IslamicFinance.de

The initiative to transform Dubai into the world’s capital of the Islamic economy is progressing steadily towards the goals as scheduled, said Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of Dubai’s Islamic Economy Higher Committee. During its meeting, the committee viewed the work of its major teams tasked with implementing the initiative. The meetings provide an opportunity to discuss the role of these sectors in the implementation of the initiative, he added. All strategic partners and experts are included in these meetings and workshops so as to exchange views and ideas on the initiative, and reach a form of fruitful and constructive cooperation. Dubai’s Islamic economy platform includes finance instruments, insurance, contracts arbitration, Islamic food industry and trade standards (halal food), and quality management standards.

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector ( ICD ) and Chad's Ministry of Finance and Budget have signed a partnership agreement aiming at the creation of a local leasing company (ijara) and a local Islamic bank compliant to the principles of Islamic finance. The two future entities -- leasing company and Islamic bank -- will provide Shariah-compliant financial services and products with a special focus on the SME sector. Through this agreement, ICD will contribute to promote the development of Islamic finance and support SMEs. Minister of Finance and Budget of Chad Atteib Doutoum thanked the ICD and reaffirmed his full support to make the private sector a key player in the economic development of the country. He then promised to provide the necessary support of his Ministry to implement the two financial institutions.

Ten executives from six banking organisations in Korea recently participated in a training course on Islamic finance in collaboration with Qatar Central Bank (QCB). It was intended to enhance the understanding of Islamic finance so that it could be applied in Korea. The trainees had a deeper look at the financial industry in the Middle East, including Qatar, licensing systems, main principles of Islamic finance, basic contracts and case studies on Islamic financial products. They visited Qatar Islamic Bank, Qatar Financial Centre, Qatar Islamic Insurance Company, Barwa Bank, Masraf Al Rayan and others. The training was part of an agreement signed by the Middle East-Korea Financial Co-operation delegation and QCB last January.

ICMIF member Amana Takaful, Sri Lanka, recently announced a payment of surplus to its general insurance customers. This means Takaful policyholders will receive a proportionate rate from the surplus of the risk fund. Non-claimant Takaful policyholders will receive their share of the surplus amounting to 12.5% of the residual portion of the Risk Fund shortly, according to Fazal Ghaffoor, Chief Executive Officer of Amana Takaful. As opposed to conventional insurance the Takaful concept not only benefits claimants but also takes care of non-claimants. Non-claimants receive a proportionate share of the surplus from the risk fund at the end of a defined period.

Mashreq Al Islami recently launched a range of Islamic banking solutions for business banking clients. In addition to personal banking products, the bank now offers flexible business solutions to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across all their business needs. SMEs can benefit from multiple finance options while staying true to Sharia'h principles. Mashreq Al Islami 's Business Banking offers Small and Medium Enterprises a comprehensive suite of Islamic business solutions including Islamic business finance of up to AED1.5million, Islamic business current accounts offering a range of banking solutions on multiple business accounts, attractive and customized Takaful for life cover and savings plans, as well as Islamic treasury solutions.

Al Hilal Bank has announced that it will continue its sustainability efforts of switching off the lights in its branches and offices after working hours and will add a new green initiative in commemoration of World Environment Day on June 5, 2013. Since dimmer screens save energy by as much as 20 per cent, the bank will promote and offer dark-themed backgrounds and screensavers via strategic websites, emailers, Facebook tabs and Twitter links. Through its online campaigns for its ‘Go dark’ initiative, Al Hilal hopes to encourage more organizations and individuals to support simple actions that protect the environment. World Environment Day is celebrated every year on the 5th of June and organized by UNEP - theUnited Nations Environment Programme. This year’s event was held under the theme ‘Think.Eat.Save.’ and was hosted by Mongolia.

In a Tuesday filing with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, Arcapita's official committee of unsecured creditors said it wants to challenge three sets of claims that it says could unlock millions of dollars for creditors of the liquidating firm. The creditors think they can recover more than $33 million owed to Arcapita being held by three Bahrain banks and save Arcapita from $100 million in liabilities stemming from a 2011 transaction with its subsidiary Arcapita Investment Holdings that may have been insolvent. The creditors also think they can get $1.2 million more related to a "preference" claim, which typically refers to claims from the 90-day period before a company files for bankruptcy. In their filing, the creditors said they didn't think litigation would be overly expensive.

