Credit Agricole Ukraine signed a EUR 50 Million risk-sharing agreement with EBRD

In continuation of long-term strategic cooperation, Credit Agricole Ukraine signed a EUR 50 million risk-sharing agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) under the Resilience and Livelihoods Framework. Thus, together with already signed EBRD risk sharing programs the new facility will allow Credit Agricole Ukraine to increase loans portfolio for Ukrainian businesses up to 200 million euros since the war started. It will enhance the capacity of the bank to give out loans to a greater number of Ukrainian companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in agriculture-related industries and other critical industries. This guarantee is an unfunded portfolio risk-sharing instrument covering up to 50 per cent of the credit risk in newly originated sub-loans.

The agreement was signed on behalf of Credit Agricole Ukraine by Carlos de Cordoue, Chairman of the Management Board of Credit Agricole Ukraine. Philippe Brassac, Chief Executive Officer of Credit Agricole S. A, and Michel Le Masson, Head of International Banking Development division of Credit Agricole S. A were also present.

“We have a long history of cooperation with the EBRD and we share values - investing in development. This agreement will enable Credit Agricole to support capital investments of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to upgrade their technology and equipment and thus support the Ukrainian economy in the wartime. In partnership with the EBRD, we will do our best to help businesses to recover and develop after the war losses, which is in line with Credit Agricole’s AIR strategy: Aim is to Invest in Recovery”, said Carlos de Cordoue, Chairman of the Management Board of Credit Agricole Ukraine.

The EBRD, which has strongly supported Ukraine in wartime, has deployed more than €2.3 billion in Ukraine's real economy in 2024, and more than €6.1 billion since the war began. It is Ukraine’s largest institutional investor.

“Through this risk participation agreement, Credit Agricole Ukraine becomes the fourth partner bank in the EBRD’s Non-Recourse Risk Sharing Framework in Ukraine, helping enhance the bank’s capacity to lend to Ukrainian companies. The facility will be complementary to our existing portfolio risk sharing partnership under a separate €50 million Resilience and Livelihood Guarantee facility,” said Arthur Poghosyan, the EBRD’s Deputy Head of Ukraine for Financial Institutions.

The EBRD’s Resilience and Livelihoods Guarantee (RLG) will cover up to 50 per cent of the credit risk in newly originated sub-loans. The project comes in the exceptional circumstances of the ongoing war in Ukraine and serves as an important risk-mitigation tool to enable financing of critical industries.

Credit Agricole Ukraine is part of the Crédit Agricole Group (France). Since 2023, JSC Credit Agricole Bank has been included in the list of systemically important banks, which indicates the importance of Credit Agricole for the Ukrainian economy. For two years in a row, the bank was recognized as the best financial institution in cash management in Ukraine according to Euromoney, the international finance magazine.