A Malaysia International Finance Centre (MIFC) delegation, headed by Raja Nazrin Shah, crown prince of Perak, visited Saudi Arabia recently to promote Islamic finance relations. The 33-member delegation included representatives of 17 Islamic banks and 12 Islamic fund management companies and some asset management firms, aside from Takaful operators, and legal and other professional services firms.
With the sukuk market acquiring going global dimensions market education and knowledge, especially of Islamic Capital Markets (ICM), becomes a necessity. This is met by the Islamic Markets Programme (IMP), which is held annually by the Securities Industry Development Corporation (SIDC), the training and development arm of the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC).
It aims at helping participants to analyse the philosophy and fundamentals of ICM and to distinguish between its various products; to evaluate Islamic equity, sukuk and derivatives as alternatives means of financing and investment to conventional products; and to assess the significance and essentials of corporate governance, risk management and sound regulation in promoting Islamic markets. So far, 175 participants from 27 countries all over the world, including Qatar, have participated ? in the programme.