Qatar Development Bank (QDB) has signed an export credit reinsurance agreement with SACE SpA, the Italian export credit agency and one of the world’s leading export credit agencies (ECAs).
The agreement, signed on June 11, 2026, creates a framework for the two institutions to promote cooperative export activities of Qatari and Italian companies in third country markets.
This partnership enables businesses from both countries to undertake larger projects by providing enhanced risk mitigation resources and boosting overall market confidence.
The agreement aims to support joint export contracts between Qatari and Italian companies through a streamlined structure, particularly in projects where companies from both countries provide goods or services to buyers outside their home markets.
The agreement, consistent with international export credit standards, establishes a framework in which a single agency leads coverage, while secondary partners support the portion belonging to their home exporters.
This coordinated arrangement is designed to make joint export transactions easier to support and improve risk management, ensuring each transaction is individually assessed and approved.
A key feature is that QDB’s participation is Sharia-compliant. Under this approach, QDB will provide support based on Islamic finance principles. For SACE, the agreement marks its first involvement in a fully Sharia-compliant reinsurance arrangement, highlighting the growing role of Islamic finance principles in international export credit cooperation.
Mr Khalid Abdullah Al-Mana, Vice President for Enterprise Development at Qatar Development Bank and Executive Director of Qatar Exports, welcomed the agreement and the opportunities it creates for Qatari exporters, saying: “This agreement represents a significant expansion of QDB’s export support capabilities and reinforces our commitment to providing Qatari businesses with the tools they need to grow beyond the local market.
“Through this framework with SACE, Qatari exporters will be better able to pursue greater cross-border opportunities with Italian partners, with stronger institutional support and clearer risk management mechanisms, reflecting the QDB’s broader role in strengthening the ability of the Qatari 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 collaborate with the Qatar Development Bank through an agreement that creates a practical platform for Italian and Qatari companies to strengthen cooperation in third-party markets and provides a concrete framework to support export transactions involving Italian and Qatari content. What is particularly valuable about this agreement is that it enables companies from both countries to establish a stronger basis for jointly pursuing opportunities in a highly competitive international market, while supporting the establishment of a deeper and more structured economic relationship between Italy and Qatar.”
