devinitorg/iati-policy-markers huggingface dataset:
FT DOMINICANA FTD is one of four cellular operators in the Dominican Republic.  The company launched commercial operations on 17 November 2000 eight months after France Telecom purchased a 86% stake in Transmisiones y Proyecciones S.A. (TyP), a local company which was originally granted a telecommunications license in 1996.  Following the renaming of TyP to France Telecom Dominicana  ,   France Telecom transferred its entire stake in TyP to Orange S.A.  As of November 2001, FTD had over 220,000 customers and a network that covers approximately 95% of the country''s population.    The Dominican Republic telecommunications market is currently characterized by low national penetration rates and long wait lists for fixed lines.  Fixed line penetration in the Dominican Republic, at 10.5%, is below the 14.7% average for the Latin America and Caribbean region.  Although cellular service was introduced in 1987 and the country''s market is currently served by 4 mobile operators, the Dominican Republic''s 13.9 % mobile penetration rate is still low compared to that of other countries in the region.  The project will help increase wireless penetration by serving new subscribers and spurring increased competition.   Furthermore, the project will introduce new value added services for mobile telephony as well as offer new wireless hi-speed data services to local companies and SMEs and the Dominican population at large.      By increasing access to reliable and affordable telecommunications in the Dominican Republic, the project will benefit the development of almost every sector of the economy and contribute to sustaining the countrys economic growth.  Furthermore, the introduction of new customized services and technologies, that specifically target local companies and SMEs, will contribute to the development of private sector enterprises.  In addition, the project will create direct and indirect jobs in the Dominican Republic.  Many of the position created, especially within FTD, will involve technical or managerial training.  The project will therefore support the building of Information and Communications Technologies human capacity through the creation of high-tech jobs.    On a broad scale, IFCs presence will help demonstrate to other potential investors that longer-term financing is available in Dominican Republic on a project finance basis for non-export driven projects.  On a project-specific scale, IFCs credibility and umbrella will enable the Company to secure the funding necessary for it to complete the project
Banco BHD Energy Efficiency The proposed project entails financing to Banco BHD (BHD), a longstanding client and partner of the IFC, used to finance energy efficiency projects in the industrial and tourism sectors in the Dominican Republic, where electricity costs are among the highest in the region. An Advisory Services program will complement the investment, by increasing the internal capacity of BHD to set up an energy efficiency unit and establishing internal capacity to evaluate and process energy efficiency loans. The project is of particular importance for the Dominican Republic, where electricity tariffs are among the highest in Latin America, and saving energy is essential in keeping a competitive private sector. IFC has a role to develop a financing program for energy efficiency projects in the DR. Implementation of these projects in the Dominican Republic will lead to millions of dollars of savings, which would make businesses more competitive and increase savings and employment. IFC would increase the capacity of the banking sector to finance energy efficiency projects, reduce the DR's dependency on imported oil products, increase competitiveness of the industrial and tourism sectors, and generate Greenhouse Gas emission reductions to address climate change.
Banco BHDL WCS The proposed investment consists of a one-year, renewable , senior loan for up to US$60 million to Banco Múltiple BHD León, S.A. (BHDL or the Bank) in the Dominican Republic (the DR or the Country) under the FIG COVID-19 Emergency Response WCS Envelope (WCS Envelope). The WCS Envelope is designed to provide funding to existing IFC client banks in emerging markets that will then extend new trade-related or working capital loans to companies whose cash flows have been disrupted by the global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The proposed investment intends to support a strategic partner and a leading financial institution in the Country, by supporting the Bank's working capital and trade-related lending programs to DR enterprises, primarily small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the COVID-19 Facility, the project's development thesis is: by supporting its clients' capacity to sustain operations during this acute shock, IFC best positions the private sector to support the economic recovery process, shortening the time it will take for the most vulnerable to return to their traditional income-earning opportunities. 

The expected project-level outcome is providing access to finance/liquidity to relevant stakeholders (emerging markets "EM" and financial institutions "FI", and through them, their customers). This will support stakeholders' capacity to sustain operations and to expedite post-crisis recovery. Specifically, this project intends to provide increased access to working capital finance primarily for SMEs.

