Kazakhstan to host 7th World Islamic Economic Forum
The 2011 Forum titled "Globalization growth: interrelation, competition, cooperation" is designed to mobilize Muslim and non-Muslim countries to more economic independence through open channels of communication and strategic cross border partnerships. More than 150 prominent Kazakh and foreign speakers are invited to the 7th WIEF where business circles will be working together with government officials.
The World Islamic Economic Forum will be used as a dialogue platform on the issues of investments attraction to OIC member states, innovative technologies development, experience exchange in the Islamic banking and Halal-industry, creation of favorable conditions for development and financing of small and medium business, etc. Forums of businesswomen and young leaders are planned to be held prior to the main sessions of the Forum.
This will coincide with the beginning of Kazakhstan's chairmanship of the Ministerial Council of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) that the country will hold from June for one year. Astana has announced that one of its priorities will be to promote economic cooperation between the Organization's 57 member states. Kazakhstan also plans to strengthen the OIC's global security potential and intends to ensure cooperation between the OIC and the OSCE that the country chairs in 2010.
The World Islamic Economic Forum started off from a modest beginning as the OIC Business Forum which was held on 15th October 2003, in conjunction with the Tenth OIC Summit in Putrajaya, Malaysia. The second OIC Business Forum was convened in Kuala Lumpur in 2004, a momentous event that brought about the birth of the World Islamic Economic Forum - which expanded to include Muslim communities all over the world and the need to engage the non-Muslim business community, Kazinform cites the press service of the Kazakh Embassy in the UK.