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HELF and AZHAB Forums Held in Baku During the 51st Annual Meetings of the Islamic Development Bank Group 16.06.26

The Halal Economy Leadership Forum (HELF) of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group and the Azerbaijan Halal Business Forum 2026 (AZHAB Forum) were jointly held on June 16 at the Baku Congress Center as part of the 51st Annual Meetings of the IsDB Group.

Centered on the theme "Halal Economy for Sustainable Regional Integration," the HELF/AZHAB Forum was organized within the framework of the Private Sector Forum (PSF 2026), a pivotal segment of the IsDB Group's Annual Meetings.

The forum was realized through a collaborative effort among the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (KOBIA), the IsDB’s Kuala Lumpur Center of Excellence (KLCoE), Malaysia’s Halal Development Corporation (HDC), and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Halal Products Development Company (HPDC), with financial support provided by PASHA Holding.

The aim of the event is to promote practical partnerships, investment opportunities, technical cooperation initiatives, and knowledge exchange that will contribute to the development of more resilient, sustainable, and globally integrated halal ecosystems.

The event brought together high-ranking government officials, policymakers, industry leaders, representatives from financial institutions and development agencies, as well as investors and private sector stakeholders from both IsDB member states and other countries.

Delivering the opening remarks, Samer Elesawi, Head of the KLCoE, alongside Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Management Board of KOBIA and the AZHAB Forum, emphasized the critical role of the private sector – and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in particular – in driving sustainable and inclusive economic growth. They also underscored the expanding significance of the halal economy within global value chains and the opportunities for cooperation in the sector.

The forum proceeded with a series of panel discussions. During the session entitled “Strategic Leadership Dialogue: Ethical Halal Business Models and Risk-Resilient Financing”, Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Director General of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC); Ameen Alsaadi, Chief Investment Officer of the Halal Products Development Company of Saudi Arabia; Hadi Hamzah, Chairman of Malaysia’s Halal Development Corporation; and Nazeem Noordali, Chief Operating Officer of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, exchanged insights on strengthening institutional frameworks for halal ecosystem financing, regulation, certification, and market access. The discussion further explored pathways for enhancing trust and fostering innovation across global halal markets.

In a panel session themed "Halal Industry Leaders: Innovation, Trust, and Global Growth", Ali Masraie, Executive Director of Pladis Group (Ülker/Yıldız, Türkiye); Diana Sabrain, CEO of OneAgrix; Raja Badrulnizam, Director of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE); and Amira El Fadil, Head of Sector at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), shared their views on strengthening competitiveness in the halal industry, digitalization, product innovation, the development of quality assurance and certification standards, and expanding access to international markets.

The forum's panel on "Halal SMEs and Sustainability: Green Transition, Halal Value Chains, and Inclusive Development" explored the was dedicated to the sustainable development of SMEs and their integration into the green economy. Discussions surrounding SME access to finance, green financing, ESG and sustainability mandates, and integration into regional halal value chains were led by Selim Güven, General Manager of ACWA for Azerbaijan and Turkey; Murat Bapayev, Deputy Chairman of the Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund of Kazakhstan; Elnur Aliyev, Advisor to the Chairman of the Management Board of KOBIA; and Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Co-Chair of the Executive Committee for Nigeria's Halal Economy Strategy.

The panel session “Halal Industrial Zones: Developing Advanced Halal Ecosystems” featured Mamdooh Al-Drees, Executive Vice President of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON); Muhammadu Dikko Ladan, Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s Dar Al Halal Group; and Mohd Ismadi Ishak, Chief Executive Officer of Tabung Haji Properties, operator of Malaysia’s ENSTEK Halal Park. Panelists shared their thoughts and experiences on development models for halal industrial zones, international practices, practical approaches, and the establishment of integrated halal ecosystems.

The HELF/AZHAB Forum also featured a Ministerial Session centered on the "Halal Economy for Sustainable Regional Integration". The session brought together Majnun Mammadov, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Anar Karimov, First Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and Khalid Khalafalla, Chief Executive Officer of ICIEC and Acting Chief Executive Officer of ICD. The discussions focused on advancing halal economic integration, policy priorities, regional cooperation opportunities, and the strengthening of strategic partnerships. The aim of the assembly was to foster halal economy integration, trade relations, and sustainable development through coordinated policy approaches and the strengthening of institutional cooperation across IsDB Group member states.

In addition, certificates were presented to volunteers in recognition of their support in the organization of the HELF/AZHAB Forum.