The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org), the knowledge beacon of the IsDB Group, and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), the leading training and development provider in the region, signed a strategic partnership agreement to collaborate for Islamic finance capacity development. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the AAOIFI-IsDB Islamic Banking and Finance Conference, held in Bahrain on 28-29 November 2023.

Representing the BIBF in the signing ceremony was Dr. Ahmed AbdulHameed AlShaikh, the BIBF’s CEO, and representing the IsDBI was Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI.

The collaboration marks the beginning of a strategic alliance and enhanced collaboration aimed at fostering knowledge exchange, capacity building, sustainable growth and development, and other professional qualifications for IsDB Member Countries.

Dr. Ahmed Al Shaikh, the BIBF’s CEO, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "We are delighted to partner with IsDBI, a renowned institution that shares our commitment to sustainable development. Together, we will leverage our collective expertise to drive positive change in the banking and finance sector, both regionally and globally."

Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, the Acting Director General of IsDBI, said, "This partnership with BIBF is an important step towards advancing our shared vision of sustainable finance. By combining our strengths, we aim to create a powerful platform for knowledge sharing, capacity building, and innovation."

Signing the strategic partnership agreement between BIBF and IsDBI marks the beginning of a new era of collaboration and synergy in the pursuit of Islamic finance. Both institutions showed commitment to work together to achieve their shared goals and promote sustainable development for the benefit of the banking and finance industry.

Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, the Acting Director General and Mr. Yahya Aleem-ur-Rehman, Associate Manager at IsDBI, also visited the BIBF headquarters in the Kingdom of Bahrain to discuss in detail the agreement and other areas of collaboration.