In this interview, H.E. Raja Al Mazrouei, CEO of Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), discusses the key highlights of the agency’s 2024 annual report and its role in supporting the UAE’s non‑oil export strategy. He reports a 15.7% increase in insured turnover, rising from $14 billion to $16 billion, and an expanded gross exposure covering 110 countries and 17 non‑oil/gas sectors. ECI now protects about 2.85% of the UAE’s total international trade, enabling exporters to enter risky markets with confidence. Partnerships are emphasized as a cornerstone of success, with more than 50 ecosystem partners—including government bodies, financial institutions, and peer export credit agencies—providing knowledge sharing, financing, and innovative tools. The conversation concludes with a forward‑looking question about ECI’s strategic priorities for the remainder of the year to further accelerate export diversification, underscoring the agency’s commitment to growth, risk mitigation, and digital enablement.
TranscriptAuto-generated · 3 min
What are some of the highlights of ECI's annual report?
The key highlight is the growth from 2023 by 15.7% in the total insured turnover of the companies that we support through ECI. Last year's insured turnover was $14 billion, and this year it's $16 billion. So we are really proud of this growth. Also, we have a growth in the gross exposure that we are covering. In terms of countries, it's 110 countries, and we support 17 activity sectors that are non-oil and gas related. And we continue to look for opportunities for UAE companies globally, to link them with those opportunities and protect them as they execute their projects.
How has ECI contributed to advancing the UAE's non-oil export strategy, particularly in high-potential sectors.
So ECI today covers about 2.85% of the overall international foreign trade of the UAE, and by protecting these companies against the risks of international trade, and specifically in risky markets, they have a better appetite to tap into these opportunities without hesitating because of the assumed or pre-assumed risks in those markets. So by using the products and services of Etihad Credit Insurance, these companies can focus on growth while we focus on mitigating risks in those markets.
To what extent have partnerships enhanced ECI's ability to support UAE exporters, and how is this reflected in the outcomes presented in the annual report?
So partnerships is key, specifically in the type of business that we do cross borders. So we have more than 50 partners in our ecosystem that have some government institutions who give the support to UAE companies. We have partnership with financial institutions who are lending and funding those companies in their export requirements. And then we have partnerships with our peers globally, other export credit agencies, where we share knowledge, expertise, and also get inspired of innovative tools or products that we can launch together to facilitate further growth in international trade.
What are some of ECI's strategic priorities for the remainder of the year to further accelerate the UAE's export diversification?
The priority would be to identify potential markets UAE exporters, and we do this at ECI using our own digital tools that identify the export potential for UAE companies in global markets. And by working with these companies and understanding the details of their products and services, we're able to link them to those opportunities and help them grow and scale beyond the UAE market.
