There is established in the executive branch the United States International Development Finance Corporation (in this chapter referred to as the “Corporation”), which shall be a wholly owned Government corporation for purposes of chapter 91 of title 31 under the foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State.

The purpose of the Corporation shall be to mobilize and facilitate the participation of private sector capital and skills in the economic development of less developed countries, as described in subsection (c), and countries in transition from nonmarket to market economies, in order to complement the development assistance objectives, and advance the foreign policy interests, of the United States. In carrying out its purpose, the Corporation, utilizing broad criteria, shall take into account in its financing operations the economic and financial soundness and development objectives of projects for which it provides support under subchapter II of this chapter.