procurement of machinery, inputs, equipment, consumer goods, foodstuffs and materials for fish and food processing, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, health and handicraft sectors.