Agenda

09:00 – 09:15

The Halal Economy Leadership Forum (HELF) and Azerbaijan Halal Business (AZHAB) Forum 2026, organized as part of the IsDB Group Annual Meetings and the Private Sector Forum in Baku in collaboration with the Halal Development Corporation (HDC) Malaysia, the Halal Products Development Company (HPDC) Saudi Arabia, and other strategic partners, will convene ministers, policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions, and halal ecosystem stakeholders under the theme “Halal Economy for Sustainable Regional Integration.” As a flagship platform for advancing halal industry development across IsDB Member Countries, HELF 2026 will feature high-level sessions on halal trade and investment, halal industrial zones, sustainable halal MSMEs, Islamic finance, green transition, and strategic regional connectivity. The Forum aims to strengthen partnerships, promote cross-border collaboration, and advance integrated halal value chains across Member Countries and beyond.
09:15 – 10:45

This high-level leadership dialogue will explore how ethical halal business models, strategic investments, and resilient financing mechanisms can strengthen sustainable economic growth across IsDB Member Countries. The session will examine the evolving global halal economy landscape, emerging investment opportunities, and the role of Islamic finance, development institutions, and public-private partnerships in supporting resilient halal ecosystems. Speakers will also discuss regional cooperation, institutional frameworks, and strategies to enhance competitiveness, market integration, and sustainable halal industry development.
11:05 – 12:25

This session will bring together leading halal industry players and innovators to discuss how businesses are driving growth, innovation, and global market expansion across halal sectors. Discussions will focus on building trusted halal brands, strengthening consumer confidence, advancing halal certification and compliance systems, digital transformation, and scaling halal businesses internationally. The session will also highlight practical industry experiences and success stories from global halal market leaders across food, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and digital platforms.
13:45 – 14:15

This session will focus on the critical role of halal MSMEs in advancing inclusive economic development, sustainable value chains, and green transition agendas across Member Countries. Panelists will discuss challenges and opportunities related to access to finance, sustainability adoption, halal certification, climate-conscious business practices, and MSME integration into regional and global halal markets. The session will also highlight innovative approaches to supporting halal SMEs through policy frameworks, green financing, capacity building, and ecosystem partnerships.
15:35 – 15:55

The Ministerial Session will convene high-level government representatives and IsDB Group leadership to discuss the strategic role of the halal economy in promoting regional economic integration, trade connectivity, investment cooperation, and sustainable development. The discussion will explore opportunities to strengthen cross-border halal value chains, enhance regional collaboration, and position the halal economy as a driver of economic diversification, resilience, and inclusive growth across IsDB Member Countries.
15:55 – 17:15

This strategic session will explore the role of halal industrial zones and integrated halal ecosystems in strengthening industrial development, supply chain resilience, and regional halal trade connectivity. Discussions will focus on international experiences in developing halal industrial parks, investment facilitation, infrastructure development, sustainable production ecosystems, logistics integration, and the role of Islamic finance in supporting halal industrial growth. The session will also highlight emerging models and partnerships aimed at positioning Member Countries as regional and global halal production and trade hubs.

10:00 – 10:30
10:30 –11:45

A strategic CEOs’ session at the IsDB Group PSF 2026 designed to demonstrate how regional integration can be translated into investable, scalable, and bankable opportunities. The session brings together the CEOs and leadership of IsDB Group entities to showcase an integrated “One IsDB Group” solution across trade facilitation, investment mobilization, and de-risking. It focuses on the interconnected challenges facing regional integration, including trade ecosystem inefficiencies, sub-optimal project preparation, limited investment bankability, elevated cross-jurisdictional risks, and the need to mobilize private capital at scale across member countries.
11:45 – 12:15

The Private Sector Forum Awards Ceremony is an IsDB Group initiative to recognize and honor exceptional achievements, groundbreaking innovations and impactful initiatives by market practitioners driving positive change through Shariah compliant financial instruments in the areas of trade finance, export credit and private sector development. Led by a panel of independent distinguished judges and boasting a rigorous and robust selection process, the PSF 2026 Awards feature six categories with ICIEC, ICD, and ITFC presenting two awards each.
12:30 – 13:30
13:30 – 14:30

