Qatar Development Bank (QDB) and SACE S.p.A., Italy’s export credit agency and one of the world’s leading Export Credit Agencies (ECAs), signed an export credit reinsurance agreement.
Signed on June 11, 2026, this agreement creates a framework for both institutions to facilitate collaborative export activities involving Qatari and Italian firms in third-country markets.
This partnership enables businesses from both nations to pursue larger projects by providing enhanced risk-mitigation resources and increasing overall market confidence.
Through a streamlined structure, the agreement aims to support joint export contracts between Qatari and Italian companies, particularly in projects where companies from both countries supply goods or services to buyers outside their home markets.
Consistent with international export credit standards, the agreement establishes a framework where a single institution takes the lead on coverage, while the secondary partner supports the portion attributable to its own national exporters.
This coordinated arrangement is designed to make joint export transactions easier to support and improve risk management, ensuring that every transaction undergoes individual evaluation and approval.
A key feature is the Sharia-compliant basis for QDB’s participation. Under this approach, QDB’s support will be provided in line with Islamic finance principles. For SACE, the agreement marks its first participation in a fully Sharia-compliant reinsurance arrangement, underscoring the growing role of Islamic finance principles in international export credit cooperation.
Welcoming the agreement and the opportunities it creates for Qatari exporters, Mr. Khalid Abdullah Al-Mana, Vice President of Enterprise Development at Qatar Development Bank and Executive Director of Qatar Exports, said: “This agreement represents a significant extension of QDB’s export-support capabilities and reinforces our commitment to equipping Qatar-based companies with the tools they need to grow beyond local markets.
“Through this framework with SACE, Qatar-based exporters will be better positioned to pursue larger cross-border opportunities alongside Italian partners, with stronger institutional backing and a clearer mechanism for managing risk, reflecting QDB’s broader role in strengthening the ability of Qatar’s private sector to expand its presence in international markets and contribute to a more diversified and competitive economy in line with the priorities of Qatar’s Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030.”
Mario Melillo, Chief Network Officer at SACE, commented: “We are pleased to partner with Qatar Development Bank through an agreement that creates a practical platform for stronger cooperation between Italian and Qatari companies in third markets and provides a concrete framework to support export transactions involving Italian and Qatari content. What makes this agreement particularly valuable is its ability to give companies from both countries a stronger basis to pursue opportunities together in competitive international markets, while supporting a deeper and more structured economic relationship between Italy and Qatar.”
