* The conference attracted remarkable participation from a distinguished lineup of Islamic finance experts, senior Shari'ah scholars, policymakers, and thought leaders

MANAMA, Bahrain - The 20th Annual Islamic Banking and Finance Conference, organized by the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), was successfully concluded on 3 November 2025 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The event commenced with keynote addresses by H.E. Sheikh Ebrahim bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman, AAOIFI Board of Trustees, and H.E. Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI). The opening ceremony also included honouring the sponsors and a number of distinguished guests of honour, alongside the official inauguration of the conference exhibition.

The conference attracted remarkable participation from a distinguished lineup of Islamic finance experts, senior Shari'ah scholars, policymakers, and thought leaders. Attendees included high-level representatives from regulatory bodies, leading Islamic financial institution and academic institutions from around the world, further reinforcing the global significance and impact of the conference.

One the first day of the conference, session deliberations explored a series of priority topics, including on the role of Islamic finance in AI-driven business and finance environment. The second day featured in-depth discussions on entrepreneurship development through Shari'ah-compliant MSME financing and creation of integrated value chains and ecosystem. It also addressed Salam and Istisna as tools for economic growth and development.

The conference concluded with emphasis on certain issues and the way forward regarding the main discussion topics and industry implications that have been raised and explored across the two days of the conference. The graduation ceremony of AAOIFI fellows was also held before the conclusion of the conference.

This year's edition of the conference was supported by a number of key stakeholders including major partnership with Jumhouria Bank (Libya), Kuwait Finance House (KFH), and Saudi National Bank (SNB), alongside golden partners such as Khaleeji Commercial Bank, Al Baraka Banking Group, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), Bahrain Islamic Bank (BiSB), Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) and DDCAP Group.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

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About the Islamic Development Bank Institute:

The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives. More information about the IsDB Institute is available on https://IsDBInstitute.org/