09.01.2014, Jeddah, KSA - As part of the celebration of its 40th anniversary, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group is to hold a regional event in Almaty, Kazakhstan, during 14-16 January, 2014, involving 12 of its member countries, in order to carry out a candid assessment of the Group's performance during the past four decades and also discuss future challenges and regional/global priorities and strategies for the next 10 years.

Similar regional events were or will be held in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Dakar (Senegal) and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) for the other member countries of the IDB, as a prelude to the commemoration of IDB's 40th anniversary, which is to be held concurrent with the Bank's 39th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in Jeddah, KSA during 25-26 June 2014.

The event will mainly comprise a high level regional forum, on 15 January, which is expected to be inaugurated by H.E. Aset Issekeshev, Kazak Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Industry and New Technologies and IDB Governor for Kazakhstan.

Ministers and high level officials from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan and Albania along with leaders from the private sector and the business community will deliberate on possible strategies for the IDB Group to support the socio-economic development of its member countries in various fields and help tackle poverty at regional and global levels.

On 14 January, two workshops will precede the main forum, focusing on "Promoting the Development of the global Islamic Financial Sector" and "Development Assistance to Muslim Communities in non-member countries".

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