Brigid Janssen  
Phone: (202) 458-4698
Fax: (202) 974-4384
E-mail: bjanssen@ifc.org


WASHINGTON, D.C., March 30, 2000 – The International Finance Corporation launched a US$1.0 billion issue on March 29, 2000 under its Global Medium Term Note program. The 5-year notes, priced today to yield 81 basis points over the benchmark US Treasury bond, carry a coupon of 7.125 percent per annum (payable semi-annually) and an issue price of 99.710 percent. The proceeds of the issue will be swapped in US dollars floating rate funds to support IFC operations. The Joint Lead Managers are HSBC and Merrill Lynch. Co-managers are Paribas, Credit Suisse First Boston, Deutsche Bank, Nomura International, Salomon Smith Barney and Warburg Dillon Reed.
This borrowing is IFC's first US dollar borrowing to be launched as global bond issue, and brings IFC's market borrowings for the fiscal year 2000, which began on July 1, 1999 to about US$3.2 billion.
The mission of IFC, part of the World Bank Group, is to promote private sector investment in developing countries, which will reduce poverty and improve people's lives. IFC finances private sector investments in the developing world, mobilizes capital in the international financial markets, and provides technical assistance and advice to governments and businesses. IFC's long-term debt is rated triple-A by both Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service.