IDB funds regional health policy network
The Fundacion Mexicana para la Salud received a $1.5 million IDB grant to create an inter-American network for health policy.
The network will support training for decision makers and technical personnel, with an emphasis on the use of management instruments and analytical methods in the design of health system reforms in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The grant also will finance regional and subregional seminars for health sector officials that will be carried out by the Inter-American Leadership Forum on Health, along with an Internet-based clearinghouse of information on health system reform initiatives.
IDB issues first euro bond
In October, the IDB launched its first bond issue denominated in euros, the new currency that will replace 11 national currencies in the European Union beginning Jan. 1, 1999.
Nomura International was the lead manager of the euro 30 million issue ($35,850,000), which was launched under the IDB's Euro Medium-Term Note Program. The bonds pay a 3.15 percent semiannual coupon and will mature on Oct. 24, 2002. The issue price was 99.98 percent. The net proceeds of the transaction will be swapped into dollar-denominated floating-rate financing.
APPOINTMENTS
Joel Riley , senior deputy manager of the IDB's Human Resources and Administrative Services Department, has been named interim chief advisor in the Office of the Executive Vice President, in addition to his current duties.
Robert Kaplan , previously chief advisor in the Office of the Executive Vice President, has been named chief of the Environment and Natural Resources Management Division within the IDB's Regional Operations Department 2.
Jeremy Gould , previously advisor to the IDB's Regional Operations Department 3, has been named IDB Representative in Barbados. He succeeds Pamela Williams , who has been named a special advisor to the Caribbean Development Bank.
Silvia Sagari , formerly chief of the Infrastructure and Financial Markets Division in the IDB's Sustainable Development Department, has been named senior regional operations advisor for Regional Operations Department 1.
Pietro Masci , who was chief of the Cofinancing Division in Regional Operations Department 1, will succeed Ms. Sagari.
Kyoichi Kato has been named deputy manager of the IDB's Multilateral Investment Fund. He previously held a number of senior positions at the Export-Import Bank of Japan, including posts as regional representative of the bank in Argentina and Colombia.