Germany's Untied Loan Guarantees (UFK)

Country / jurisdiction: Germany · Year: 2020 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

Germany’s Untied Loan Guarantees support German companies that procure commodities through large-scale international projects in emerging and developing economies. The guarantees safeguard lenders involved in overseas projects from commercial and political default risks, particularly lenders in foreign raw material projects. Projects eligible for cover include those with long-term supply contracts between a foreign producer or trader and a German buyer. It backs projects that are deemed beneficial for Germany, such as those involving raw materials or strategic interests. The scheme allows for complex financing structures with long terms, often exceeding 15 years, which is essential for large-scale infrastructure and industrial projects.

By supporting international projects, the UFK scheme helps German companies and banks like KfW IPEX-Bank to engage in global trade and investment opportunities. For example, aiming to secure raw material supplies and ensure the future viability of the German and European industry, KfW IPEX-Bank is contributing USD 300 million to the Mina Justa copper mine in Peru as the largest single lender. KfW IPEX-Bank also serves as the Mandated Lead Arranger and UFK Agent, with its USD 300 million contribution covered by the German government's untied loan guarantee scheme (UFK).

The project focuses on extracting copper, which is crucial for German and European manufacturing. The Mina Justa project has a total investment cost of around USD 1.6 billion, with USD 900 million in project financing. KfW IPEX-Bank's contribution is part of a consortium that includes Export Development Canada (EDC), Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC), and six other international and Peruvian banks. The project controller is the Peru-based mining company Minsur S.A., with Chile's Empresas Copec S.A. as co-sponsor. A key aspect of this project is the long-term off-take agreement between the project company Marcobre S.A.C. and Germany's Aurubis AG, one of the world's largest producers of copper and a global leader in copper recycling. This agreement ensures the delivery of copper concentrates to the German market. Commercial production at Mina Justa was slated to start in 2021.

Official source: https://www.ufk-garantien.de/en/news/news/strategic-projects.html