ITFC Provided $50 Billion to Beneficiaries in 12 Years

A dialogue session at the forum organized by ITFC
A dialogue session at the forum organized by ITFC
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ITFC Provided $50 Billion to Beneficiaries in 12 Years

A dialogue session at the forum organized by ITFC
A dialogue session at the forum organized by ITFC

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) announced that the volume of funding for trade provided over the past 12 years amounted to $50 billion, covering 750 beneficiaries throughout the Islamic world and including dozens of economic activities.
 
The announcement was made at the end of a forum organized by the ITFC, a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, on Thursday.
 
Hani Salem Sunbol, CEO of the Corporation, said that the funds were allocated to government and public institutions, banks, private sector companies and SMEs.
 
He noted that these funds contributed to improving the lives of individuals from all walks of life, including farmers, workers, traders and people living in poverty in 51 member states in the Middle East, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
 
Saudi Arabia has been a true supporter of the Corporation’s 12 years of operation, Sunbol said, given its position as the largest sponsor of the Bank.
 
Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank Group, said that the Bank and its institutions, including the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), were based on many pillars, including building and strengthening strategic partnerships with all banks, financial and development institutions and international organizations, whose interests and actions intersect with the Group’s activities.
 
Hajjar explained that this forum would provide an opportunity for dialogue and exchange of experiences between partners on the challenges and developments at various levels, which have a major impact on international trade.
 
He added that development activities carried out by the Corporation were contributing to the achievement of development plans in member states and to the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.



Britain Vows to Toughen Its Trade Defenses Under New Strategy

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Jonathan Reynolds speaks during Britain's Labour Party annual conference, in Brighton, Britain, September 27, 2021. (Reuters)
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Jonathan Reynolds speaks during Britain's Labour Party annual conference, in Brighton, Britain, September 27, 2021. (Reuters)
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Britain Vows to Toughen Its Trade Defenses Under New Strategy

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Jonathan Reynolds speaks during Britain's Labour Party annual conference, in Brighton, Britain, September 27, 2021. (Reuters)
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Jonathan Reynolds speaks during Britain's Labour Party annual conference, in Brighton, Britain, September 27, 2021. (Reuters)

Britain said it would toughen up its trade defenses to better protect industries amid a turbulent global outlook of trade wars and tariffs that has shaped its new trade strategy to be published on Thursday.

Britain is set to partially implement a deal to remove some of US President Donald Trump's tariffs, but acknowledged that its trade remedies system needed to be more "agile, assertive, and accountable to guard British businesses against global turbulence".

"The UK is an open trading nation, but we must reconcile this with a new geopolitical reality and work in our own national interest," Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said.

"Our trade strategy will sharpen our trade defense so we can ensure British businesses are protected from harm."

As part of the strategy, the government will reform the Trade Remedies Authority.

UK Steel has said that the TRA's current powers, under which it proposed to cap how much of certain kinds of steel could be imported, needed to be more robust, and welcomed the trade strategy as a "critical turning point".

Britain is aiming to remove US tariffs on steel imports under their agreement, although the implementation of the deal has not been finalized.

The government has stepped in to take control of British Steel, and other industries are also seeking support, with AB Foods extending its deadline for deciding the fate of its Vivergo bioethanol plant to Thursday in the hope of a support package.

The trade strategy is Britain's first since it has had an independent trade policy after leaving the European Union.

The previous Conservative government hailed the opportunities of Brexit as it pursued several free trade agreements.

While the Labor government, which came to power a year ago, has concluded free trade agreement talks with India and is making progress on another with the Gulf Cooperation Council, it said the new strategy would focus on quicker and more practical deals than the previous government did.