KINSHASA, DEM. REP. OF CONGO, March 14, 2003
—Mr. Assaad Jabre, Vice President, Operations of the International Finance Corporation (IFC)—the private sector development arm of the World Bank Group—will visit the Democratic Republic of Congo March 16-19, 2003. This first high-level visit by an IFC delegation to the DRC follows the visit in February 2002 of Ms. Saran Kebet Koulibaly, IFC Regional Manager, and Abdelkader Allaoua, Associate Director, IFC Sub-Saharan Africa Department.
Mr. Jabre will consult with senior government and industry leaders and discuss ways to improve the environment for the private sector in the DRC and attract more investment flows to the country. The visit underlines the importance and continuing commitment that IFC attaches to its work in the DRC.
Mr. Jabre will be accompanied by Ms. Haydee Celaya, IFC Director for Sub-Saharan Africa; Ms. Saran Kebet-Koulibaly, Regional Manager, West and Central Africa; and Mr. Mohamadou Diop, IFC Regional Representative based in Douala, Cameroon.
The mission of IFC is to promote sustainable private sector investment in developing countries, helping to reduce poverty and improve people's lives. IFC finances private sector investments in the developing world, mobilizes capital in the international financial markets,
helps clients improve social and environmental sustainability, and provides technical assistance and advice to governments and businesses. Since its founding in 1956 through FY02, IFC has committed more than $34 billion of its own funds and arranged $21 billion in syndications for 2,825 companies in 140 developing countries. IFC's worldwide committed portfolio as of FY02 was $15.1 billion for its own account and $6.5 billion held for participants in loan syndications.
In addition, IFC works throughout Africa via the multidonor small and medium enterprise facilities it manages, such as the Africa Project Development Facility and the African Management Services Company. APDF offers a broad package of assistance to help SMEs grow, working to strengthen entrepreneurs, financial institutions, service providers, business associations, and others. AMSCO complements this package by helping African firms recruit and contract expatriate managers, provide and customize training programs, and join in broader sectoral initiatives, corporate governance workshops, and other programs.
For more information, please contact:
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Mohamadou Diop
International Finance Corporation
96 rue Flatters, Suite 305
B.P. 4616 Douala-Bonanjo, Cameroon
Tel: (237) 342 8033; 343 4432
Fax: (237) 342 8014
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David Ashiagbor
Africa Project Development Facility
96 Flatters St. Suite 305
PO Box 4616 Douala Bonanjo, Cameroon
Tel : (237) 342 9451; 342 8033
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NOTE TO EDITORS: A press conference will be held in Kinshasa on March 19, 2003. For details please call Mr. Diop or Mr. Onno Ruhl, World Bank Resident Representative in Kinshasa Tel (243) 994-9011/9015
