IslamicFinance.de

CIMB Islamic Bank today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Global University of Islamic Finance (INCEIF) to build a collaborative framework towards establishing a research centre for Islamic banking studies. CIMB Islamic Bank chief executive officer Badlisyah Abdul Ghani said the bank had allocated RM1.5 million as sponsorship over the three-year collaboration period. He said the MoU also aims to enhance and strengthen Malaysia's position as a globally recognised marketplace for Islamic banking and Islamic finance. INCEIF is the only institute in the world that focuses solely on Islamic finance education and research.

The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) has issued its Second Working Paper on the Evaluation of Core Principles Relevant to Islamic Finance Regulation. The Working Paper is issued in parallel to the Exposure Draft (ED-17) of the Standard on Core Principles for Islamic Finance Regulation (Banking Segment), and provides the background and wider context for the Standard that is under preparation by an IFSB Working Group. The Working Paper (WP) assesses in full the Core Principles issued by the Basel Committee for Banking Supervision (BCBS), the International Organization for Securities Commissions (IOSCO), as well as those issued by the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS).

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) and Paris Dauphine University (UPD) have entered into a landmark agreement to extend cooperation in Islamic Finance education and training. Both parties will work closely to design programs and initiatives in Islamic Finance tailored for the GCC and MENA regions. They will also jointly develop curricula that will give full credit for courses taken in either of the institutions.

Conference program of the upcoming AAOIFI event.

A year after the emirate set out plans to be the Islamic economic hub, it's seven months behind schedule in setting up a centralised Sharia body that would help spur the emirate's sukuk market. Dubai is still deliberating with the federal government to establish the board, according to Abdulla Mohammad Al Awar, chief executive officer of the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC). While Islamic financial assets are set to almost double to $3.4 trillion by 2018, regulations in the industry are underdeveloped. Malaysia is one of the first countries to set up a Sharia authority as part of its central bank. The UAE Federal National Council, a half-elected advisory council with some parliamentary powers, plans to push for a central Sharia board.

Alizz islamic bank has begun its local community engagement in Dakhliyah governorate with generous support towards Al Noor Association in Burkat al Mooz. Salaam bin Said al Shaksy, chief executive officer of alizz islamic bank and other senior executives from the bank planned a surprise visit to the association after the successful launch of alizz islamic bank’s official launch of Nizwa Branch in Firq. The association serves the interest of blind and visually impaired in social, economic, welfare, education, health, training, placement and teaching of brail. The centre in Burkat al Mooz represents interests of the blind covering the Dakhliyah region.

The Bahrain-based Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) has issued two new sharia standards, revised three others and said it will review at least five more in coming months. The move appears to signal a more proactive approach by AAOIFI, which has acted only gradually to address some of the industry's big issues and controversies in recent years. AAOIFI may now be picking up the pace after it appointed a new secretary-general in September, Saudi Arabian national Hamed Hassan Merah. AAOIFI issued a standard for arboun (down payments) and another on conditional termination of contracts. Moreover, the body has also revised standards covering the conversion of conventional banks into Islamic ones, debt transfers (hawala) and murabaha.

Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said that foreign currency reserves will be increased up to $15 billion till December 31 this year through selling Sukuk bonds worth $500 million as IMF has also nodded to give $1.1 billion installment. Ishaq said the government would first hold roadshows and then float sukuk in the Middle East and Europe between November 21 and 24. He claimed to achieve $15 billion target till the end of this year. He said that the government would increase the size of Sukuk bond from $500 million to $1 billion after observing the investors' interest. Pakistan's foreign currency reserves stood at $13.443 billion on October 31, 2014, including $8.618 billion reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan and $4.825 billion reserves held by the commercial banks.

Al Hilal Bank recently received Kairat Kelimbetov, the Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Both parties discussed the key role of Al Hilal Bank as the first and only Islamic bank operating in Kazakhstan. Mohamed Jamil Berro, Al Hilal Bank’s Group CEO, personally welcomed Governor Kelimbetov and briefed the guest on the Islamic products offered by Al Hilal. Kelimbetov noted the role of Al Hilal Bank’s activities in the development of Islamic finance in Kazakhstan, and added that the National Bank of Kazakhstan will continue to support development of Islamic finance in Kazakhstan.

The chairman of Istanbul's Stock Exchange, ?brahim Turhan, has said that public offerings of debt instruments is increasing. He made the comments in response to questions from press members after the 11th Synergy Meeting held in Bursa by the Balkan and Rumelia Industry and Business Association (BALKANS?AD). He also announced for the first time that the Islamic Development Bank, of which the Turkish Treasury is also a shareholder, will be quoting non-interest bearing notes (sukuk) of $10 billion at Istanbul's Stock Exchange Market. He added that soon a major insurance company will be offered to the public, followed by an important bank due for a capital increase.

Dr. Hussein Hamed Hassan, Chairman of Shari’a Board for Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), recently visited Pakistan to meet various Shari’a Scholars, Government Dignitaries, senior Islamic Bankers, State Bank of Pakistan officials, prominent Pakistani businessmen and Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan (DIBPL) management. Dr. Hussein during his visit held various crucial meetings on Islamic Banking and Shari’a compliance with major stakeholders in the country. He is considered as one of the founding fathers of Islamic finance due to his contribution to developing structures for the day to day running of Islamic banks and financial institutions.

