| MICRA participated in Training Program on Microfinance Sector Development for OIC Member Countries |
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MICRA participated in training program on microfinance sector development for OIC member countries held in Khartoum, Sudan from July 18-21, 2009. There were only 2 representative from Indonesia and MICRA was represented by its Sharia specialist, Mr. Zulkarnain Rivai. The Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) as an affiliated institution of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and as representative of the private sector is also laying emphasis on micro-finance. Therefore, in collaboration with the Islamic Research & Training Institute (IRTI) of Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund (PGTF)/United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Central Bank of Sudan and the Sudanese Businessmen & Employers Federation, the Islamic Chamber organized the Training Program on Microfinance Sector Development for OIC Member Countries in Khartoum, the Republic of Sudan, July 18-21, 2009. The Training Programme was attended by 61 trainees from Member Chambers and by the senior level representatives of several Microfinance, Commercial & Agriculture Banks, Central Banks and financial institutions from 17 OIC Countries namely Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Yemen and Sudan. The Training Program was designed to create awareness on the microfinance sector and its effective usage in alleviating poverty by providing poor with access to credit. The program discussed essential elements of devising a national level Microfinance Sector Development Program (MFSD) and role of various stakeholders. The objective of the Training Program was to understand the nexus between microfinance and poverty in OIC countries perspective in general and to develop strategy for designing and developing microfinance services in reducing poverty in particular. Additionally, participants from different countries actively participated and shared their experiences on the theme. The Training Programme was inaugurated by H.E. Badreldin Mahmoud Abass, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan on 18th July 2009 with recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. The welcome address was delivered by H.E. Ali Mohamed El Hasan Abrci, Vice-President of Sudanese Businessmen and Employers Federation, who welcomed the participants and wished them pleasant stay in Sudan. He acknowledged the outstanding contribution made by the ICCI for the promotion of socio-economic development of the OIC Countries in general and the less developed countries in particular. He applauded the efforts exerted by H.E. Shaikh Saleh Kamel, President of the ICCI for the interest of the peoples of the Islamic Countries. He expressed the Federation’s willingness to cooperate and support all the programmes and activities of the ICCI. He also praised the role of the Central Bank of Sudan in the organization of the Training Programme and thanked for the personal presence of H.E. Badreldin Mahmoud Abass, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan. He emphasized the significance of the microfinance sector and welcomed the ICCI initiative for setting-up of a Microfinance Training Center During the four-day Training Programme, eight interactive working sessions were held and lectures were delivered by expert resource persons following by presentation from the Central Bank of Sudan, Graduates Employment Fund, Family Bank of Sudan, and Sudan Academy for Banking & Financial Studies. The training methodology of each session was kept interactive and participatory by sharing of experiences and best practices in Microfinance Sector. The participants were also given opportunities to openly discuss the obstacles and constraints they are facing in their respective countries. During discussions, critical issues being faced by the participating countries were addressed |