Bahrain, 23 November 2009 - Kuwait Finance House, Bahrain B.S.C. (KFH-Bahrain) has acted as a Joint Lead Manager and a Bookrunner in the USD100 million Sukuk issue for the International Finance Corporation (IFC; S&P AAA; Moody’s Aaa), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. The five year Sukuk was oversubscribed and rated Aaa by Moody’s, in line with IFC’s issuer ratings.

The deal marks another step forward in KFH-Bahrain and enhances its contribution in the capital markets throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

The USD100 million Sukuk issue will be used to support IFC’s plans to increase funding for development activities in emerging markets, including the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Mr. Abdulhakeem Alkhayyat, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of KFH-Bahrain said, "We are proud to be jointly managing the Sukuk issue with HSBC, Dubai Islamic Bank and Liquidity House for IFC. This issuance has gathered a strong interest from the investor community in Bahrain and the GCC bloc. At the same time, the initiative recognises our credentials as a leader in the Sukuk and capital markets. The name of KFH-Bahrain is synonymous with leadership, innovation and professional delivery and this issuance confirms our position as the premier Islamic finance provider in the region."

Mr. Lilian Le Falher, Executive Manager at KFH-Bahrain, commented, "At KFH, we are happy to lead another successful Sukuk offering, for such a reputable international name. We are proud to be associated and working with such prominent financial institutions in promoting this Sukuk issue. By managing this issue, KFH-Bahrain confirms its commitment to develop the Islamic Sukuk market and attract more international attention to the Kingdom and GCC markets."