Beyond the project-level outcomes, EM banks provide working capital and trade finance to support their customers' operating cash flows. By sustaining the Bank's ability to provide these services, the project intends to promote the resilience of trade finance markets as well as broader stability that comes about by providing for the going concern of market participants in the Dominican Republic.
Occidental DR The project consists of establishing a new hotel company or "the Company using three existing properties fully owned by Occidental in the Dominican Republic (DR), refurbishing the facilities of one hotel to re-brand it to a higher standard and upgrading the fire and life safety systems of another hotel. The Company will start operations with 1,316 rooms.  The proposed project aims to improve the capital and financial structure of the Company to resume its capital investment program in the DR.
SmithEnron Risk Management SUMMARY OF PROJECT INFORMATION (SPI)      Project Name				Dominican Republic-Smith-Enron Cogeneration    						Limited Partnership    Region					Latin America    Sector					Power    Project No				007131    Projected Board Date		August 25, 1995    Company Name				Smith-Enron Cogeneration    Technical Partner and/		Enron Corp. and Smith Cogeneration   or Major Shareholders    Project Cost including 		US$1.5 million   proposed IFC investment   	    Location of project and		Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic   Description of site   	    Description of Company and Purpose of Project    The current transaction consists of hedging the exchange rate risk represented by the fixed rate DEM15 million Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG) (the German bilateral agency) loan which is repayable over the period December 1996 to June 2005. Given that Smith-Enron''s revenues are linked to US dollars whereas the loan payments are to be made in DEM, the DEG loan would give rise to currency risk.  The proposed currency swap would exactly match the DEM payments required under the DEG loan and provide a hedge, effectively transforming the liability into a fixed rate US dollar series of obligations.  The currency swap transaction would be priced on the basis of standard IFC pricing guidelines for client risk management transactions.  IFC''s total exposure on this risk management transaction is estimated at approximately US$1.5 million.    This transaction will support the developmental objective cited in IFC''s initial investment in this power project.  The proposed swap transaction would serve as a hedge to reduce the potential currency risk arising from DEM liability payments against US dollar-based revenues.  The currency swap would improve the stability of the Company''s future cashflows and enhance its underlying profitability.    Environmental Categories and Issues    The proposed transaction is of a financial nature only, and accordingly is classified as a category C Project according to IFC''s environmental review guidelines and procedures.    Date SPI sent to PIC	August 11, 1995    For additional Information contact:  Corporate Relations Unit -    telephone:(202) 473-7711    facsimile:(202) 676-0365.
Parques Eolicos del Caribe S.A. Parques Eólicos del Caribe S.A (PECASA or the Company) is currently developing a 50 MW greenfield wind power plant.  The plant will consist of:  i) installation of 25x 2 MW Gamesa G97 wind turbine generators, ii) construction of a 14 km 138 kV transmission line; and iii) construction of access roads, a substation, and foundations/ platforms for the WTGs (the Project).   The Project is located  near the town of Villa Vasquez in the province of Montecristi, in the northwestern part of the Dominican Republic (DR). The Project is being developed pursuant to a 20 year concession awarded by the Comisión Nacional de la Energía (CNE) of the DR  The Project is expected to produce approximately 156 Gwhs annually and will sell 100% of power produced to Corporacion Dominicana de Empresas Electricas Estatales (CDEEE) under a 20 year power purchase agreement (PPA).    The Project construction is expected to commence in November 2012 and be completed and commissioned by year end 2013. (i) Diversifying the power generation mix in the DR: Currently the DR relies primarily on imported, expensive fuel to generate power.  The Project would enable local wind resources, rather than imported fuel, to generate power; furthermore, the cost of the Project''s power is significantly less than current wholesale power prices in the DR, so the country will add lower cost power to the energy mix;   (ii) The Project is expected to generate approx. 156 GWh per annum of clean, non-fossil fuel dependent electricity generation that will displace an estimated 110,000 tCO2e per annum, leading to improved air quality and climate change mitigation.
Grupo M Project Founded in 1986, Grupo M is the largest private sector employer in the Dominican Republic with 12,000 employees working in 22 production facilities and is the largest apparel producer in the Caribbean/Central American region supplying to major US brand name companies including Liz Claiborne, Polo, Levis, Hanes and Tommy Hilfiger.  

