diff --git a/gcc/rust/backend/rust-compile-extern.h b/gcc/rust/backend/rust-compile-extern.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1eba011c6fac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gcc/rust/backend/rust-compile-extern.h
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+// This file is part of GCC.
+
+// GCC is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+// the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
+// Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later
+// version.
+
+// GCC is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+// WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+// for more details.
+
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with GCC; see the file COPYING3.  If not see
+// <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+#ifndef RUST_COMPILE_EXTERN_ITEM
+#define RUST_COMPILE_EXTERN_ITEM
+
+#include "rust-compile-base.h"
+#include "rust-compile-tyty.h"
+#include "rust-compile-implitem.h"
+#include "rust-compile-var-decl.h"
+#include "rust-compile-stmt.h"
+#include "rust-compile-expr.h"
+#include "rust-compile-fnparam.h"
+
+namespace Rust {
+namespace Compile {
+
+class CompileExternItem : public HIRCompileBase
+{
+  using Rust::Compile::HIRCompileBase::visit;
+
+public:
+  static void compile (HIR::ExternalItem *item, Context *ctx,
+		       bool compile_fns = true,
+		       TyTy::BaseType *concrete = nullptr)
+  {
+    CompileExternItem compiler (ctx, compile_fns, concrete);
+    item->accept_vis (compiler);
+  }
+
+  void visit (HIR::ExternalStaticItem &item) override
+  {
+    TyTy::BaseType *resolved_type = nullptr;
+    bool ok = ctx->get_tyctx ()->lookup_type (item.get_mappings ().get_hirid (),
+					      &resolved_type);
+    rust_assert (ok);
+
+    std::string name = item.get_item_name ();
+
+    // FIXME
+    // this is assuming C ABI
+    std::string asm_name = "_" + name;
+
+    Btype *type = TyTyResolveCompile::compile (ctx, resolved_type);
+    bool is_external = true;
+    bool is_hidden = false;
+    bool in_unique_section = false;
+
+    Bvariable *static_global
+      = ctx->get_backend ()->global_variable (name, asm_name, type, is_external,
+					      is_hidden, in_unique_section,
+					      item.get_locus ());
+    ctx->insert_var_decl (item.get_mappings ().get_hirid (), static_global);
+    ctx->push_var (static_global);
+  }
+
+  void visit (HIR::ExternalFunctionItem &function) override
+  {
+    if (!compile_fns)
+      return;
+
+    TyTy::BaseType *fntype_tyty;
+    if (!ctx->get_tyctx ()->lookup_type (function.get_mappings ().get_hirid (),
+					 &fntype_tyty))
+      {
+	rust_fatal_error (function.get_locus (),
+			  "failed to lookup function type");
+	return;
+      }
+
+    rust_assert (fntype_tyty->get_kind () == TyTy::TypeKind::FNDEF);
+    TyTy::FnType *fntype = static_cast<TyTy::FnType *> (fntype_tyty);
+    if (fntype->has_subsititions_defined ())
+      {
+	// we cant do anything for this only when it is used and a concrete type
+	// is given
+	if (concrete == nullptr)
+	  return;
+	else
+	  {
+	    rust_assert (concrete->get_kind () == TyTy::TypeKind::FNDEF);
+	    fntype = static_cast<TyTy::FnType *> (concrete);
+	  }
+      }
+
+    // items can be forward compiled which means we may not need to invoke this
+    // code. We might also have already compiled this generic function as well.
+    Bfunction *lookup = nullptr;
+    if (ctx->lookup_function_decl (fntype->get_ty_ref (), &lookup, fntype))
+      {
+	// has this been added to the list then it must be finished
+	if (ctx->function_completed (lookup))
+	  {
+	    Bfunction *dummy = nullptr;
+	    if (!ctx->lookup_function_decl (fntype->get_ty_ref (), &dummy))
+	      ctx->insert_function_decl (fntype->get_ty_ref (), lookup, fntype);
+
+	    return;
+	  }
+      }
+
+    if (fntype->has_subsititions_defined ())
+      {
+	// override the Hir Lookups for the substituions in this context
+	fntype->override_context ();
+      }
+
+    ::Btype *compiled_fn_type = TyTyResolveCompile::compile (ctx, fntype);
+
+    const unsigned int flags
+      = Backend::function_is_declaration | Backend::function_is_visible;
+
+    std::string ir_symbol_name = function.get_item_name ();
+    // FIXME this assumes C ABI
+    std::string asm_name = function.get_item_name ();
+
+    Bfunction *fndecl
+      = ctx->get_backend ()->function (compiled_fn_type, ir_symbol_name,
+				       asm_name, flags, function.get_locus ());
+    ctx->insert_function_decl (fntype->get_ty_ref (), fndecl, fntype);
+  }
+
+private:
+  CompileExternItem (Context *ctx, bool compile_fns, TyTy::BaseType *concrete)
+    : HIRCompileBase (ctx), compile_fns (compile_fns), concrete (concrete)
+  {}
+
+  bool compile_fns;
+  TyTy::BaseType *concrete;
+};
+
+} // namespace Compile
+} // namespace Rust
+
+#endif // RUST_COMPILE_EXTERN_ITEM
diff --git a/gcc/rust/backend/rust-compile-item.h b/gcc/rust/backend/rust-compile-item.h
index eacfda90a79c..a6bc7f3f73bf 100644
--- a/gcc/rust/backend/rust-compile-item.h
+++ b/gcc/rust/backend/rust-compile-item.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "rust-compile-stmt.h"
 #include "rust-compile-expr.h"
 #include "rust-compile-fnparam.h"
+#include "rust-compile-extern.h"
 
 namespace Rust {
 namespace Compile {
@@ -274,6 +275,14 @@ class CompileItem : public HIRCompileBase
 					compile_fns);
   }
 
+  void visit (HIR::ExternBlock &extern_block) override
+  {
+    for (auto &item : extern_block.get_extern_items ())
+      {
+	CompileExternItem::compile (item.get (), ctx, compile_fns, concrete);
+      }
+  }
+
 private:
   CompileItem (Context *ctx, bool compile_fns, TyTy::BaseType *concrete)
     : HIRCompileBase (ctx), compile_fns (compile_fns), concrete (concrete)