IsDB Meetings in Riyadh Earmark $400 Million to Fund African States

The IsDB annual meetings are currently held in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The IsDB annual meetings are currently held in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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IsDB Meetings in Riyadh Earmark $400 Million to Fund African States

The IsDB annual meetings are currently held in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The IsDB annual meetings are currently held in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) signed on Sunday agreements worth $440 million to finance African countries.

The World Bank had expected growth in Africa to recover, rising from a low of 2.6 percent in 2023 to 3.4 percent in 2024.

The Chairman of the IsDB, Dr. Mohammad Al-Jasser, said on Sunday that the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) provides insurance solutions to its clients, with the aim of mitigating commercial and political risks related to trade and investment in member countries.

Speaking during the second day of the Private Sector Forum, which was held on the sidelines of the IsDB annual meetings in Riyadh, Al-Jasser said the corporation, since its establishment 30 years ago, has secured more than $108 billion in project funding, in addition $51 billion in trade and investment among the Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries.

He added that the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, since its establishment in 1999, has provided financing for a total of 451 projects, with a total value of $6.9 billion, in various sectors, including finance, infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, and energy.

The CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, Sultan Al-Murshed, told Asharq Al-Awsat that a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Islamic Development Bank Group, with the aim of coordinating efforts and participating in financing development projects around the world.

In addition, the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation - a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group - concluded an agreement worth $40 million with the Bank of Commerce and Development, to contribute to enhancing economic growth and trade financing capabilities in East and South Africa.

The corporation also signed a framework agreement with the government of Uganda, worth $150 million, extending over three years, to support key sectors such as energy, agriculture, and health, in addition to promoting private sector development, trade cooperation, and coordination to advance sustainable development across these vital sectors.

Moreover, the corporation signed a financing agreement worth $250 million with the African Export-Import Bank, as part of the trade financing program for Africa’s adaptation to the crisis in Ukraine.

It also announced the signing of a support package with the government of Cameroun, to enhance the country’s infrastructure and agricultural productivity.



Saudi-Thai Economic and Trade Committee Discusses Boosting Trade

The meeting was attended by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Thai counterpart, Maris Sangiampongsa. SPA
The meeting was attended by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Thai counterpart, Maris Sangiampongsa. SPA
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Saudi-Thai Economic and Trade Committee Discusses Boosting Trade

The meeting was attended by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Thai counterpart, Maris Sangiampongsa. SPA
The meeting was attended by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Thai counterpart, Maris Sangiampongsa. SPA

The Economic and Trade Committee of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council held on Thursday its first meeting in Bangkok to strengthen trade relations between the two countries.

The meeting was attended by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Thai counterpart, Maris Sangiampongsa.

The meeting was chaired by General Authority of Foreign Trade (GAFT) Deputy Governor for International Relations Abdulaziz bin Omar Al-Sukran and Thai Ministry of Commerce Permanent Secretary Vuttikrai Leewiraphan.

The committee aims to strengthen trade relations between Saudi Arabia and Thailand by exchanging expertise; fostering cooperation in economic and developmental fields; promoting food, health, and halal products; advancing industrial development; involving the private sectors of both countries in trade fairs and conferences; and addressing trade obstacles and challenges facing both nations.

The volume of trade between Saudi Arabia and Thailand reached more than $6 billion by the third quarter of 2024. Prominent Saudi exports included mineral products and fertilizers, while major Thai imports to the Saudi market included automobiles and their parts, as well as machinery and mechanical tools and their components.