{"id":40684,"date":"2026-07-08T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T06:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/?p=40684"},"modified":"2026-07-08T07:50:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T05:50:38","slug":"lower-risk-for-exporters-namibia-and-vietnam-have-improved-their-rankings-in-the-oecd-risk-index","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/lower-risk-for-exporters-namibia-and-vietnam-have-improved-their-rankings-in-the-oecd-risk-index\/","title":{"rendered":"Lower Risk for Exporters: Namibia and Vietnam Have Improved Their Rankings in the OECD Risk Index"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At the June meeting of the Country Risk Expert Group (CREG), which focused on assessing countries in Asia, Southern Africa, and East Africa, the member countries of the OECD Consensus decided to upgrade the classification of two countries. Namibia and Vietnam each moved up one level in the country risk ranking. The improved ratings primarily reflect favorable macroeconomic developments, strengthened fiscal indicators, ongoing reforms, and growing investor confidence. For export credit agencies, such as Eximbanka, these countries currently represent a lower level of risk when providing coverage for trade and investment transactions. The improved rating may have a positive impact on the perception of business and investment opportunities in these countries. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

“The upgrade in the ratings of Namibia and Vietnam reflects more favorable macroeconomic developments, stronger fiscal indicators, and growing investor confidence. While Namibia is benefiting primarily from improved public finance management and its potential in the energy sector, Vietnam is consolidating its position as a dynamic manufacturing and export hub in Asia. This is a positive signal for export credit agencies, although the specific risk must always be assessed on a transaction-by-transaction basis,\u201d <\/em> said Pavol Tava\u010d<\/a><\/strong>, deputy CEO of Eximbanka.<\/p>\n\n

Namibia (upgraded from Category 6 to Category 5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Namibia\u2019s rating upgrade was driven primarily by a more favorable economic growth outlook, ongoing fiscal consolidation, improved debt management, lower inflation, a stable macroeconomic environment, and a resilient banking sector. Namibia\u2019s economy slowed slightly to 2% in 2025, mainly due to weaker global demand for natural diamonds in key markets such as the U.S. and China. This year, a recovery of approximately 3% is projected, driven mainly by stronger export revenues from minerals such as uranium and gold, a recovery in agricultural production, and continued investment in mining and energy infrastructure. <\/p>\n\n

Namibia has significant potential, particularly in the energy sector. Its energy sector is among the country\u2019s most important medium- to long-term credit strengths. Offshore oil discoveries, green hydrogen projects, and the expansion of renewable energy capacity have significantly bolstered investor confidence and the country\u2019s long-term growth outlook. <\/p>\n\n

In the area of public finances, Namibia implemented a major tax administration reform that boosted government revenues. The fiscal imbalance was also mitigated through spending cuts and more efficient revenue collection. In October 2025, the country successfully repaid a 2015 Eurobond worth USD 750 million, thereby significantly reducing its exposure to external debt. This step helped bolster investor confidence and fostered a more favorable perception of the country\u2019s fiscal position. <\/p>\n\n

At the same time, inflation is hovering in the range of approximately 3 to 4 percent, which gives the central bank greater leeway to adjust monetary policy while maintaining macroeconomic stability. However, there remains a high degree of dependence on domestic financing, which puts pressure on the local capital market. <\/p>\n\n

The country’s risk assessment is also constrained by high public debt, weak economic diversification, unemployment, and a high dependence on commodity extraction and exports, particularly on volatile diamond revenues.<\/p>\n\n

Vietnam (upgraded from Category 4 to Category 3)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The improvement in Vietnam\u2019s risk perception was driven primarily by sustained strong GDP growth, a high inflow of foreign direct investment, ongoing governance and institutional reforms, and sound fiscal management.<\/p>\n\n

Vietnam is reaffirming its position as one of Asia’s most dynamic economies and a strategic manufacturing hub in the region.<\/p>\n\n

GDP growth above 6%, driven by domestic production and demand as well as strong exports, is boosting fiscal revenues, corporate profitability, and the ability to repay debt. Growth forecasts remain stable at 6 to 7 percent. The country also has a young, skilled, and rapidly growing workforce. <\/p>\n\n

Foreign direct investment inflows in 2025 reached approximately $38 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of about 9%. Stable foreign direct investment supports employment, exports, growth in foreign exchange earnings, and Vietnam\u2019s long-term economic resilience. <\/p>\n\n

The country continues to attract multinational manufacturers seeking to diversify their supply chains outside of China. The government\u2019s efforts to liberalize the economy and implement free-market reforms are boosting competitiveness and strengthening Vietnam\u2019s position in the region. An example of this approach is the recent agreement with India on a comprehensive strategic partnership with a strong focus on trade, investment, technology, and cooperation in the energy sector. <\/p>\n\n

Vietnam\u2019s fiscal position remains its key strength. Government debt remains at a low and stable level, which supports the country\u2019s strong ability to meet its obligations. Reduced reliance on foreign-currency-denominated debt further mitigates exchange rate risks and enhances the country\u2019s resilience to external shocks. <\/p>\n\n

Risks to the banking system, vulnerabilities in the real estate market, and persistent institutional constraints pose obstacles to any further improvement in Vietnam\u2019s rating in the future. Other weaknesses include dependence on external demand, global trade tensions, exchange rate pressures, and rapid credit expansion. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the June meeting of the Country Risk Expert Group (CREG), which focused on assessing countries in Asia, Southern Africa, and East Africa, the member countries of the OECD Consensus decided to upgrade the classification of two countries. Namibia and Vietnam each moved up one level in the country risk ranking. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":30655,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[171,170],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-press-release"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40684"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40691,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40684\/revisions\/40691"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eximbanka.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}