what is an export credit agency eca 
an export credit agency offers trade finance and other services to facilitate domestic companies international exports most countries have ecas that provide loans loan guarantees and insurance to eliminate the uncertainty of exporting to other countries ecas support the domestic economy and employment by helping companies find overseas product markets ecas can be government agencies quasi governmental agencies or even commercial financial institutions global ecasecas provide the necessary support if risk wary private lenders pull back from export finance as of 2023 thirty nine official global ecas offer funding to support efforts to sell goods and services abroad ecas are critical to national industrial strategies they can arrange government backed loans guarantees and insurance in some of the world s riskiest and most volatile markets the export import bank of the united states exim is the official eca in the u s eca offeringsecas play a role in world trade the export credit guarantees a lower risk than private lending ecas can be a leading player in international project financing and exports ecas such as exim help fill the funding gap that private sector lenders create with their inability or unwillingness to provide financing governments provide officially supported export credits through export credit agencies ecas to support national exporters competing for overseas sales support can be official financing refinancing interest rate support insurance or guarantee cover for credits provided by private financial institutions 