A mecca for sukuk

David Cameron, the British prime minister, announced plans to issue sovereign sukuk as early as next year at the ninth annual World Islamic Economic Forum in London on October 29th. The convention marks the first time the event has been held outside the Muslim world. That is a testament to the rising global clout of Islamic finance. The Gulf states have been at the forefront of the boom, other countries like Turkey are emulating the Gulf model. However, the prospects in the wider Middle East, e.g. Egypt and Lybia, are less clear. Despite Islamic finance’s being the toast of the town in the City of London this week, the struggle to make it work in the heart of the Muslim world continues.