The Gabonese Republic
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Level: 6 – From: 0 – Thursday, December 5, 2013 – 23:42 – Eprint2 – 4579 Intro THE GABONESE REPUBLIC US$1,500,000,000 6.375% Amortizing Notes due 2024 Issue Price 100% The US$1,500,000,000 6.375% Amortizing Notes due 2024 (the “Notes”) issued by the Gabonese Republic (the “Issuer”, the “Republic” or “Gabon”) will, unless previously redeemed or cancelled, be redeemed in three equal instalments on 12 December 2022, 12 December 2023 and on 12 December 2024 (the “Maturity Date”). See “Terms and Conditions of the Notes—5. Redemption, Purchase and Cancellation”. The Notes comprise (a) US$890,511,120 in aggregate principal amount of Notes (the “Offered Notes”) to be issued by the Republic and subscribed for cash and (b) US$609,488,880 in aggregate principal amount of Notes (the “Exchange Notes”) to be issued by the Republic pursuant to the Exchange and Tender Offers (as defined and described in “Exchange and Tender Offers”). The Offered Notes and the Exchange Notes will be issued on 12 December 2013 (the “Issue Date”) and comprise a single series of Notes. The Notes will bear interest from and including 12 December 2013 at the rate of 6.375% per year payable semi-annually in arrear on 12 June and 12 December in each year. The first payment of interest will be made on 12 June 2014 for the period from and including 12 December 2013 to but excluding12 June 2014. Payments on the Notes will be made in U.S. dollars without deduction for or on account of any Gabonese withholding taxes and the Issuer will pay additional amounts in respect of, and in the event of the imposition of, any such taxes as described herein. See “Terms and Conditions of the Notes—7. Taxation”. An investment in the Notes involves certain risks. Prospective investors should consider the factors described in “Risk Factors”. This Prospectus constitutes a prospectus for the purposes of the Prospectus Directive. This Prospectus has been approved by the Central Bank of Ireland (the “Central Bank”), as competent authority under Directive 2003/71/ EC, as amended (including the amendments made by Directive 2010/73/EU) (the “Prospectus Directive”). The Central Bank only approves this Prospectus as meeting the requirements imposed under Irish and EU law pursuant to the Prospectus Directive. Such approval relates only to Notes that are to be admitted to trading on the regulated market of the Irish Stock Exchange (the “Main Securities Market”) or on another regulated market for the purposes of Directive 2004/39/EC (the “Markets in Financial Instruments Directive”) or that are to be offered to the public in any member state of the European Economic Area (“EU Member States”). Application has been made to the Irish Stock Exchange for the Notes to be admitted to its Official List (the “Official List”) and trading on the Main Securities Market. The Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the Notes are being offered or sold (i) in the United States only to qualified institutional buyers (“QIBs”) (as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act (“Rule 144”)) in accordance with Rule 144A and (ii) outside the United States in offshore transactions in accordance with Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act (“Regulation S”). See “Transfer Restrictions”. The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the regulations of the Monetary and Economic Community for Central Africa (the Communauté économique et monétaire de l’Afrique centrale or “CEMAC”) or Gabonese financial regulations. Unless they are registered and authorised by the financial regulators of the CEMAC and Gabon, the Notes cannot be issued, offered or sold in these jurisdictions. The Notes have been rated BB- (stable) by Fitch Ratings Ltd (“Fitch”) and BB- (stable) by Standard & Poor’s Credit Market Services Europe Limited (“Standard & Poor’s”). All references to Fitch and Standard & Poor’s in this Prospectus are to the entities as defined in this paragraph. Each of Fitch and Standard & Poor’s is established in the European Union and registered under Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009 on credit rating agencies (the “CRA Regulation”). A rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision, suspension or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating organisation. The Notes will be offered and sold in registered form in denominations of US$200,000 or any amount in excess thereof which is an integral multiple of US$1. Notes that are offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S (the “Unrestricted Notes”) will be represented by beneficial interests in a global Note (the “Unrestricted Global Note”) in registered form without interest coupons attached, which will be registered in the name of Citivic Nominees Limited, as nominee for, and will be deposited on or about the Issue Date withacommon depositary for, and in respect of interests held through, Euroclear Bank SA/NV (“Euroclear”) and Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (“Clearstream, Luxembourg”). Notes that are offered and sold in reliance on Rule 144A (the “Restricted Notes”) will be represented by beneficial interests in a global Note (the “Restricted Global Note” and, together with the Unrestricted Global Note, the “Global Notes”) in registered form without interest coupons attached, which will be deposited on or about the Issue Date with a custodian for, and registered in the name of Cede & Co. as nominee for, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”). Interests in the Restricted Global Note will be subject to certain restrictions on transfer. Beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be shown on, and transfers thereof will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg and their participants. Except as described herein, certificates will not be issued in exchange for beneficial interests in the Global Notes. Joint Lead Managers Citigroup Deutsche Bank Standard Chartered Bank Financial Advisers to the Issuer Lazard The date of this Prospectus is 6 December 2013 Level: 6 – From: 0 – Thursday, December 5, 2013 – 23:42 – Eprint2 – 4579 Intro RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT The Issuer accepts responsibility for the information contained in this Prospectus. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the Issuer (having taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in this Prospectus is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the Issuer, the information contained in this Prospectus is true and accurate in every material respect and is not misleading in any material respect and this Prospectus, insofar as it concerns such matters, does not omit to state any material fact necessary to make such information not misleading. The opinions, assumptions, intentions, projections and forecasts expressed in this Prospectus with regard to the Issuer are honestly held by the Issuer, have been reached after considering all relevant circumstances and are based on reasonable assumptions. IMPORTANT NOTICE No person has been authorised to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in this document in connection with the offering of the Notes (the “Offering”) and, if given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorised by the Republic or the joint lead managers (the “Joint Lead Managers”) set forth under “Plan of Distribution”. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any offer or sale made hereunder shall, under any circumstances, constitute a representation or create any implication that there has been no adverse change, or any event reasonably likely to involve any adverse change, in the affairs (financial or otherwise) of the Republic since the date of this Prospectus, or that the information contained herein concerning the Republic is correct at any time subsequent to the date hereof. This document may not be used for the purpose of an offer to, or a solicitation by, anyone in any jurisdiction or in any circumstances in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorised or is unlawful, including the CEMAC and Gabon. None of the Joint Lead Managers has independently verified or authorised the whole or any part of the information contained herein. Accordingly, no representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, is made and no responsibility or liability is accepted by the Joint Lead Managers or any of them or their respective affiliates as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this Prospectus or any other information provided by the Republic in connection with the Notes or their distribution. This Prospectus is not intended to provide the basis of any credit or other evaluation and should not be considered as a recommendation by the Republic or the Joint Lead Managers that any recipient of this Prospectus should purchase any of the Notes. Each investor contemplating purchasing Notes should make its own independent investigation of the financial condition and affairs, and its own appraisal of the creditworthiness, of the Republic. IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUE OF THE NOTES, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, LONDON BRANCH, AS STABILISING MANAGER (THE “STABILISING MANAGER”) (OR PERSONS ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE STABILISING MANAGER) MAY OVERALLOT NOTES OR EFFECT TRANSACTIONS WITH A VIEW TO SUPPORTING THE MARKET PRICE OF THE NOTES AT A LEVEL HIGHER THAN THAT WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE PREVAIL.