Strategy. In seeking to track the performance of the Bloomberg Emerging Market USD Sovereign and Sovereign Owned Index ? (the Index), the Fund employs a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund is not required to purchase all of the securities represented in the Index. Instead, the Fund may purchase a subset of the securities in the Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of securities with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the Index. The quantity of holdings in the Fund will be based on a number of factors, including asset size of the Fund. Based on its analysis of these factors, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (SSGA FM or the Adviser), the investment adviser to the Fund … Show more… In seeking to track the performance of the Bloomberg Emerging Market USD Sovereign and Sovereign Owned Index ? (the Index), the Fund employs a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund is not required to purchase all of the securities represented in the Index. Instead, the Fund may purchase a subset of the securities in the Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of securities with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the Index. The quantity of holdings in the Fund will be based on a number of factors, including asset size of the Fund. Based on its analysis of these factors, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (SSGA FM or the Adviser), the investment adviser to the Fund either may invest the Fund's assets in a subset of securities in the Index or may invest the Fund's assets in substantially all of the securities represented in the Index in approximately the same proportions as the Index, as determined by the Adviser to be in the best interest of the Fund in pursuing its objective. The Fund is classified as diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; however, the Fund may become non-diversified solely as a result of tracking the Index (e.g., changes in weightings of one or more component securities). When the Fund is non-diversified, it may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally invests substantially all, but at least 80%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the Index and in securities that the Adviser determines have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of the securities that comprise the Index. In addition, in seeking to track the Index, the Fund may invest in debt securities that are not included in the Index. The Fund may also invest in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments (including money market funds advised by the Adviser) for cash management purposes. In seeking to track the Index, the Fund's assets may be concentrated in an industry or group of industries, but only to the extent the Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries. Swaps and futures contracts (each, a type of derivative instrument) may be used by the Fund in seeking performance that corresponds to its Index and in managing cash flows. The Index is designed to measure the performance of fixed and floating-rate US dollar-denominated debt issued by emerging market sovereigns, as well as government guaranteed emerging market issuers and 100% government owned emerging market issuers (i.e., quasi-sovereign emerging market issuers). An emerging market is a country that the World Bank Income group classifies as low/middle income or the International Monetary Fund (IMF) classifies as a non-advanced country. In addition, the Index Provider (defined below) may classify a country as an emerging market based on factors such as investability concerns, the presence of capital controls, and/or geographic considerations. The Index includes bonds of any credit quality with a minimum par amount outstanding of $1 billion, a remaining maturity of at least one year and an original maturity of greater than two and a half years. SEC-registered, Rule 144A and Regulation S bonds are each eligible for inclusion in the Index. As of July 31, 2025, there were approximately 659 securities in the Index. The Index is calculated by the Index Provider (as defined below) using a capped weighting methodology. At each rebalance, each constituent country within the Index is capped at 5% with respect to the total market value of the Index. Any country weight exceeding the 5% limit will be redistributed on a pro rata basis to the bonds of all other countries in the Index that are below the 5% cap. The Index is rebalanced and reconstituted monthly on the last business day of the month. The Index is sponsored by Bloomberg Index Services Limited (the Index Provider), which is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser. The Index Provider determines the composition of the Index, relative weightings of the securities in the Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Index. Show less