The fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in African and Middle Eastern companies. The fund relies on MSCI Inc., a third-party provider of benchmark indexes and data services, or another unaffiliated data provider to determine the country assigned to a security. Any derivatives that provide exposure to the investment focus suggested by the fund’s name, or to one or more market risk factors associated with the investment focus suggested by the fund’s name, are counted (as applicable) toward compliance with the fund’s 80% investment policy.

The fund expects to primarily invest in common stocks of companies located (or with primary operations) in Africa and the Middle East. The countries in which the fund normally invests include, but are not limited to, the following:

The fund invests significantly in African and Middle Eastern countries and typically has substantial investments in Saudi Arabia and South Africa. While the adviser invests with an awareness of the adviser’s outlook for certain industries, sectors, and individual countries within the region, the adviser’s decision-making process focuses on bottom-up stock selection. Country allocation is driven largely by stock selection, though the adviser may limit investments in markets or industries that appear to have poor overall prospects.

Security selection reflects a growth style. The adviser relies on a global team of investment analysts dedicated to in-depth fundamental research in an effort to identify high-quality companies capable of achieving and sustaining above-average, long-term earnings growth. The adviser seeks to purchase stocks of companies at reasonable prices in relation to present or anticipated earnings, cash flow, or book value. In selecting investments the adviser generally favors companies with one or more of the following characteristics:

At times, the fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in the same economic sector, such as the financial sector.