SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt, June 6, 2022/ — The private sector institutions affiliated with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group (www.IsDB.org) organized: “The Private Sector Forum” in its tenth edition, during the period from 2-4 June 2022, at the main conference hall in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
The Forum occurred on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the Bank’s Board of Governors, under the theme: “Beyond Recovery: Resilience and Sustainability”.
It is worth noting that the Forum highlighted the activities of the Bank Group, in addition to its services and initiatives in the member countries, including the Arab Republic of Egypt. It also explored the investment and business opportunities and challenges facing the business sector in the member countries, as well as the available financing tools, such as Lines of finance, trade financing and development, and investment insurance, and finally export credit.
Moreover, this event, with its list of activities, presented various economic topics and development projects. The Forum’s program included holding bilateral meetings (B2B and B2G) with the aim of networking, forming partnerships, establishing business relations, exchanging experiences, and presenting success stories.
This Forum witnessed the presence and participation of senior government officials, presidents and CEOs of local, regional, and international private sector companies, along with investors, businessmen, chambers of commerce and industry, trade, and investment promotion agencies, as well as regional and international development financial institutions.
The Forum’s sessions included discussions on the activities, roles, and support provided to member countries. The Forum also addressed issues related to private sector development and trade finance, and the challenges of investment insurance and export credit, with the aim of further encouraging economic and social development among member countries.
During the sessions, the main challenges that hinder the business community and the concerned trade and investment bodies in the Arab region and other member countries were discussed by fostering an environment that allows the parties to take advantage of the available opportunities.
His Excellency Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser, President of the IsDB Group, said: “The Private Sector Forum of the Islamic Development Bank Group in its tenth edition, was held this year in a new form over three consecutive days instead of one day, like what used to happen in the past. The Forum has achieved its objectives and desired outcome during its economic, investment, and business activities and seminars, with the aim of integrating the public and private sectors, which both constitute a basic pillar for economic and social development in our member countries. The public sector is responsible for developing the infrastructure and legislation to create an attractive business climate for the private sector, to be able to develop the production and create job opportunities.”
His Excellency thanked the attendees for participating in the Forum, which included 20 activities, more than 100 speakers, 55 exhibitors, and 2000 participants representing 70 countries. It also witnessed the signing of more than 50 agreements.
During her speech, Dr. Hala El Saeed, Minister of Planning and Economic Development of the Arab Republic of Egypt, expressed her pride in hosting the IsDB’s Annual Meetings by her country for the first time in 30 years, stressing that the goal of the “Private Sector Forum” is to support all development efforts of the private sector in member countries.
El Saeed pointed to the challenges that the world faces, resulting from various global turbulences, pointing to COVID-19’s crisis, then the repercussions of the geopolitical crisis and the Russian-Ukrainian war that occurred before the full recovery from the aforementioned pandemic, stressing that all of these repercussions greatly affect all countries of the world, which is the matter that requires cooperation to make more room for the private sector to participate in the development efforts.
In his opening speech, Mr. Ousama Kaissi, CEO of the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), stated: “The Private Sector Forum is an important platform for the Islamic Development Bank Group to engage with various stakeholders in different aspects. The pandemic and the Ukraine war have exposed dangerous fault lines, including supply chain disruptions, failed healthcare systems, resource scarcity, and the rising cost of living that has disproportionately affected millions, especially in low-income countries.”
He added: “We cannot overemphasize the importance of political risk insurance and credit enhancement, which have a proven track record of effectively reducing risk, thereby stimulating private investment in emerging markets through capital efficient bonds. The pressure on national budgets has severely limited the ability of governments to mobilize funds, and the need for the private sector’s capital is greater than ever, as our engagement with this sector must be realigned to include ever-changing development priorities so that we can deliver on our mandates to the citizens of our member countries.”
