Mohamed Jouini (right) is seen with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (third left), Comoros Vice President Djaffar Ahmed Said Hassani (second left), Morocco Head of Government Dr Saad Eddine El Othmani (third right), and President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Nurgaliyevich Minnikhanov (second right) yesterday. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: The World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) has emerged as an important platform in the business landscape, and in particular as an excellent platform for knowledge sharing and discussion on critical development issues and for seeking and building business and institutional partnerships.
Islamic Development Bank (IDB) vice president Dr Mohamed Jouini in his special address during the opening session of the 13th WIEF emphasised on the genuine engagement of the IDB group with WIEF.
“I am here to demonstrate the genuine engagement of the IDB group with WIEF and our commitment to supporting its goal to become even more effective and relevant to the needs of- and expectations of business and citizens in our countries and to be recognised as such by everyone,” he said yesterday.
“We look forward to working with the WIEF in true partnership mode towards the achievement of this goal and advancing our purposes.”
Jouini also called on participants of the forum, highlighting that IDB wants to work with them and engage with them in a joint endeavor and ultimately as partners on actions and activities in a number of areas such as employment, education, innovation, poverty, ecological transition, health, women, capacity buidling and business development among others.
“This goes in line with the vast new vision to be not only a bank of development but also to be a bank of developers for which we have undertaken a major transformation in our organisation.”
Jouini went on to applaud this year’s them, noting that the world is “experiencing perpetual change indeed.”
“Spectacular advances in digitisation, artificial intelligence, bank technology and other new technology are indeed speeding up the transition to a new models and modes of functioning and of behaviour.
“This accelerated transformation is expected to cause disruption to biz and economic models over the next coming years.
“With a magnitude of change and impact, even greater that what resulted from the development of physics in the 20th century.
“This new revolution will spark unprecedented challenges and opportunities for policy makers, biz leaders and others,” he said.
“We need to think about new ways of doing business, entailing being closer to the aspirations of our citizens and our communities.
“We need to innovate and provide concrete solutions including knowlege products to address major developing challenges.
“We also need to reshape our partnerships and extend them to include citizens, particularly women and youth.”
To this end, IDB wants to mobilise its strategic partners, including the WIEF to explore the ways and means of becoming more instrumental and impactful in guiding our economies to embrace this change.