BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 28, 2026/APO Group/ —
The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) (https://ICIEC.IsDB.org), a Shariah-based multilateral credit and political risk insurer and member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, concluded its participation in the IsDB Group Annual Meetings 2026 in Baku with the signing of seven agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, and insurance policies valued at more than USD 1 billion.
Held from 16 to 19 June under the theme “Regional Integration for Sustainable Prosperity,” the Annual Meetings provided a strategic platform for ICIEC to advance partnerships, support bankable projects, and reinforce its role in enabling trade and investment across its 51 Member States.
During the 14th IsDB Group Private Sector Forum (PSF), Dr. Khalid Khalafalla, Chief Executive Officer of ICIEC, participated as a speaker in the CEOs Session titled “Making Regional Integration Investable.” The session focused on how the IsDB Group can deliver integrated solutions by combining trade facilitation, investment structuring, and de-risking instruments to transform regional integration ambitions into scalable and bankable opportunities.
Following the CEOs Session, ICIEC hosted its High-Level Panel Discussion titled “De-Risking Trade & Investment for Regional Prosperity.” The session brought together around 300 participants, including senior Azerbaijani officials, business leaders, investors, development finance institutions, export credit agencies, insurers, and trade promotion organisations. The discussion highlighted Azerbaijan’s role as a strategic regional hub connecting Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Türkiye, Europe, and the wider OIC region. It also examined how Shariah-compliant risk management instruments can unlock cross-border capital, strengthen investor confidence, and support sustainable development across Member Countries.
The agreements signed during the PSF covered key areas including infrastructure, trade finance, export development, banking cooperation, and investment facilitation. They included support for strategic transactions in Nigeria, Türkiye, Uganda, and other Member Countries, alongside partnerships with financial institutions aimed at expanding access to Shariah-compliant risk mitigation and trade finance solutions.
Commenting on ICIEC’s participation, Dr. Khalid Khalafalla said: “ICIEC’s achievements in Baku demonstrate the vital role of risk mitigation in turning regional integration ambitions into bankable opportunities. The agreements concluded during the Annual Meetings will support infrastructure delivery, trade flows, investment mobilisation, and private sector growth across our Member States. ICIEC remains committed to providing the confidence and protection needed to move strategic projects from concept to implementation.”
Throughout the Annual Meetings, ICIEC held more than 80 B2B and B2G meetings with stakeholders from over 60 countries, strengthening engagement with governments, financial institutions, investors, exporters, and private sector leaders.
The ICIEC Awards recognised outstanding institutions and initiatives for their contributions to trade, investment, and sustainable development. This year, ICIEC honoured First Abu Dhabi Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and Agrobank for landmark infrastructure and trade finance transactions that reflect the impact of effective partnerships and risk mitigation.
On the occasion of the Annual Meetings, ICIEC also issued a Special Issue themed “Corridors of Opportunities: From Azerbaijan to Central Asia, Enabling Bankable Delivery Through Risk Mitigation.” The publication highlighted Azerbaijan’s growing role as a gateway linking Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Türkiye, Europe, and the wider Islamic world. It featured perspectives on trade corridors, Islamic finance, export credit insurance, investment protection, and the role of risk mitigation in advancing sustainable growth.
ICIEC’s outcomes in Baku reaffirm its commitment to working with Member States, financial institutions, investors, and development partners to de-risk strategic projects, expand cross-border trade, and promote sustainable prosperity across the OIC region and beyond.
