Nadim Ghantous General Manager Byblos Bank Africa

E What made Byblos Bank decide to expand into Sudan? Byblos Bank has had a 30-year relationship with Sudan. We never had any problems and it was a good experience. The chairman is familiar with Sudan, which made a big difference in our approach. In 2001/02 there were signs of the country opening up and encouragement from the Central Bank, prompting Byblos Bank to become the first foreign bank in Sudan. In September 2003, we opened in Sudan. Byblos Bank Africa was supported by the OPEC Fund for International Development, which has a 20% stake in the bank, 10% is held by the Islamic Corporation for Development (100% owned by the Islamic Development Bank, IDB), 5% by a Sudanese family, and the other 65% by Byblos Bank Beirut. E What has been the experience in Sudan so far? Has it been a success? It was nothing less than a full