Saudi Arabia's Kafala loan guarantee program proves to be a vital conduit between banks and smaller businesses, a report recently produced by the global publishing firm Oxford Business Group (OBG) revealed. The Report: "Saudi Arabia 2014" provides extensive coverage on the national drive to boost lending activity and facilitate growth in the Kingdom's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The report also looks in detail at the impact of e-banking and online services. Facing lengthy bureaucratic procedures and licensing is a big problem for SMEs. Another problem is accounting, as most SMEs are single proprietor companies, and the distinction between company and private assets is often hazy.

The adoption of good governance practices is beneficial to listed companies, unlisted companies, and family-owned enterprises. Good governance practices strengthen companies by building relationships among investors, boards of directors, managers, and employees. Implementing corporate governance guidelines allows businesses to obtain capital at lower cost, enhance business strategy, and attract the best human capital. Corporate governances also promotes competitiveness in the marketplace and is an antidote to corruption. CIPE partnered with the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan to assess sectoral needs and develop the Corporate Governance Guide for Family-Owned Enterprises.

Nigeria’s aim to be a hub for Islamic finance is failing to materialise as a shortage of skilled and knowledgeable operators and lack of products combine to slow the sector’s take-off. There are very few professionals, such as lawyers and accountants who are conversant with Islamic Finance. Moreover, liquidity management in the country's industry is also a big problem, due to a lack of products. In 2013, the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) established a Non-Interest Capital Market 10-year Masterplan Committee, to develop strategies to foster the Sharia compliant sector. Although there has been some progress, activities in the sector are way below potential.

No doubt, the CBN guidelines on non-interest finance have been long awaited due to the fast growing scale and demand for Islamic banking globally. However, there is a need for a more codified regulatory framework and guidelines by the Securities and Exchange Commission aimed at promoting future sukuk issuance and protecting investors’ interest. The regulatory framework should also provide for increased but regulated licensing requirements for Islamic fund managers, provisions for corporate governance, enhanced operational standards, enterprise-wide risk management, accounting, audit and disclosure requirements, advisory council of experts requirement, rendition of periodical regulatory return on Shariah compliance and prudential guidelines relating to fund reserve, liquidity ratio and provision for asset losses.

The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) issues two new Exposure Drafts (ED) for public consultation starting 31 October 2014 to 5 January 2015, and invites comments from regulatory and supervisory authorities, international organisations, market players, academics and other interested parties. The EDs are as follows:

• ED-17: Standard on Core Principles for Islamic Finance Regulation (Banking Segment)
• ED of GN-6: Guidance Note on Quantitative Measures for Liquidity Risk Management in Institutions Offering Islamic Financial Services [Excluding Islamic Insurance (Takaful) Institutions and Islamic Collective Investment Schemes].

The IFSB will also conduct two Public Hearings during the public consultation period. Accordingly, the IFSB Secretariat invites all interested parties, including the IFSB members, to send their comments on the EDs to the Secretariat at: ifsb_sec@ifsb.org latest by 5 January 2015.

The two EDs are available for download from the IFSB website at www.ifsb.org.

Dubai has repaid $1.93 billion raised from Islamic bonds and renewed its commitment to pay back billions of dollars worth of debt on time. Dubai reportedly repaid 2.5 billion dirhams ($68 million, 54 million euros) in dirham sukuk and $1.25 billion in dollar sukuk. It said both sukuk matured on Monday. Dubai has repaid or restructured billions of dollars of debt, as the emirate’s economy recovers from its 2009 debt emergency in the midst of the global financial crisis. The International Monetary Fund estimates that Dubai and its government-linked entities face a total maturing debt of around $80 billion.

UAE-based Aafaq has carried out its first transaction on the NASDAQ Dubai Murabaha Platform, which provides Islamic financing services to individual and institutional customers. Officially launched in April 2014 by NASDAQ Dubai jointly with Emirates Islamic, the platform has completed a total of more than AED 21 billion of transactions. The platform makes use of Shari’ah-compliant Certificates that have been developed for the underlying assets of the financing transactions. Islamic banks, Islamic windows of conventional banks, and Islamic finance companies and their clients can make use of the platform through trading Certificates.

Indonesia has much work to do in improving infrastructure and regulations to support an Islamic-compliant economy. Thomson Reuters’ Islamic Finance Development Report 2014 showed Malaysia topped the list, scoring 93 (on a scale of 100), far higher than Indonesia which ranked 12 with a score of 28. However, the 10th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in Dubai, revealed growing interest from many governments. South Korea was one of the many non-Muslim countries that looked eager to develop the Islamic economic industry. Besides, the halal industry won great attention over the past decade as the volume of the industry reached more than US$2.1 trillion. Moreover, there's growing demand for Muslim-friendly tourism.

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak thinks that the maximum potential of the Islamic economy, including finance, banking, industry, waqaf and the insurance takaful, is still not fully realised. However, there are many challenges that need to be addressed: strong support from the political leadership to make things happen; institution building; human capital development; the shortage of expertise in many areas like Islamic finance, standardisation and regulatory framework; syariah experts to make sure your products are syariah-compliant, among others. Regarding SMEs, Malaysia has a masterplan for their development, with the goal to make SMEs achieve about 41 per cent of GDP by 2020.