Baku, Azerbaijan, 16 June 2026 - The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group convened the 14th Youth Development Forum under the theme “Youth Without Borders: Driving Shared Regional Prosperity,” bringing together government officials, development practitioners, youth leaders, entrepreneurs, and academics to explore how regional integration can create new opportunities for young people across IsDB Member Countries.

Held on the sidelines of the 2026 IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Baku under the theme “Regional Integration for Sustainable Prosperity,” the Forum examined how stronger regional cooperation can advance youth employment, entrepreneurship, mobility, innovation, and sustainable development.

Opening the Forum, Mr. Idrissa Dia, Director of the Resilience and Climate Action Department at IsDB, underscored the importance of youth empowerment in advancing sustainable development and strengthening collaboration across IsDB Member Countries.

H.E. Anar Karimov, First Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of Azerbaijan, highlighted that investing in young people is among the most strategic investments a country can make, noting that education, skills development, and regional cooperation are key to unlocking the full potential of future generations.

Prof. Adalat Muradov, Rector of Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), stressed the role of education, entrepreneurship, and regional collaboration in expanding opportunities for youth and supporting long-term national development.

Speaking on behalf of the host country, Mr. Farhad Hajiyev, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, emphasised that empowering young people through innovation, skills development, and international cooperation is critical to fostering sustainable prosperity and enhancing regional connectivity.

A high-level panel discussion titled “Youth Without Borders: Regional Cooperation as a Catalyst for Youth Empowerment” featured Dr. Ramil Maharramov, Adjunct Professor at ADA University and Senior Consultant at the World Bank; Guldana Dadashova, Supervisory Board Member of the European Youth Parliament Azerbaijan and Deputy Chairperson of NAYORA; Rahim Bayramli, Co-Founder and CEO of SABAH.HUB and Co-Founding General Partner of the SABAH Fund; and Maryam Majidova, international youth and gender expert, founder of Gender Hub Azerbaijan, and member of the COP29 Organising Committee.

Panellists highlighted the need for stronger regional cooperation frameworks that support youth-led businesses, facilitate knowledge exchange, and expand opportunities for young entrepreneurs to engage in cross-border trade and digital economies. Discussions also underscored the importance of ensuring youth voices are meaningfully represented in the design and implementation of regional cooperation initiatives.

The Forum concluded with a call for stronger collaboration among governments, development institutions, academia, the private sector, and youth organisations to develop scalable solutions that empower young people and contribute to sustainable regional development.

About the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group

Rated AAA by the major rating agencies of the world, the Islamic Development Bank is the pioneering multilateral development bank (MDB) of the Global South that has been working for over 50 years to improve the lives of the people and communities it serves by delivering impact at scale. The Bank brings together 57 Member Countries across four continents, touching the lives of nearly 1 of 4 people worldwide. It is committed to addressing development challenges and promoting collaboration to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by equipping people to drive their own green economic and sustainable social progress, putting planet-friendly infrastructure in place and enabling them to fulfil their potential. Headquartered in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, IsDB has 10 regional hubs and a center of excellence.  Over the years, the Bank has evolved from a single entity into a group comprising: the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI); the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC); the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD); and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

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Media contact: media@isdb.org

Explore the program: http://am.isdb.org/program