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   Investments in Africa, Middle East and Renewable Resources Sector DriveCommitments; Majority of Projects Involve U.S. Small BusinessWASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) increased its financialcommitments to American businesses investing abroad by 30 percent over the lastfiscal year, and marked its 35th consecutive year of reducing the federaldeficit, a notable accomplishment among American development and foreign policyagencies. As the U.S. government`s development finance institution, OPIC committed morethan $3.6 billion to development projects in Fiscal Year 2012, advancing U.S.national security and international development goals, while helping U.S.businesses tap into high growth emerging markets and projecting the best ofAmerican standards and values abroad. OPIC generated a net income of $272million. OPIC investments provided powerful support for the Obama Administration`s focuson the private sector as a critical partner in global development. The agencydelivered hundreds of millions of dollars in support of the Administration`sPartnership for Growth and Feed the Future initiatives, was a lead participantin the Administration`s economic response to ongoing events in the Middle Eastand North Africa. "Over the past two years alone, OPIC has committed over $6 billion todevelopment projects in emerging markets, catalyzed billions more in privatesector finance, all while generating over $500 million for the U.S. taxpayer. Weare proud to be part of the Obama Administration`s response to developmentchallenges, to be having a positive impact on the lives of people and the healthof the planet, while creating growth opportunities for US companies," Ms.Littlefield said. Over the year, OPIC's focus on foreign policy priority regions produced robustresults: The agency committed $907 million in loans, guarantees, insurance andinvestment fund support for projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and over $878 millionfor projects in the Middle East and North Africa. In Afghanistan, where privateinvestment is key to stability as the US draws down its troops, OPIC has a largeand growing $226 million portfolio. Recognizing that American small and medium-sized enterprises are the primarydrivers of the U.S. economy, nearly two-thirds of OPIC projects involved a U.S.small business, helping them tap into growth opportunities in emerging marketsand creating jobs both at home and abroad. OPIC committed nearly $1.6 billion to the renewable resources sector in FY2012,an increase of almost half a billion dollars over FY2011. This includes nearly$1 billion of support to renewable energy projects. A new focus on sustainableagriculture and clean water translated into a dramatic increase in projectsdesigned to improve food security and the delivery of potable water in Africa,Latin America and Eastern Europe: $575 million of the FY2012 portfolio up from$10 million the year before. "OPIC`s mandate to mobilize private sector investment is an extremely effectiveway to drive international development because it applies private marketdiscipline, taps entrepreneurial initiatives and supports U.S. businesses. It isalso an extremely efficient way to support international development as itgenerates income for the federal budget," said OPIC President and CEO ElizabethLittlefield. OPIC is the U.S. Government`s development finance institution.It mobilizesprivate capital to help solve critical development challenges and in doing so,advances U.S. foreign policy.Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, ithelps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets catalyzing revenues,jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad.OPIC achieves its missionby providing investors with financing, guarantees, political risk insurance, andsupport for private equity investment funds.Established as an agency of the U.S. Government in 1971, OPIC operates on aself-sustaining basis at no net cost to American taxpayers. OPIC services areavailable for new and expanding business enterprises in more than 160 countriesworldwide. To date, OPIC has supported more than $200 billion of investment inover 4,000 projects, generated an estimated $75 billion in U.S. exports andsupported more than 277,000 American jobs.  Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)Timothy Harwood, 202-336-8744 Copyright Business Wire 2012