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The World Bank dream of taking an initiative and then passing the operation onto the private sector has come true in the case of an emerging markets database. The database, developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s arm for promoting private investment, is being sold to ratings agency Standard & Poor’s for an undisclosed price.

“The measure of our success,” says Peter Woicke, IFC’s executive vice president, “is when the private sector moves in, and we move out.”