AIIB and Standard Chartered Bank sign $100 million agreement to support infrastructure-related trade in emerging and frontier markets The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Standard Chartered have signed a $100 million agreement under AIIB’s trade facilitation initiative to support infrastructure-related trade flows into emerging and frontier markets. The facility will support the import of infrastructure equipment and related capital goods into AIIB’s members, mobilizing additional private capital and expanding access to longer-term trade finance. Through AIIB’s unfunded risk-participation and credit-guarantee instruments, the partnership aims to address persistent trade-finance gaps amid macroeconomic volatility and global supply-chain disruptions. “This initiative complements our existing product suite and enables us to finance infrastructure development across the value chain and project lifecycle,” said Kim See Lim, AIIB’s chief investment officer, public sector (Region 1) & financial institutions and funds (Global) clients. “The partnership with Standard Chartered, grounded in our shared footprint and commitment to sustainable development, aims to address structural gaps in longer-term finance for infrastructure-related trade flows, particularly in markets where access remains constrained.” Sofia Hammoucha, global head of trade & working capital at Standard Chartered, said: “As a super-connector bank with an extensive network across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, this partnership reflects our commitment to channeling capital and unlocking trade flows where they are needed most.” It is AIIB’s first partnership under its trade facilitation initiative. The collaboration leverages Standard Chartered’s extensive presence across emerging markets and deep trade finance expertise, alongside AIIB’s mandate to finance sustainable infrastructure development across the entire value chain, from equipment supply to project execution. In line with its environmental and social framework, AIIB’s Project-affected People’s Mechanism (PPM) applies to this transaction.
