ICD backs $200 million Senegal sukuk project

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB), and the government of Senegal and have announced the African state’s plan to relaunch a XOF 100 billion ($200 million) sukuk project next year. Amadou Ba, Senegal’s minister of economy and finance, has reaffirmed the interest of his government of Senegal to diversify its financing instruments. This project is the beginning of an ambitious program which could lead to the financing of innovative infrastructure and energy projects through sukuk issuances. This project is the first of its kind in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and aims to promote Islamic finance as an alternative instrument to finance the economies of the member states of the union.