The Haiti Project is a phased development of a 500,000 m2 site on the border of Haiti and DR.  Phase 1 of the investment program will develop an area of 150,000 m2  for a total investment of $11 million. Upon completion, Phase 1 is expected to generate 1,500 direct jobs and up to 3,000 indirect jobs for Haitian workers in the adjacent area.  Subsequent development is expected to include outside customers producing apparel, footwear and other  products who would lease or purchase facilities built to order by the zone development company, which will be 100% owned by Grupo M. The total site area would allow up to 40 factory units providing as many as 20,000 direct jobs and 40,000 indirect jobs at full capacity. The project is to provide 
-  a corporate financing to Grupo M (the Group or the company), a vertically integrated apparel manufacturer in the Dominican Republic producing knits and woven products for the US market, to finance ongoing capital expenditures, long term working capital needs and to refinance existing obligations, and 
-  a loan to finance an export zone promoted by Grupo M focusing on garment production in the Republic of Haiti (the Haiti Project).
BHD Peso Loan The proposed project consists of a local currency fixed-rate loan of up to DOP 2,150 million (approximately US$50 million) for up to seven years (the Project) to Banco BHD Leon (the Bank), the second largest privately-owned bank in the Dominican Republic and a long-standing partner of IFC. The purpose of the Project is to support the Banks growth of its small and medium enterprises (SMEs) portfolio.    The project is consistent with IFC''s Strategy in the Dominican Republic by emphasizing and strengthening linkages with existing clients to support their sustainability and expansion. This project is expected to have the following developmental impact: 1.  Access to finance: Increase access to finance for small and medium enterprises; 2.  Capital market development: The issuance of a local currency bond to fund the project will support the development of capital markets in the Dominican Republic.
Unigold Project Unigold Inc. (Unigold) is a TSX Venture Exchange listed Canadian junior mining exploration company with a large and prospective land package in the northwestern part of the Dominican Republic near the border with Haiti along the volcanic belt that hosts Pueblo Viejo, one of the largest gold deposits in the world today (with defined gold reserves of over 25 million ounces). Unigold''s focus lies within its wholly owned Neita Concession (Neita or the Project), which covers 22,600 ha.  The Company acquired 100% interest in the Fiscal Reserve for Neita in July 2002, which was converted into an exploratory concession in 2006 via an application to the government.  The exploration concession was renewed in 2012 and is valid until 2015 with two one-year extensions.  Unigold started drilling the Neita property in 2004 and has to date drilled more than 60,000 meters. Multiple targets have been identified, including Los Candelones and its Extension Zone Lomita Piña, MGN, Noisey and Corozo.  Geologically, this area is highly prospective with significant widths and grades of gold mineralization and continuity. Unigold is currently pursuing a 40,000m drilling program, which started last year and will be completed in 2013. Approximately 30,000m of the total program will be focused on Los Candelones and its Extension Zone, the remaining 10,000m to discover other targets outside of Candelones. In addition, Unigold is conducting metallurgical studies and other exploration works in order to produce its first NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the Candelones target area, followed by a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). The proposed investment is an early-stage investment preceding a commercial resource discovery. Generally, exploration projects have limited development impact but even at this early stage, the proposed investment has shown tangible benefits for the surrounding communities. The Project provides some direct employment to rural communities in an IFC Frontier Region, where formal employment opportunities are scarce and poverty levels are high. The majority of employees are Dominican nationals, most of which are members of the community of Restauracion or members of other communities located in the area surrounding the project.   Should exploration lead to mine development and production, the developmental impacts from this Project would include revenues to the government, rural development through the creation of direct and indirect employment, continuing economic diversification into a new sector, and an important demonstration effect of how large-scale commercial mining may be developed in accordance with good international industry practice.
Centro BHD Project Centro Financiero BHD (Centro or the company) is a diversified financial services holding company that currently comprises of fourteen subsidiaries which offer a broad range of financial services in the Dominican Republic, including corporate and commercial banking, credit card, consumer credit, SME and microfinance, pension administration, insurance, remittances and private banking, among others. 

The investment proposal consists of an equity investment in Centro Financiero BHD, (Centro or the company). IFC will acquire up to approximately 9% in Centro from Grupo BHD, the largest shareholder of Centro. 

The project is in line with IFCs strategy in the Dominican Republic and presents a good opportunity for IFC to support the recovery of the financial sector from the crisis of 2003 by supporting the further expansion of a company that provides diversified financial services. The proposed investment will:

