IslamicFinance.de

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and the International Association of Islamic Business (IAIB), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore collaboration between entrepreneurs from Islamic countries and Russian Federation. The two institutions are determined to collaborate on introducing Islamic banking products in Russia and lobbying for changes in Russian banking legislation. ICD's CEO Khaled Al-Aboodi said he was looking forward to the collaboration, while IAIB President Marat Kabayev said the purpose of the partnership was to develop economic ties among Islamic countries, to promote Islamic Finance in Russia and attract investors from Islamic countries. ICD and IAIB also agreed to organize joint professional programmes, market research, workshops, publications, study tours and assistance in production and certification of Halal goods.

According to the Islamic Finance Development Indicator (IFDI), global Islamic finance development declined to 8.8 in 2016 from 9.9 in 2015. The report was prepared by Thomson Reuters and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and was released at the World Islamic Banking conference (WIBC) 2016. Malaysia, Bahrain and the UAE continue to dominate the IFDI report for the 4th consecutive year. However, Malaysia posted a slight decline in its overall IFDI performance in 2016. Outside of the top 15, noteworthy emerging countries that have moved up the IFDI rankings are South Africa, Morocco, Tanzania, Japan and Russia. Among the regions with high potential in Islamic finance is West Africa. Unprecedented oil price storm hindered Islamic finance performance, but not asset growth. Despite lower financial performance, Thomson Reuters maintains a positive outlook for the industry projecting Islamic finance assets to reach $3.5 trillion by 2021.

According to the Thomson Reuters Islamic Finance Development Report 2016, Bahrain leads the GCC’s Islamic finance development for the fourth consecutive year. The report is jointly produced by Thomson Reuters and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD). Bahrain ranks first globally in terms of Governance due to its well established regulatory environment and governance mechanisms. The regulations cover Islamic financial institutions including Islamic asset management and Sukuk. Bahrain is among the top ten countries for the other indicators as well. For the Knowledge indicator, its Islamic finance ecosystem is supported by 17 providers offering Islamic finance related education including universities and institutions. Meanwhile, its Islamic financial institutions continue to contribute socially, with US$ 18.5 million charity, zakat and Qardh al Hasan funds disbursed in 2015.

Dragon Capital Partners (DCP) has mandated the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) as a strategic advisor for developing a joint investment fund to raise $100 million for Kazakhstani SMEs. The purpose of the fund will be to co-invest with foreign investors in Kazakhstan and unlock growth potential in key sectors of the country. The Silk-Way Growth Fund initiative aims to attract international equity funds to invest in Kazakhstani SMEs. The Fund will invest in high-growth Kazakhstani industrial and manufacturing SMEs that enjoy competitive advantages and strong export potential and capacity. The Fund will help reviving the Silk Road on Kazakhstani territory.

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), Aktif Bank and Ijarah Management Company (IMC) have signed a Shareholders Agreement for Joint Strategic Collaboration. Aktif Bank has entered into the Turkish leasing sector by acquiring 32% shares of Haliç Finansal Kiralama (Haliç Leasing) and is planning to primarily fund the growth of SMEs in Turkey. Haliç Leasing will be able to raise the long term funds locally and internationally via Sukuk issuances thanks to extensive knowledge of Aktif Bank on capital markets. CEO of Aktif Bank, Serdar Sümer, said that instead of increasing the number of branches, the bank focuses on diversifying its products and alternative distribution channels. CEO of ICD, Khaled Al Aboodi, said that Haliç Leasing will be the eleventh Islamic leasing company that ICD has invested.

The Kingdom of Jordan closed its inaugural local currency Sukuk, which was more than three-times oversubscribed. The Kingdom raised Jordanian Dinar JOD 34 million (USD 47.9 million) maturing in 2021, with an expected profit rate of 3.01%. The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) acted as Transaction Technical Support and Advisor. The sovereign issuance is part of a comprehensive joint-Technical Assistance Package provided by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and ICD. According to Finance Minister Omar Malhas, Jordan aims to widen the use of Sukuk in the short-term. The Sukuk will play a critical role in increasing the effectiveness of the financing mechanisms of government needs to cover the budget deficits.

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and Afriland First Bank have signed an agreement in which both parties will cooperate to establish an Islamic Window in Ivory Coast. The cooperation reflects ICD's ambition to promote Islamic Finance in its member countries and support its growing presence and activities in Africa. The agreement was signed by Khaled Mohammed Al-Aboodi, CEO and Managing Director of ICD and Olivier Dadjeu Kengne, CEO and Managing Director of Afriland First Bank Ivory Coast. Both directors expressed their strong support for the partnership. The partnership with ICD aims to diversify Afriland First Bank's activities and meet the needs its customers, particularly the needs of a large Muslim community, which is actively involved in trades.

As part of its strategy to facilitate private sector investment, the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), has acquired Capitas Group International and has changed its name to Catalyst Group. The existing Catalyst Group management team is extending market interventions in real estate development and advisory services. Khalid Al Aboodi, CEO of ICD stated that the acquisition of Catalyst Group was strategically important as it will act as a facilitator for business. CEO of Catalyst Group, Nazih Al Naser added that the group was looking forward to improving access to capital for small-to-medium enterprises.

