A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that the company is exploring various options in this regard in the Czech Republic, Russia, the Middle East and Africa, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Poland.
The source also added that RBS will pull out of Romania and Slovakia.
The UK Government owns 79% stake in RBS, which is currently under pressure to shrink its international business.
During the financial crisis of 2007-2009, the government assisted the company with £45.5bn ($67.2bn) to enable it to focus primarily on its domestic market.
In 2013, the credit exposure of RBS to CEEMEA region, as well as central Asia and institutions such as the World Bank stood at £19.1bn.
According to the company’s annual report, this represents 3.4% of the company’s £573bn of credit risk assets.
RBS is eyeing the sale of its corporate debt as well as debt capital markets business in the Middle East and Africa, where its offices are located in the UAE, Qatar and South Africa, according to the news agency.
In case of lack of buyers for those operations, they will be closed.
In February, RBS has announced the reduction of its investment banking operations, as part of which it intends to exit 25 countries across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
The bank’s decision was aimed at refocusing on lending in Britain and cut down its capital, which will in turn help it to return some money to shareholders, Reuters reported.
Image: The Royal Bank of Scotland head office in Istanbul. Photo: courtesy of Reise Reise