Bahrain-based Venture Capital Bank reported a fifth consecutive quarter of profitable performance. The Islamic investment bank posted a net profit of $20.2 million on total revenue of $39.6m for the 15 months ended March 2013. For the quarter ended March this year, the profit was $1.7m and the revenue $5.08m. Total revenue increased 472 per cent on annualised basis to $39.6m for the 15-month period. Concurrently, total expenses decreased by 26pc on an annualised basis to $13.5m for the 15-month period as a result of cost reduction and organisational improvements. Shareholders' equity has grown by 9pc on an annualised basis to $199.2m as of March this year. The results affirm the bank's strategic focus on key sectors, such as healthcare, agribusiness, oil and gas and shipping and in the more economically and politically stable markets in the Mena region.

Experts say the growth potential for Islamic finance in Singapore is still strong. Sukuk or Islamic bond issuances totalled US$137 billion in 2012, up from US$92b in 2011. Yet there is still a gap to fill in the Islamic capital market. According to Mr Ng Nam Sin, Assistant Managing Director (Development) at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the increased volume of issuance is still insufficient to meet the huge demand for Islamic assets for investments and Islamic financial institutions to manage their liabilities. Moreover, there is also a need to broaden the range of Islamic capital market products. Singapore already has the right infrastructure and good regulations already in place. Experts say Singapore's strong regulatory environment and the depth and diversity of its capital markets will enable it to capture a bigger slice of the Islamic financing market.

State-owned Islamic Bank of Thailand plans to increase its capital by 7.11 billion baht (US$234.9mil) and issue a 5 billion baht sukuk, the country's first-ever Islamic bond. The bank plans to issue the 5billion-baht subordinated sukuk to increase its capital ratio. Last year, bank officials said the sukuk would have a likely maturity of 5 years and the bank would appoint Malaysia's CIMB Bank to handle the deal, targeting domestic and institutional investors in Malaysia and Hong Kong. The bank expects to raise 927 million baht in capital this month and 6.2 billion baht in the fourth quarter. The bank, rated BBB by Fitch, also wants to seek investors to establish a presence in the Middle East in the next three years, while increasing its domestic network of branches to 130 from 106 now. It hopes this strategy will help it to return to profit this year and help the country's Islamic financial sector grow.

According to World Bank, on an average, annual housing need in Pakistan is 1.1 million units which require an annual funding of around Rs3.3 trillion per year. While conventional banks/DFIs are stepping away from the housing finance, the share of Islamic banks and HBFC is surging. The gross house loans of Islamic banks grew year-on-year by 15 percent as of December 2012. Among Islamic banks, Meezan Bank, Burj Bank and BankIslami remained the major growth propellers. Islamic housing finance instruments are attractive to the consumers because of the co-ownership nature of the contract instead of borrowing and lending. Besides, with the purchase of share consistently, the rental amount is gradually reduced every month. Facilitating Islamic banks to extend loans coupled with the suggested development of secondary mortgage market is expected to buttress the housing finance in Pakistan.

Khaleeji Commercial Bank and Bank Al Khair, a pair of Bahraini banks, are in talks over a potential merger. The banks have signed an agreement to explore the feasibility of a merger and are forming a steering committee to do due diligence and execute the deal. The proposed tie-up between Khaleeji, an Islamic bank founded in 2004 and listed on the Bahrain bourse, and Bank Al Khair, an Islamic investment bank, comes amid a wave of talks among Bahraini lenders. Three small Bahraini banks completed a merger in January, and Bahrain's Al Salam Bank and BMI Bank are currently pursuing a merger.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) led its first sukuk in more than three years after helping a Saudi property developer raise $450 million. The bank was a lead arranger on Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Development Co. (ALARKAN)’s sukuk on May 21, reforging links with the Riyadh-based real estate company after helping arrange the sale of its $450 million five-year bonds in February 2010. The New York-based bank is seeking to catch up with U.S. competitors as demand accelerates for securities that conform to Islamic principles. Increased competition in the industry could work in banks’ favor, as lower fees increase the chances borrowers will come to market and more banks means a greater profile for the Islamic industry.

