​Alexandria, April 30, 2009 – Caisse des Dépôts (France), Cassa depositi e prestiti (Italy), EFG Hermes (Egypt) and Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (Morocco) announced today, April 30, 2009 the launching of InfraMed, a long-term investment fund and the first financing facility of the Union for the Mediterranean. The purpose of InfraMed is to be an equity investor in primarily greenfield projects to build urban, energy and transport infrastructure in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region. InfraMed will invest in infrastructure projects compliant with (i) social and environmental responsibility criteria enshrined in the United Nation sponsored PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment) and (ii) the principles set forth in the Long-Term Investors Club charter. The governing bodies of Caisse des Dépôts (France), Cassa depositi e prestiti (Italy), EFG Hermes (Egypt) and Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (Morocco) have approved a joint commitment of up to €400 million for InfraMed. InfraMed will be open to other long-term investors, particularly in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa with the aim of raising in excess of €1 billion over the coming months. Discussions are also underway with leading long-term lenders with a view to boosting the fund’s financial resources by raising long-term debt. Against the background of dwindling sources of finance due to the financial and economic crisis, InfraMed will be a landmark facility for the financing of new urban, energy and transport infrastructure in the countries and territories on the Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean. InfraMed should be a significant contributor of foreign direct equity investment in regional infrastructure projects. The establishment of InfraMed should be seen in the context of the initiative to set up a Long-Term Investors Club, taken by the The Caisse des Dépôts, The Cassa depositi e prestiti, the European Investment Bank and the KfW. La Compagnie Financière du Lion (CFL) is acting as financial advisor to Caisse des Dépôts (France) and Cassa depositi e prestiti (Italy) on InfraMed.