The Islamic fund on microfinance may be soon created in Azerbaijan. Recently, a mission of the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), which included the ICD Senior Regional Manager of for CIS and Europe countries Samir Taghiyev and the Microfinance Advisor at the ICD Bassem Khanfar, visited Baku. Azerbaijan has become one of the two countries, where the ICD starts negotiations with participants of the microfinance market. The second country is Kazakhstan. Earlier, during the 8th Micro-finance Conference in Baku, Executive Director of Azerbaijan Micro-finance Association (AMFA) Zhale Hajiyeva said that businessmen of post-Soviet countries also showed interest in the market. Currently, loan portfolio of Azerbaijan’s microfinance organizations amounted to $485.16 million, according to AMFA.

The Affin Bank Group hopes that its new new strategic alliance with the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) will catapult both institutions to a new level. Affin Bank and ICD have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) where they agreed on strategic collaboration especially within the Asian region. The cooperation reflects ICD’s ambition to expand its geographic footprint and exert its influence within the Asian region. In the process, both parties will offer technical and advisory support particularly on product development and Shariah concepts. Mohammed Alammari, acting CEO of ICD, and Kamarul Ariffin Mohd Jamil, CEO of Affin Bank, signed the MoU. Mohammed Alammari expressed his strong support for the partnership.

The Central Bank of Suriname has granted the Trust Bank a licence to commence Islamic banking. Trust Bank plans to be in operation by the first quarter of 2017. A year ago, Trust Bank signed an advisory services agreement with the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), to support its conversion into Islamic compliant operations. CEO of Trust Bank, Maureen Badjoeri said that Trust Bank wants to facilitate SMEs in more ways than just financially. With this approach, SMEs will be able to start-up or expand production of goods and services with a spin-off in job creation, trade, export and adding to GDP growth. With the Trust Bank closer to reality, Suriname may emerge as a hub for Islamic banking and finance in the region.

During the visit, the ICD delegation will meet with representatives of Azerbaijan's financial sector to study the potential of micro-finance market and works done in this sphere. The conference will also be attended by representatives of Germany's KfW Group.

Le Maroc a choisi la Société islamique pour le développement du secteur privé – SID (Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector – ICD) comme arrangeur pour l’émission de ses premiers Sukuk. ICD conseille et accompagne les pays membres pour développer leur marché de capitaux islamiques, à travers l’émission de Sukuk à court, moyen et long terme, permettant aux Etats de diversifier leurs sources de financement. Les premières émissions de Sukuk au Maroc devraient intervenir au cours des prochains mois.

Ivory Coast plans to complete a sale of 150 billion CFA francs ($263 million) worth of Islamic bonds, following Togo's debut sale of sovereign sukuk launched last month. The two West African nations join Senegal in tapping the market for sukuk, expanding the use of Islamic financing options outside the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The Ivory Coast will sell the 7-year sukuk using ijara with the subscription period closing on Aug. 31. This represents the second phase of a 300 billion CFA franc sukuk programme set up last year by the Ivory Coast. Togo plans to complete the sale of its sukuk later this week, aiming to raise 150 billion CFA franc with a 10-year maturity and a 6.5% yield. The lead arranger for both the Togo and Ivory Coast sukuk is the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD).

London Stock Exchange welcomes ICD to mark the listing of its MTN Programme and inaugural $300 million five year Sukuk. ICD will use the proceeds of the Sukuk to support investments in private sector projects. The MTN program, which is a Wakala structure, will serve as ICD’s main funding platform for regular issuance of Sukuk. HSBC was the arranger for the MTN Program and the syndicate group for the Sukuk included 13 international and regional banks.

Azerbaijan and Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) will discuss the opportunities of financing the country's agriculture. The topic will be discussed by ICD's general driector Khaled Al-Aboodiin during his visit in Baku on May 31. The agricultural projects will be financed through the new Food and Agribusiness Fund with an authorized capital of $600 million. The fund will mainly focus on the production optimization of the companies working in agriculture and a decrease in their logistics inefficiency.

The volume of Islamic Development Bank (IDB)'s investments in Egypt currently amounts to US$3.7 billion. The statement was made by Nazih Al-Nasser, director of asset management and advisory activities of the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD). He made his remarks in Cairo on Tuesday during a conference organised by the Egyptian Banking Institute, designated to focus on the role of the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The seminar 'The Transformation of the Islamic Finance Industry in Indonesia' was held by the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) in collaboration with Financial Services Authority (OJK). President Joko Widodo’s has repeatedly called for the revival of growth in Indonesia’s Islamic finance industry, which is currently being hindered by fragmented regulations. Through this seminar, ICD and OJK aimed to impart the know-how related to the implementation of Shari’ah standards.

Khalid Al Aboudi, Chief Executive Officer of Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), rang the market-opening bell to celebrate the listing of a 300 million US dollar Sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai. The total nominal value of Sukuk currently listed in Dubai has now reached $42.61 billion, more than the value listed in any other centre. The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group has seven other Sukuk currently outstanding on Nasdaq Dubai that have listed since 2014, with a total nominal value of $8.05 billion.

Two new Islamic banks are planned to be opened in Mali and Benin by the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD). The openings are scheduled for next year. The initiative is part of the efforts to expand the industry's consumer base in Africa. According to Khaled Al-Aboodi, the development of Islamic banking in Africa is more important in terms of supplies than in terms of the potentially massive demand. ICD further intends to establish Islamic financial institutions including banks and takaful insurers in Africa. The established in 2009 Tamweel Africa Holding (TAH) is to contribute to the establishment, acquisition and management of Islamic financial institutions in West Africa.