Jeddah, KSA, 24.06.2014 - HRH Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince, Deputy Premier and Defense Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia graced the opening ceremony of the 40th Anniversary Celebration and the 39th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), in the city of Jeddah.

Addressing the gathering, HRH Prince Salman said that Muslim countries are currently facing energy problems and there is a pressing need for more cooperation in this regard.

HRH the Crown Prince paid tribute to the role played by the IDB in translating the hopes and aspirations of the majority of Muslim communities into reality and presented the Scarf King Abdulaziz Second Class to IDB President, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, for his dedicated service to the Muslim Ummah. The award was conferred upon the IDB President on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz.

HRH the Crown Prince also commended the entire IDB staff and member countries for their contribution to the Development of the Muslim Ummah.
Other speakers at the opening ceremony were: HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and IDB Governor of UAE, HE Dr. Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the IDB Board of Governors, and HE Iyad Amin Madani, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as well as IDB Group President Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali.

The speakers stressed that the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz to the Bank’s 40th Anniversary Celebration and the 39th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors is a continuation of the drive made by the late King Abdulaziz, and that the confidence accorded to the IDB Group by the member countries is one of the main reasons behind the great and multiple achievements scored by the Bank during the last four decades.