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والصَلاةُ والسلامُ على أفضل الأنبيـاءِ والمرسـلينْ، سيدِنا ونبينا مُحمدٍ، وعَلى آلِهِ وصَحْبهِ أجْمَعِين، ومَن تَبِعَهُم بإحْسَان إلَى يوم الدِّين

 

Your Excellency, Mr. Mikayil Jabbarov, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Board of Governors,

Respected media representatives,

Distinguished guests, 

Ladies and gentlemen,  

                                                                                             السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

I am delighted to welcome you to the closing press conference of the 2026 IsDB Group Annual Meetings in this vibrant and beautiful city of Baku.

As we bring this remarkable week to a close, allow me, on behalf of the entire IsDB Group, to extend our deepest gratitude to His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev for his gracious patronage of this year’s meetings.

 

I am profoundly humbled and deeply honored to have been awarded the prestigious Friendship Order by His Excellency the President. I receive this not as a personal accolade, but as a recognition of the dedication and hard work of our entire staff across the IsDB Group.

This prestigious honor belongs to them, and it powerfully intensifies our collective resolve to continue doing our duty, serving our member countries, and uplifting the communities that rely on us.

Our sincere appreciation also goes to the Government and the people of Azerbaijan for their warm hospitality and impeccable organization.

You have provided a secure, dynamic, and truly welcoming environment for our vital work—Alhamdulillah.

A special word of thanks is owed to His Excellency Mikayil Jabbarov, Minister of Economy, for his outstanding leadership as Chair of the IsDB Board of Governors.

Your stewardship, Your Excellency, has been instrumental in steering our deliberations, forging consensus, and driving us toward actionable results.

To our esteemed Governors, Alternate Governors, Executive Directors, Board Members, and all delegates: thank you for your active engagement and invaluable contributions.

I also want to express my deep gratitude to the National Organizing Committee and all our IsDB Group teams who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of these meetings and knowledge-sharing events.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

Baku has provided far more than a stunning backdrop for this year’s Annual Meetings. Over the past four days, this city has helped breathe practical life into our discussions.

Since 1992, Azerbaijan and the IsDB Group have built an enduring partnership spanning infrastructure, energy, agriculture, social services, and regional connectivity.

This week, we opened a bold new chapter in that relationship.

We signed the Reconstruction of the Garabagh Irrigation Canal Project for US$ 436 million, alongside a Memorandum of Understanding for a comprehensive Country Engagement Framework.

 

Furthermore, as we seek a broader, more active role for the Arab Coordination Group in Azerbaijan’s development journey, another MoU was signed for the Construction of Water Supply and Sewage Systems across 33 settlements in the Absheron Peninsula.

We look forward to deepening our cooperation with Azerbaijan, supporting its national priorities, and bolstering its growing role as a vital bridge connecting regions, markets, and people.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The theme of this year’s meetings—“Regional Integration for Sustainable Prosperity”—was not merely a slogan. It was the driving force behind every decision made by our Governors.

It echoed through our sessions, business exchanges, and partnership meetings.

Over the course of this week, we hosted 32 high-level meetings and knowledge-sharing events, including those hosted by the Private Sector Forum.

These events featured eminent thought leaders, academics, and development practitioners.

We welcomed over 4,400 participants from 78 countries and numerous regional and international organizations, including 46 heads of institutions.

Together, we tackled the most pressing issues of our time: trade, connectivity, energy, food security, Islamic finance, private sector growth, climate action, and digital transformation.

We focused not just on ambition, but on the financing required to turn ambition into delivery.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

Annual Meetings are often remembered for their speeches. But their true value lies in the momentum they generate.

Here in Baku, our robust discussions were matched by concrete action.

I am proud to announce the signing of 67 agreements totaling US$ 6 billion with 10 member countries, several regional institutions, and private-sector companies.

These agreements target critical sectors and reaffirm our unwavering determination to deliver high-impact development solutions as one unified IsDB Group.

Additionally, the Islamic Development Bank approved US$ 2.8 billion in new financing for nine transformative projects.

 

These projects will enhance connectivity, energy security, food systems, climate resilience, and multiple Sustainable Development Goals across nine member countries.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Since its inception in 1974, the IsDB Group—comprising five distinct but deeply aligned institutions (IsDB, ICIEC, ICD, ITFC, and IsDBI)—has proudly served 57 member countries and Muslim communities worldwide.

We bring together a unique ecosystem of financing, insurance, trade support, private sector development, and pioneering Islamic finance solutions.

Our greatest strength lies in our identity: we are a development bank from the South, by the South, and for the South, firmly guided by the Islamic values of solidarity, justice, and mutual trust.

Last year in Algiers, our esteemed Board of Governors endorsed the Strategic Framework for 2026-2035, outlining our collective aspirations for the next decade.

Today, that Framework is being propelled into action through our Five-Year Corporate Strategies for 2026-2030.

Baku marks a pivotal milestone in the first year of delivery under this new Framework. Last year, our shareholders set the direction; this year, we have firmly pivoted toward execution and impact.

Distinguished media representatives, 

Your presence and dedication throughout this week have been deeply appreciated.

You have amplified our discussions, decisions, and partnerships, bringing them to the global stage.

More importantly, you help tell the human story behind the statistics. Behind every agreement signed this week, there are people waiting for essential services, opportunity, dignity, and hope.

Behind every project, there is a community looking to the future with renewed confidence.

We sincerely thank you for your insightful coverage, your probing questions, and your continued dedication to highlighting the work of the IsDB Group.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As we officially close the 2026 IsDB Group Annual Meetings, I once again extend my profound appreciation to His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev, the Government and people of Azerbaijan, H.E. Mikayil Jabbarov, our Governors, partners, delegates, and staff.

We leave Baku with far more than agreements on paper. We leave with fortified partnerships, sharper priorities, and a revitalized sense of shared responsibility.

We look forward to welcoming you all again at our next Annual Meetings in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Insha’Allah.

Thank you.

                                                                                              والسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته