Closing the Trade Finance Gap – Innovative Tools and Future Challenges

Country and FX risks, regulation and real dollar liquidity issues have combined to exacerbate the African trade finance gap. Development finance, digitisation initiatives and other solutions could help to close the gap in key African markets. However, urgent and significant innovation is required to prevent further collateral damage to Africa's SMEs, trade growth and economic recovery prospects.

Simon Cook joined a panel, "Closing the Trade Finance Gap – Innovative Tools and Future Challenges," at GTR Africa's 2021 hybrid event. The panelists pinpointed the tangible progress made by DFIs, commercial banks and tech providers in addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic, with a focus on the innovative trade finance structures and solutions successfully injecting liquidity into key African markets.

Watch video of panel discussion here.