Preparations are under way to hold the 36th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) along with the annual meetings and general assemblies of the IDB Group entities in Jeddah under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Ministers of Finance, Economy and Planning from 56 IDB member countries will participate in the meeting which will take place during 26-30 June, 2011. Several high profile events such as the 276th session of Board of Executive Directors; the signing of a number of agreements with IDB member countries; a number of important seminars; and the presentation of IDB Prizes to this year’s winners in the fields of Islamic banking and financial services as well as women in development.
The annual meeting precedes the 6th Global Forum on Islamic Finance on June 27, 2011, which will cover topics such as enhancing the liquidity and size of Islamic financial institutions. Another joint seminar between the Association of National Development Finance Institutions in IDB Member Countries and other National Development Financing Institutions will address the role of development financing institutions in job creation. The annual meeting will also witness events that will discuss economic empowerment and youth mployment in Palestine as well as the impact of the recent events in the Arab region on the consulting sector in IDB member countries. On the second day of the annual meeting the Group of African Governors are expected to discuss the progress of the Special Program for the Development of Africa (SPDA). Meanwhile, IDB Group entities are also to hold respective meetings including: the 18th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC); the 4th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD); the 11th General Assembly meeting of the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD); and 6th General Assembly of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC). The 22nd IDB annual Symposium on “Addressing Unemployment and Underemployment in Member Countries in the Post-Crisis World” on June 29, and the annual meeting of the Supreme Council for Al Aqsa and Al Quds Funds on June 30th, as well as the meetings of the Association of National Development Finance Institutions in IDB Member Countries, the Federation of Consultants from Islamic Countries, and the Federation of Contractors from Islamic Countries will be convened alongside the main event.