Export-Import Bank of the U.S. Chair Lewis Highlights Investments in Clean and Secure Energy in Türkiye

Istanbul, Turkey - Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis travelled to Istanbul, Türkiye this week to speak at the Atlantic Council's Regional Conference on Clean and Secure Energy and meet with private sector leaders and government representatives. Chair Lewis discussed how EXIM is seeking opportunities to collaborate with Türkiye in supporting renewable energy infrastructure investments while supporting jobs in the United States.

"There are many opportunities for the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. and Türkiye to collaborate," said EXIM Chair Reta Jo Lewis. "Meetings like the Atlantic Council's Regional Conference on Clean and Secure Energy allows us to bring together industry and government leaders to identify opportunities on ways we can expand the green energy space supply chain."

On Wednesday, October 9, Chair Lewis met with Alparslan Bayraktar, the Minister of Energy & Natural Resources of Türkiye, and Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources at the U.S. Department of State to discuss how to secure and diversify renewable energy supply chains.

During a fireside chat with President and Chief Executive Officer of the Atlantic Council Fred Kempe, Chair Lewis highlighted how EXIM is meeting its congressional mandate to finance "environmentally beneficial" transactions during the event hosted by the Atlantic Council.

Chair Lewis also discussed how EXIM can collaborate with our transatlantic allies to address the climate crisis by shaping a global green future together. One of the projects highlighted during this conversation was a $98 million loan under EXIM's Engineering Multiplier Program (EMP) for RoPower Nuclear S.A. in Romania. The financing will support pre-project services needed for the development of a first-of-kind small modular nuclear reactor and falls under EXIM's China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP).

In a meeting with Ambassador A. Berris Ekinci, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye avenues to engage in government-to-government economic diplomacy were discussed. Chair Lewis met with Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye (DEIK) President Nail Olpak to discuss opportunities for collaboration in advancing clean energy deployment and energy security. Also on Wednesday, Chair Lewis highlighted EXIM's commitment to creating and fostering relationships in Africa for equitable development during a TAIK Business Council Luncheon. During a Ministerial Dinner on Wednesday, Chair spoke to Ahmet Berat Çonkar, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources for the Republic of Türkiye, George-Sergiu Niculescu, President of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE), Berris Ekinci, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Türkiye, and Matthew Baldwin, Deputy Director-General, Directorate General for Energy for the European Commission.

On Thursday, Chair Lewis attended a breakfast attended by Türkiye and Romania leaders including Zeynep Savaş, Head of Energy Department of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, George-Sergiu Niculescu, President of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) and Adrian Băzăvan, Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Minister of Energy. Chair Lewis further emphasized EXIM's commitment to support renewable energy, and the security of energy by shoring up our supply chains.

During an interview with CNBC-e, in Istanbul, Chair Lewis highlighted how EXIM collaborates with its other U.S. government and global partners to boost U.S. exporters and jobs and build on its vibrant and growing relationship with Türkiye.

While in Istanbul, Chair Lewis also spoke at a roundtable event about the EXIM Board's recent approval of a 5G transaction, Reliance Jio in India, which, through its China and Transformational Exports Program, EXIM selects trusted vendors to establish reliable, equitable telecommunications infrastructure.