17^th April 2025, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | The General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI), successfully concluded its Annual Meetings and Events yesterday in Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with parallel participation online. The event brought together CIBAFI members, global stakeholders and the members of CIBAFI`s committees for a series of high-level meetings and a celebration of innovation in advancing financial inclusion through Islamic finance.

The day commenced with the 15^th CIBAFI Members Consultative Group (MCG) Meeting, where members reviewed ongoing initiatives and exchanged views on how to further enhance CIBAFI’s collective impact.

This was followed by the 51^st CIBAFI Board of Directors Meeting, during which the Board reviewed strategic developments, assessed ongoing projects, and discussed forward-looking plans to reinforce CIBAFI’s leadership role in the Islamic finance industry.

The programme culminated with the 25^th Annual General Meeting (AGM), a cornerstone event that underscored CIBAFI’s ongoing commitment to transparency, inclusiveness, and good governance. A key highlight of the AGM was the official launch of the CIBAFI Activities Report 2014–2024. This publication outlines a decade of achievements across CIBAFI’s four strategic pillars: supporting the added value of Islamic finance, policy and regulatory advocacy, awareness-raising, and professional development. The AGM also featured the presentation of the Membership expansion progress.

The day concluded with the highly anticipated CIBAFI Award 2025 Ceremony, held under the theme: “Innovation for Advancing Financial Inclusion and Islamic Finance Objectives.”
The ceremony opened with inspiring remarks by Mr. Houssem Ben Haj Amor, Group Chief Executive Officer of Al Baraka Group and Vice Chairman of Jordan Islamic Bank, who highlighted the essential role of financial inclusion in achieving the higher objectives of Islamic finance. He commended institutions leading with innovation to bring meaningful change to underserved communities.

This year’s CIBAFI Award was conferred upon Faisal Islamic Bank – Egypt, in recognition of its outstanding and innovative efforts to promote financial inclusion. The Bank was applauded for its impactful initiatives aimed at expanding access to Shariah-compliant financial services, particularly for unbanked and underserved populations. Its contributions support inclusive growth and embody the ethical and social values at the heart of Islamic finance.

CIBAFI reaffirms its unwavering commitment to empowering the Islamic financial services industry by fostering global collaboration, recognising institutional excellence, and advancing initiatives that promote innovation, sustainability, and inclusive development within the financial ecosystem.