Indonesia's Bank Muamalat plans to sell more than 30% by July through an initial public offering and private placements, Chief Executive Arviyan Arifin told reporters Wednesday. Shareholders of the country's first Shariah-compliant lender sought to sell part of their stake in 2011 and 2012 through private placement but couldn't agree on the price. The remaining shares will be offered through private placement. Bahana Securities said Muamalat's shares will be offered in a price range of IDR625-IDR975 each.

The African Guarantee Fund (AGF), reportedly has agreed to guarantee an unspecified portion of KES 100 million (USD 1.2 million) to be loaned by Gulf African Bank (GAB) to SMEs in Kenya. After the signing of the agreement, GAB Managing Director Asad Ahmed reportedly expressed his belief that the deal will help to increase the bank’s financing and risk management capabilities. AGF was established in Kenya in June 2012 with initial capital sufficient to issue partial guarantees of loans totaling USD 50 million. AGF has branches in nine African countries as of March 2013. As of March 2011, GAB had total assets of KES 9.6 billion (USD 112.3 million) and customer deposits of KES 8.2 billion (USD 96 million).

In Kyrgyzstan, state-owned companies play a significant role in the economy, especially in the banking, mining, and transportation sectors. Cronyism and corruption within these companies presents a major obstacle to Kyrgyzstan’s market- economic transition. The existing dynamic only reinforces a patronage system—the antithesis to democracy—resulting in poor economic performance and public service delivery. To reduce such overt political influence in corporate management and increase board independence, CIPE and its local partner, the Corporate Governance School (CGS), are educating board members from state-owned enterprises about the principles of corporate governance. During 56 hours of lectures, discussions and case studies, participants learn the fundamentals of corporate governance, including the function and responsibilities of boards of directors.

Islamic finance is based on two intrinsic features: risk-sharing and the link between financial transactions and the real economy. This critical link brings prudence to the system, promotes equity relative to debt, broadens financial participation, and minimizes overall vulnerability. Another dimension of Islamic finance is the promotion of economic welfare and social justice guided by the objectives of Shariah. Whether Islamic finance is a catalyst for inclusive growth and sustainable development is not as straightforward as one may hope. There are several other areas of Islamic finance which need significant improvements, including regulatory oversight, tax treatment, risk-management practices, and the level of awareness. Despite these limitations, Islamic finance has potential to serve as a tool for financial inclusion through leveraging the entrepreneurial potential of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across sectors and bringing the financially underserved into the economic mainstream.

It’s been almost 10 months since the Sindh High Court restrained the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) from implementing Takaful Rules 2012 that allowed conventional insurance companies to sell Takaful products through separate windows. The court has yet to give its final verdict on a petition of five Takaful operators in which they contended that the provision allowing conventional insurance companies to start selling Takaful products is against Shariah law. If the court clears Takaful Rules 2012, up to 20 conventional insurance companies (life and non-life) are likely to introduce Takaful windows. The paid-up capital requirement for a conventional life insurance company under existing rules is Rs500 million and Rs300 million for a conventional non-life insurance company. The paid-up capital requirements for general and family Takaful companies are not different from their conventional insurance counterparts.

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) moves in the Islamic banking sector of Kazakhstan with a mandate of converting a regional Bank into an Islamic bank with expected investment of up to 35 percent of the subscribed and paid up capital of the bank. Accordingly, it will become second Islamic bank in the country. Earlier, ICD , together with a diverse group of International and local investors including owners of Zaman Group established the first Islamic Leasing (Ijara) Company in Kazakhstan with authorized capital of $ 36 million. In addition, ICD extended $ 20 million for the real estate development project and committed $ 40 million lines of financing facility for the SME sector in the country.

Borsa Istanbul (BIST) aims to become one of the most prominent centers that work in accordance with the principles of participation banking in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Capital Markets Board (SPK) has prepared a regulation on non-interest financing tools, such as five new types of Islamic bond. The new rules, which were sent to Prime Minister’s office for approval this week, will allow Turkish corporate and banks, as well as the Treasury, to issue the world’s most widely used types of sukuk, giving them access to a wider pool of investors via a global market estimated at more than $100 billion. Turkey has also started an initiative to allow companies from 60 countries, chosen according to BIST’s vision of “Istanbul International Finance Center,” to sell their capital market tools in Istanbul and also to buy and sale of tools which are already sold.