OPEC Fund launches US$1.5 billion initiative to support economic stability, trade and resilience amid rising global pressures

April 29, 2026: The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is launching the Economic Stability, Trade and Resilience Initiative (E-STAR), a US$1.5 billion financing envelope to help partner countries manage rising economic pressures linked to energy, commodity and trade disruptions.

Deployed over the 2026–2028 period, E-STAR will provide rapid, demand-driven support to help countries maintain essential services, secure critical imports, protect development progress and strengthen resilience against future shocks.

OPEC Fund President Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “Many of our partner countries are facing immediate pressure from higher costs, tighter financing conditions and disruption to critical trade flows. E-STAR is designed to respond quickly and where it matters most: helping countries keep essential services running, secure critical supplies and stay on track with their development priorities. At a time of uncertainty, this is about delivering practical support and reinforcing partnership.”

Recent developments in the Middle East are adding to pressures in energy, commodity and trade markets, contributing to inflation, higher import costs and tighter financing conditions. For many developing economies, these pressures are already straining budgets, trade balances and growth prospects. In the most vulnerable countries, they risk undermining economic stability and disrupting access to essential goods.

E-STAR will be deployed on a demand-driven basis through the OPEC Fund’s existing public, private sector and trade finance instruments, enabling a rapid and flexible response to evolving country needs.

The initiative focuses on three priority areas:

• Counter-cyclical support: Fast-disbursing financing to help governments manage rising import costs and tighter financing conditions, while keeping essential services running.
• Trade finance: Support to secure the supply of key goods, including energy, food and agricultural inputs, by helping countries and businesses access working capital and keep critical trade flows moving.
• Resilience building: Targeted investments in energy, transport and logistics infrastructure to strengthen supply chains, support continuity of essential imports and reduce exposure to future disruptions.

Through E-STAR, the OPEC Fund will help partner countries maintain stability, secure essential supplies and strengthen resilience as global pressures persist. The initiative builds on the institution’s proven track record in responding to global disruptions, including its Food Security Action Plan, which was launched in response to global food security pressures following the war in Ukraine and delivered US$1 billion in support between 2022 and 2024.

About the OPEC Fund

The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world. The OPEC Fund was established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed more than US$32 billion to development projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost of more than US$240 billion. The OPEC Fund is rated AA+/Outlook Stable by Fitch and AA+, Outlook Stable by S&P. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all.