OPIC Highlights

Office of External Affairs

1100 New York Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20527

202-336-8400

www.opic.gov

OVERSEAS PRIVATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION

Historically, OPIC has provided more than $970 million in finance and insurance to over 100 projects

ranging from construction and manufacturing to energy and financial services. OPIC’s current investment

portfolio includes more than $125 million to 5 projects in the financial services, manufacturing, communication and services sectors.

Supporting Private Sector Investment in Pakistan

U.S. Small Business Uses OPIC Insurance to

Improve Crop Yields in Pakistan 

A U.S. small business is using OPIC political risk insurance to provide advanced soil treatment technology to

farmers in Pakistan, enabling economically depressed

rural regions of that

country to increase

their crop yields.

OPIC has approved

$1.1 million in

political risk insurance to Sweetwater

International, Inc.,

of Salt Lake City,

Utah, for the manufacture, sale and

leasing of

Sulfurous Acid

Generator (SAG)

machines throughout Pakistan. The SAG technology, patented by

Sweetwater International, reduces salinity and sodicity in

soil, resulting in improved arability and increased agricultural yields. Sweetwater International estimates that

the project will increase farmers’ annual crop yields by

more than 30 percent, and will therefore help Pakistan

reduce poverty on a local basis. 

Moreover, the company has established a research and

training institute to train farmers in irrigation management and conduct further research into SAG technology. 

This project is expected not only to deliver important

economic and subsistence benefits directly to Pakistani

farmers and their customers; but will also improve efficiency in the farming industry; and facilitate the important transfer of technology to Pakistani farmers.

May 2005

Sweetwater International of Utah has

established a research institute to

train Pakistani farmers in irrigation

management and soil treatment technology.

OPIC Supports Private Equity Investment

Through its Investment Funds Program, OPIC supports the

creation and capitalization of long-term, private equity

funds which invest in new, expanding and privatizing companies in emerging markets. Currently, two OPIC-supported

funds, Actis Capital LLP and Clearwater Capital Partners

Investments II, LP, are able to invest in Pakistan.

OPIC and Citibank Establish Lending Facility

In 2002, OPIC committed $75 million to establish a lending

facility with Citibank to support private sector investment in

Pakistan. The facility has been so successful that the initial

commitment has been fully utilized and an additional $75

million has been approved. Under this facility, OPIC leverages its ability to finance projects while helping Citibank to

expand its medium- and long-term lending activities in

Pakistan.

The loans are available in both U.S. dollars and Pakistani

rupees. By working together, OPIC and Citibank are delivering much needed capital to businesses investing in

Pakistan. At the same time, improving the availability of

commercial financing which is contributing to further economic development in Pakistan.

OPIC Insurance Helps Humanitarian Aid Reach

Developing Countries 

The International Rescue Committee, Inc. (IRC), one of the

world's leading humanitarian nonprofit organizations, will

be able to carry out humanitarian, disaster relief and medical assistance, refugee resettlement and retraining programs

in 17 developing countries worldwide, including Pakistan

with the support of $5 million in OPIC political risk insurance.

The OPIC political risk insurance will cover items in IRC

offices in the developing countries, inlcuding computers,

furniture, office supplies, generators and pumps, as well as

tools, medicines and vehicles.

OPIC is a U.S. government agency that helps U.S. businesses invest overseas, fosters economic development in new and emerging

markets, complements the private sector in managing risks associated with foreign direct investment, and supports U.S. foreign policy.

Because OPIC charges market-based fees for its products, it operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to taxpayers. Since

1971, OPIC has supported more than $164 billion worth of investments that have generated over $69 billion in U.S. exports and supported

more than 264,000 American jobs. For more information please go to www.opic.gov.