IslamicFinance.de

Azerbaijan could see the launch of its first standalone Islamic bank as early as next year as the government makes progress to introduce legislation to facilitate interest-free finance. Azerbaijan, alongside Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, are among several central Asian countries creating a more welcoming framework for sharia-compliant banking with the help of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank. A working group of cabinet minsters and the IDB is making progress on the legislation, which would allow the proposed Islamic bank to launch next year, said Behnam Gurbanzada, chief executive of Islamic finance consultancy BEST Solutions.