More government support needed for Islamic institutions in the UAE

There has been a surge in UAE's Islamic banking and capital market activities, but more government support at policy level could help speedy growth of the industry, said Hussain Al Qemzi, Group CEO, Noor Investment Group and CEO Noor Bank. Data suggests that Islamic banks’ asset growth is outstripping their conventional peers in the Gulf region especially in Saudi Arabia and Qatar due to government support. As the biggest borrowers, government entities in the Gulf need to push Islamic structures. Going forward, more Islamic issuances, especially by players who have already transacted conventional issuances, will provide greater depth to the market and confidence to investors who are yet to invest in Islamic instruments.