WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2026—The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), which houses the World Bank Group’s Guarantee Platform, and ODDO BHF of Germany have signed a Trade Finance Guarantee Framework Agreement to cover the risk of non-payment of trade finance transactions. The partnership will provide short-term, revolving trade loans to Microcredit bank of Uzbekistan.
The MIGA-covered facility for up to $50 million will enable Microcredit bank (MKB) to make loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and corporations engaging in import and export activities. The bank has committed to allocating, on a best-efforts basis, 70 percent of the loans to MSMEs, 50 percent to women-owned businesses, and 21 percent to green products.
“Trade is a crucial ingredient for any economy and trade finance guarantees such as these being provided by the World Bank Group can be a crucial catalyst,” said Tsutomu Yamamoto, MIGA Managing Director. “This collaboration with ODDO can help close the trade finance gap in Uzbekistan and support economic growth and job creation.”
International trade plays a critical role in Uzbekistan’s economic development and contributes significantly to economic growth, employment, and international competitiveness. Yet the country still faces a significant trade finance gap, estimated at as much as $4 billion. The overall financing gap for small firms (for trade and other financing) is estimated at $10.5 billion, or about 16 percent of GDP. Addressing these gaps is crucial to sustaining trade growth and creating jobs.
Florian Witt, Divisional Head International & Corporate Banking, Member of Group Business Executive Committee at ODDO BHF, adds: “Our partnership with MIGA and MKB aims to support importers and exporters also in challenging times, contributing to stability and growth in global trade. This facility is expected to facilitate trade with Uzbekistan and to increase access to trade finance to underserved segments in the Uzbek economy.”
About ODDO BHF
ODDO BHF is an independent European financial group active in the areas of Private Wealth Management, Asset Management, Investment Banking and Corporate Banking, Asset Servicing, and Metals. With its special entrepreneurial spirit, the group currently manages around 156 billion euros in client assets and has equity of more than 1.1 billion euros. With around 3,200 employees in France and Tunisia, Germany and Switzerland, the group pursues a consistent European strategy with a global perspective. The business division International & Corporate Banking combines corporate banking, trade and export finance, strategic international clients, correspondent banking business, and foreign exchange, as well as selected capital market activities. The division covers a wide range of emerging markets in Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia.
About the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform
Initiated in 2024, the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform consolidates guarantee products and experts from across the World Bank Group at MIGA. It provides a simplified and comprehensive menu of guarantee solutions, enabling clients to select the instrument that best suits their needs. The platform streamlines processes, removes redundancies, and provides greater accessibility by de-risking investments in developing countries. Its goal is to boost the World Bank Group’s annual guarantee issuance to $20 billion by 2030.
For more information about the guarantee platform, please visit: https://www.worldbank.org/wbgguarantees
Stay updated and follow us at https://x.com/MIGA and https://www.linkedin.com/company/wb-miga
Contact:
In Washington: Elizabeth Howton, ehowton [at] worldbankgroup.org
WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2026—The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), which houses the World Bank Group’s Guarantee Platform, and ODDO BHF of Germany have signed a Trade Finance Guarantee Framework Agreement to cover the risk of non-payment of trade finance transactions. The partnership will provide short-term, revolving trade loans to Microcredit bank of Uzbekistan.
The MIGA-covered facility for up to $50 million will enable Microcredit bank (MKB) to make loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and corporations engaging in import and export activities. The bank has committed to allocating, on a best-efforts basis, 70 percent of the loans to MSMEs, 50 percent to women-owned businesses, and 21 percent to green products.
“Trade is a crucial ingredient for any economy and trade finance guarantees such as these being provided by the World Bank Group can be a crucial catalyst,” said Tsutomu Yamamoto, MIGA Managing Director. “This collaboration with ODDO can help close the trade finance gap in Uzbekistan and support economic growth and job creation.”
International trade plays a critical role in Uzbekistan’s economic development and contributes significantly to economic growth, employment, and international competitiveness. Yet the country still faces a significant trade finance gap, estimated at as much as $4 billion. The overall financing gap for small firms (for trade and other financing) is estimated at $10.5 billion, or about 16 percent of GDP. Addressing these gaps is crucial to sustaining trade growth and creating jobs.
Florian Witt, Divisional Head International & Corporate Banking, Member of Group Business Executive Committee at ODDO BHF, adds: “Our partnership with MIGA and MKB aims to support importers and exporters also in challenging times, contributing to stability and growth in global trade. This facility is expected to facilitate trade with Uzbekistan and to increase access to trade finance to underserved segments in the Uzbek economy.”
About ODDO BHF
ODDO BHF is an independent European financial group active in the areas of Private Wealth Management, Asset Management, Investment Banking and Corporate Banking, Asset Servicing, and Metals. With its special entrepreneurial spirit, the group currently manages around 156 billion euros in client assets and has equity of more than 1.1 billion euros. With around 3,200 employees in France and Tunisia, Germany and Switzerland, the group pursues a consistent European strategy with a global perspective. The business division International & Corporate Banking combines corporate banking, trade and export finance, strategic international clients, correspondent banking business, and foreign exchange, as well as selected capital market activities. The division covers a wide range of emerging markets in Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia.
About the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform
Initiated in 2024, the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform consolidates guarantee products and experts from across the World Bank Group at MIGA. It provides a simplified and comprehensive menu of guarantee solutions, enabling clients to select the instrument that best suits their needs. The platform streamlines processes, removes redundancies, and provides greater accessibility by de-risking investments in developing countries. Its goal is to boost the World Bank Group’s annual guarantee issuance to $20 billion by 2030.
For more information about the guarantee platform, please visit: https://www.worldbank.org/wbgguarantees
Stay updated and follow us at https://x.com/MIGA and https://www.linkedin.com/company/wb-miga
Contact:
In Washington: Elizabeth Howton, ehowton [at] worldbankgroup.org