A PSF event focused on the role of cross-border infrastructure PPPs in advancing regional connectivity, trade expansion, and shared prosperity. The session focuses on transport corridors, regional energy interconnections, and digital infrastructure networks, with emphasis on converting regional connectivity ambitions into bankable, implementable projects. It explores structuring, financing, risk allocation, guarantees, Islamic finance, blended finance, MDB support, and multi-jurisdictional governance mechanisms needed to mobilize private capital into regional infrastructure.
14:30 – 15:30

A PSF event focused on enhancing regional trade connectivity through integrated Shariah-compliant trade ecosystems. The session examines how Islamic trade finance can support SMEs, address access-to-finance gaps, reduce fragmentation in trade facilitation, and strengthen cross-border trade links in Azerbaijan, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. It brings together policymakers, development finance institutions, regulators, banks, and local partner institutions to discuss practical solutions that align policy, banking capacity, development finance, and private-sector demand.

09:00 – 10:00

The session aims to highlight the role of the Arab Coordination Group (ACG), showcase successful partnerships with the private sector, and foster dialogue on innovative and scalable approaches to development. By bringing together ACG member institutions and private sector leaders, the session will generate actionable insights and strategies to strengthen ACG–private sector collaboration and maximize development impact.
10:00 – 11:00

A PSF event focused on how structured risk mitigation can unlock trade and investment flows in Azerbaijan and the broader OIC region. The session positions Azerbaijan as a regional economic hub linking Europe, Asia, and OIC member countries through strategic corridors and diversification initiatives. It highlights opportunities in renewable energy, logistics, infrastructure, ICT, agriculture, manufacturing, PPPs, cross-border investment funds, and newly liberated territories such as Karabagh, while emphasizing ICIEC’s role as a de-risking institution and catalyst for private-sector-led growth.
12:00 – 13:15

A PSF event addressing the practical barriers that prevent SMEs from participating consistently in regional value and supply chains. The session frames SME constraints as execution-related rather than demand-related, focusing on the ability of SMEs to meet buyer requirements on lead time, cost, compliance, transparency, and reliability. It integrates three enabling areas: predictable logistics and corridors, cycle-aligned execution finance through ICD Line of Finance facilities, and digital trade facilitation measures such as e-documents, interoperable data flows, single-window interfaces, and traceability tools.
13:15 – 13:30
13:30 – 15:30

A PSF event designed to strengthen the capacity of Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) and related public-sector stakeholders to attract, facilitate, and retain sustainable investment. The session brings together IPA leaders, policymakers, IsDB Group entities, AZPROMO, THIQAH, and WAIPA to exchange practical tools, peer experiences, and global benchmarks. It focuses on moving beyond FDI volume toward quality investment that supports SDGs, job creation, economic diversification, investor aftercare, regional value chains, and cross-border investment opportunities.
15:45 – 17:45

The rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, and digital transformation is reshaping global economies. For IsDB member countries, many of which face challenges in digital readiness, infrastructure gaps, and limited access to innovation finance, this transformation presents both significant opportunities and complex risks. Against this backdrop, the 5th IsDB Group Startups & Innovation Pitch Competition 2026 will feature a high level Knowledge Dialogue aimed at positioning IsDB Group as a catalyst for responsible, inclusive, and scalable innovation, particularly as AI becomes a foundational engine of economic growth across the OIC region.

9:00 – 11:00

The Country Presentations Session provides a dedicated platform for Member Countries to showcase priority investment opportunities, national development plans, sectoral strategies, and key reforms aimed at attracting private sector participation. The session enables governments and investment promotion agencies to present bankable projects, highlight enabling policies, and engage directly with investors, financiers, and development partners.
11:00 – 12:30
12:30 – 13:30 venue: Press Room
14:30-15:30
15:30-16:15

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