- allow IFC to support the continued expansion of a company that provides diversified financial services, including retail banking through its commercial banking subsidiary, and serves nascent market niches such as housing finance and SME/Micro finance; and 
- improve penetration of financial sector services.
Banco BHD Credit Line The project would provide scarce long-term funding for Dominican middle-market companies seeking to expand, modernize and otherwise improve their international competitiveness.  By supporting middle-market enterprises, IFC would be helping to improve the economy and strengthen an important job-creating sector.  This project would be IFC''s first financial sector initiative in the Dominican Republic.  IFC''s engagement in the financial sector will be important in helping transfer international best practices, particularly in terms of corporate governance and risk management, to the country.  By providing a leading local bank with long-term funding for on-lending to viable middle-market companies, IFC will help to meet a strong demand for long-term funds by a large segment of the country''s corporate sector.  Through its environmental requirements for sub-projects, IFC will enhance the Bank''s ability to assess and mitigate environmental risk, while impacting favorably on sub-borrowers'' environmental management capability and awareness.  In addition, IFC will provide the Bank with capital support in the form of a subordinated loan for Tier II capital purposes; this is the first time that such an instrument will be provided in the Dominican Republic following the enactment of a new law allowing banks to obtain Tier II capital.
La Nacional The proposed investment consists of: i) a local currency loan of approximately 190 million Dominican Pesos (up to $5 million equivalent); and ii) a Partial Credit Guarantee of up to a 400 million Dominican Pesos ($10.5 million equivalent) for Asociación La Nacional de Ahorros y Préstamos para la Vivienda (La Nacional or the Company) to be used to fund lending activity in the middle-low income mortgage sector (La Nacional or the Project).  Asociación La Nacional operates commercially as mutual savings and loans focused on providing mortgage loans for middle-low income housing and, to a lesser extent, SME and consumer loans. The Company operates in urban and rural regions throughout 47 branches, 36% of which are located in provinces outside the two main urban areas where banking penetration is especially low. - Provide long-term financing on terms not generally available:    Long term funding is important to reduce term mismatch risk in mortgages. The IFC transaction is thus expected to provide long-term funding with a tenor and amount that is not generally available in the local capital markets.    - Broadening Funding Source:    The project will assist La Nacional to diversify its funding structure which is based on savings and term deposits.
Domicem II Project This project is a modification to an existing IFC project in the Dominican Republic  Domicem No. 20490, which was approved by the Board on July 8, 2003.  The original project envisaged partial ownership by Domicem (or the company) of a captive power plant.  During construction of the plant, the company has decided that it would be more efficient to fully own the power plant while having an energy equipment supplier operating and maintaining it.
Asociacion Dominicana para el Desarollo de la Mujer ADOPEM is the second largest MFI in the Dominican Republic.  ADOPEM, a true micro lender, is known for its market savvy and keen application of its credit methodology.  While still a non governamental organization (NGO), ADOPEM is undergoing a formalization process to obtain access to cheaper and more diversified funding.  ADOPEM has completed many of the necessary legal and regulatory requirements and will be ready to formalize its conversion  into a regulated commercial microfinance bank by mid-2003.  This would allow the institution to amplify its product line, mobilize deposits and open its capital participation to new investors.  IFCs investment is structured in this perspective and should facilitate the entry of a strategic technical shareholder.
FONDESA Project The proposed investment (the Project) consists of a local currency loan of approximately DOP 190 million (up to $5 million equivalent) for Fondo para el Desarrollo, Inc. (FONDESA or the Company). With an average loan size of approximately $1,000, FONDESA is an NGO focused on providing financial services to micro entrepreneurs, low and middle income segments and rural populations in frontier regions and small provinces across the north and northwest of the Dominican Republic, where commercial banks have limited presence. The Dominican Republic still has a very unequal distribution of financial services: 76% of the financial system resources are concentrated in the Metropolitan areas, mainly the two largest cities, Santo Domingo and Santiago, leaving other areas with limited access to finance. The Project is expected to:     -Enhance FONDESA''s ability to support productive micro entrepreneurs and low income borrowers who will, in turn, stimulate growth, employment generation and poverty reduction.    - Strengthen micro finance services in the Dominican Republic, covering a number of provinces across the country and outside urban areas with low banking penetration.
Linea Clave Linea Clave International, S.A. is the first natural gas distribution company in the Dominican Republic providing compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas to industrial clients. In almost three years of operations as sole player in the natural gas market, it has established itself as the pioneer and leader in natural gas distribution in the country, with a solid reputation of technical expertise and operational reliability.    

Linea Claves business plan includes continuing to grow its industrial client base and expand its line of business to supply natural gas to hotel clusters, power generation companies, and the vehicular sector. To support its expansion plans, the Company has signed agreements with highly reputable international technology providers for the supply of equipment to handle, transport and distribute both compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the local market. Linea Clave sources its gas supply from AES LNG import terminal through medium to long term CNG and LNG supply contracts. 

The Project involves the acquisition of CNG and LNG handling, storage, and transport equipment to service existing and potential clients. The proposed investment is expected to have the following developmental impacts: (i) help diversify the Dominican Republics energy matrix and reduce its dependence on oil-based energy; (ii) reduce industrials manufacturing costs by utilizing less expensive sources of energy, increasing their ability to compete globally; (iii) reduce the overall polluting emissions of the industrial/power sector by using clean energy; (iv) support the development of a potential regional player in the natural gas sector; (v) set environmental and performance guidelines thus establishing a benchmark for a sector that is currently under development; and (vi) support the introduction of new technology for LNG distribution and the development of the regulatory environment.