Commenting on the success of the Forum, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), said: “Supporting the private sector has become more important than ever and is moving towards a more flexible and sustainable economic development. In this context, ITFC truly appreciates this active participation of the private sector in the Private Sector Forum, during which an excellent platform to enhance the trade and investment opportunities was provided, which was offered by the OIC member countries. Therefore, it is very important that these new business opportunities be financed so that the private sector can operate as an economic catalyst to make a tangible and meaningful impact.”
Mr. Ayman Sejini, CEO of the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, mentioned: “Creating an enabling environment and putting in place appropriate safeguards that need to accompany increased private sector engagement in often sensitive sectors is crucial. A set of guiding principles can help overcome policy dilemmas associated with increased private sector engagement in SDG sectors. A number of tools, including public-private partnerships, investment insurance, blended financing and advance market commitments, can help improve the risk-return profile of SDG investment projects.”
For more information, kindly visit the Private Sector Forum website: (www.IsDBG-PSF.org)
About Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group:
Rated AAA by the major rating agencies, the Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development bank that has been working for over 47 years to improve the lives of the communities it serves by delivering impact at scale. The Bank brings together 57-Member Countries across four continents, touching the lives of 1 in 5 of the world population.
Its mission is to equip people to drive their own economic and social progress at scale, putting the infrastructure in place enabling them to fulfill their potential. Headquartered in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, IsDB has regional hubs and centers of excellence in 11 of its Member Countries.
Over the years, the Bank has evolved from a single entity into a group comprising five entities: Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) tasked with research and training, the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment, and Export Credit (ICIEC), the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).
About Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC):
ICIEC is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. ICIEC was established in 1994 to strengthen the economic relations between member countries of the OIC. Over 27 years, ICIEC has insured in trade and investment more than USD78 billion. USD 62.3 billion represents support for exports and imports, while USD 15.6 billion covered foreign direct investments into ICIEC’s member countries. ICIEC is Rated Aa3 by Moody’s.
ICIEC’s cover has been provided to its 47 member countries across the Muslim world, assisting in their economic prosperity, development and diversification. ICIEC is recognized as the preferred enabler of trade and investment for boosting sustainable economic development in Member Countries, facilitating trade and investment between member countries and the world through Shariah-compliant risk mitigation solutions and tools. https://ICIEC.IsDB.org/
About the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD):
The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) is a multilateral organization affiliated with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). Its authorized capital stands at USD 4 billion, of which USD 2 billion is available for subscription. Its shareholders consist of the IsDB, 55 member countries and five public financial institutions. Headquartered in Jeddah, ICD was established by the IsDB Board of Governors during its 24th annual meeting held in Jeddah in Rajab 1420H (November 1999).
The mandate of ICD is to support the economic development of its member countries by providing financial assistance to private sector projects in accordance with the principles of Shari’ah, aimed at creating employment opportunities and enhancing their export potential. Furthermore, ICD has the mandate of mobilizing additional resources for projects and encouraging the development of Islamic finance.
It also attracts co-financiers for its projects and provides advice to governments and private sector groups on policies aimed at encouraging the establishment, expansion and modernization of private enterprises, the development of capital markets, best management practices, and the enhancement of the role of market economy. ICD’s operations complement the activities of IsDB in member countries and also those of national financial institutions.
About the International Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC):
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided more than US$55 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.
About the Islamic Development Bank Group Business Forum (THIQAH):
The Islamic Development Bank Group Business Forum (THIQAH) is the window of the IsDB Group that facilitate contact and coordination between entities concerned of the IsDB Group and private sector firms and related institutions in IsDB Group member countries. The main objective of THIQAH is to establish a unique platform for effective dialogue, cooperation and inclusive partnership for business leaders committed to partnering in promising investment opportunities.
Through facilitation and catalyst roles, THIQAH will be leveraging IsDB Group’s resources to offer necessary services and confidence to investors and to establish strategic partnerships with the leaders of the private sector. The primary focus will be on maximizing cross-border investment among member countries to be supported by IsDB Group’s financial products and services. (www.IDBGBF.org)
