On April 29, 2026, the U.S.-Saudi Business Council successfully convened a high-level Executive U.S.-Saudi EXIM Bank Roundtable at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., on the sidelines of the 2026 EXIM Annual Conference. The closed-door session brought together senior U.S. and Saudi government officials, export credit leaders, and private sector stakeholders to strengthen bilateral trade and investment collaboration.
The roundtable also served as the setting for the signing of a major reinsurance agreement between The Export–Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) and Saudi EXIM Bank. The agreement establishes a reinsurance framework to support financing for U.S. exports of capital goods and production inputs to Saudi Arabia, enhance credit coverage, and strengthen supply chain resilience across strategic sectors. It reflects a shared commitment to expanding bilateral trade, supporting non-oil export growth, and advancing the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
The roundtable opened with remarks from Charles S. Hallab, President and CEO of the U.S.-Saudi Business Council, who underscored the growing momentum in U.S.-Saudi economic relations and emphasized the importance of translating strategic alignment into tangible outcomes. He noted that recent bilateral initiatives across energy, mining, and artificial intelligence have laid the foundation for a more integrated and execution-focused phase of cooperation.
Introductory remarks were offered by HRH Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, and keynote remarks were delivered by Hon. John Jovanovic, President and Chairman of EXIM, and H.E. Saad Alkhalb, CEO of Saudi EXIM Bank.
Participants engaged in a candid exchange on priority projects, emerging investment opportunities, and key challenges impacting bilateral cooperation, with a focus on advancing joint financing solutions and accelerating collaboration in strategic sectors.
“The strong engagement and constructive dialogue we saw reflect a shared commitment to expanding U.S.-Saudi partnerships,” said Mr. Hallab. “By aligning the capabilities of EXIM and Saudi EXIM with private sector priorities, we are helping unlock new pathways for investment and supporting projects that will drive long-term economic growth in both countries.”
The roundtable builds on the Council’s expanding work across mining, particularly critical minerals, as well as energy and artificial intelligence. Earlier in 2026, the Council convened a private roundtable on U.S.-Saudi business opportunities in critical minerals on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, following a year of momentum marked by multiple U.S.-Saudi MOUs in mining, energy, and AI.
Together, these efforts support the operationalization of those agreements, with partnerships that have the potential to rebalance global supply chains and advance Saudi Arabia’s ambitions in AI and global manufacturing.
