Bank of New York Mellon appointed as Principal Paying Agent in Qtel's $5bn GMTN Programme

This is the inaugural debt issuance for QIFL with net proceeds of the sale of the Notes offered used for general corporate purposes, including refinancing existing indebtedness.

"We are pleased to support this important transaction for Qtel, which is one of the premier corporates in the region. We continue to demonstrate our ability to service the debt and equity needs of issuers in the MEA region."

Qtel is a telecommunications service provider licensed by the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) to provide both fixed and mobile telecommunications services in the state of Qatar. With a presence in 17 countries and committed to expansion both in the MENA region and South East Asia, Qtel's vision is to be among the top 20 telecommunications companies in the world by 2020.

In April 2008, The Bank of New York Mellon received its branch license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) for a regional management and line of business hub in Dubai supporting its established activities in the region, which encompass offices in Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Cairo, Istanbul and Johannesburg.

The Bank of New York Mellon's corporate trust business services more than $12 trillion in outstanding debt from 57 locations around the world. It services all major debt categories, including corporate, municipal and sovereign debt, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, derivative securities and international debt offerings.

The bank does not compete with investment banks and deal arrangers, which allows it to provide issuers, investors, borrowers and lenders with an independent and objective service for their transactions.

Corporate trust providers are appointed by corporations, municipal governments and financial institutions issuing debt to perform a variety of duties, including servicing and maintaining the debt issue, processing principal and interest payments for investors, representing investors in defaults, and providing value-added services for complex debt structures.