The Republic of South Africa has today officially acceded to the Establishment Agreement of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Africa’s leading Multilateral Financial Institution, marking the formal entry of one of Africa’s largest economies into the Bank’s membership, heralding deeper financial sovereignty.
The accession follows the South African Parliament’s historic approval of the accession in 2025, cementing a strategic partnership between Africa’s leading multilateral Bank and the continent’s industrial powerhouse. South Africa becomes the 54th state to accede to the Bank’s Establishment Agreement, which constitutes a historic milestone as the two partners seek to unlock trade opportunities within a global financial architecture that is rapidly fragmenting due to protectionist policies and shifting trade blocks.
To operationalise this partnership, Afreximbank will launch major financial interventions in the Country. This includes a new US$8 billion Country Programme designed to deepen the South African economy. These programmes are tailored to expand the Bank’s developmental impact; enhance industrial development and regional supply chains and significantly boost intra-African trade and investment flows. This support is strategically aligned with South Africa’s economic ambitions.
