ICCD Participation at the 2nd Capacity Building Programme for the Users of OBIC
Within its strenuous endeavours to propel economic growth across OIC member countries, the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development (ICCD) participated in the 2nd Capacity-Building Programme for Users of the OIC Business Intelligence Centre (OBIC), organized by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), under the theme of “Role of Information Sharing & Business Intelligence in Supporting Trade & Investment Decisions”, on September 26-28, 2023, at Hilton Istanbul Maslak, Türkiye.
From different corners of the world, business intelligence visionaries, experts, and enthusiasts converged at the 2nd Capacity-Building Programme for Users of the OIC Business Intelligence Centre (OBIC), which included, over three days, a wide range of fruitful sessions and interactive workshops which provided valuable insights on the transformative role of OBIC in accelerating economic growth across OIC member countries.
Commencing the event, H.E. Mr. Oussama Kaissi, CEO of ICIEC, graced the stage to deliver a captivating opening speech, illustrating the program’s indispensable role in shaping trade and investment decisions, he stressed the imperative for unified action and symbiotic cooperation among the OIC member countries and institutions. He also highlighted the criticality of information sharing as the driving force behind data-centric decision-making, setting the stage for a fruitful and collaborative endeavor.
Embracing a future of limitless economic opportunities, Dr. Walid Abdelwahab, Director, IsDB, Regional Hub Istanbul, discussed, during his opening speech, the impact of OBIC on the member countries, indicating: “Business intelligence can provide valuable insights that help decision makers, help to foster knowledge and drive economic growth across the OIC member countries”.
In this regard, Mr. Mehmet C. AKTAŞ, Head of COMCEC Programmes and Projects Department at COMCEC Coordination Office, indicated: “Business intelligence is crucial for economic growth”, highlighting the significance importance of OBIC in improving productivity, and advancing the OIC economic landscape.
Pioneering a digital revolution in trade and investment, H.E. Mr. Yousef Khalawi, ICCD Secretary General, took part in a thought-provoking panel discussion held entitled “How Digitalization and Business Intelligence Can Support Trade and Investment”, at the 1st day of the 2nd Capacity-Building Programme for Users of OBIC, featuring a lineup of distinguished experts and economic leaders who shared their valuable insights on leveraging digitalization and business intelligence for trade and investment promotion.
As part of his impactful participation, Mr. Khalawi painted a captivating picture on digitalization and business intelligence within the strategic framework of ICCD goals and priorities, shedding light on two remarkable initiatives developed by ICCD in this domain; the 1st one is the Digital chamber of commerce, which aims to harness the power of digital technologies, and facilitating international trade and business transactions, while the 2nd initiative is creating Data and Research Center for the chambers of commerce, with a wealth of comprehensive data and research insights to be considered as an invaluable resource for the chambers, empowering them to make informed decisions and provide unwavering support to their members.
Furthermore, ICCD Secretary General highlighted the significant role of OBIC in fostering data-driven and digitally-enabled trade and investment ecosystems within OIC countries, emphasizing the importance of facilitating partnerships and integration among chambers of commerce, stating: “We need to integrate our efforts to achieve the final goals”. This collaborative approach aims to leverage the collective strengths and resources of OIC countries to drive growth and development in the digital era.
Paving the way towards a prosperous economic future, H.E. Mr. Oussama Kaissi, the esteemed CEO of ICIEC, made a significant contribution to the session, unveiling ICIEC’s visionary outlook for OBIC and its transformative capabilities in reshaping the business landscape across OIC member countries. His Excellency also emphasized the urgent necessity of adapting regulations to effectively govern the market and foster business policies within OIC member countries and institutions, highlighting the criticality of engaging in international policy discussions as a means to unlock unparalleled economic prospects and forge an unprecedented future.
Uniting for a better tomorrow, H.E. Mr. Oussama Kaissi also emphasized the dire need to foster partnerships and collaboration with OIC member countries in order to promote the OBIC initiative for the benefit of the Islamic nation.
Breaking barriers through technology, H.E. Ms. Lilia Naas, Chief of the Office for MENA region at International Trade Centre (ITC), highlighted ITC’s groundbreaking initiatives using digitalization and business intelligence to catalyze trade and investment across the MENA region, during her participation at the panel discussion entitled “How Digitalization and Business Intelligence Can Support Trade and Investment”, pointing out the importance of digitalization in providing new business opportunities, empowering SMEs to become more efficient and more competitive, and improving decision making capacity by providing access to information and business intelligence.
Transforming the economic landscape, H.E. Ms. Lizanne Case, Head of Trade Intelligence Solutions, Afrieximbank, shared Afrieximbank’s cutting-edge strategies, leveraging digitalization and business intelligence to enable trade finance solutions and create new economic possibilities, pointing out some significant initiatives developed by the bank, such as Trada Intelligence Platform, and its crucial role in advancing economic conditions through modern technology and machine learning.
The 2nd Capacity Building Programme for the Users of OBIC “Role of Information Sharing & Business Intelligence in Supporting Trade & Investment Decisions” included a wide range of interactive technical sessions that provided a comprehensive understanding on the basic principles of business intelligence and how it can be utilized to create a prosperous economic climate, as well as the effective role and impactful contribution of OBIC in the economic landscape of OIC member countries. As well as basic principles of business intelligence and how it can be utilized to create a prosperous economic climate.
Amongst these fruitful and enriched sessions, Mr. Talha Ahmed Shaikh, Digital Specialist at ICCD, delivered a thought-provoking presentation on “Digital Transformation Map for SMEs” in the session entitled “The Role of Business Intelligence & Digital Transformation in Supporting Business Decisions”, where he shares his valuable thoughts on ways of empowering SMEs and enabling them to achieve digital transformation.
With profound insights, Mr. Talha Ahmed Shaikh, steered our focus towards the indispensable role played by SMEs in economies, particularly in developing nations, shedding light on the transformative potential of digitalization and emphasizing the boundless opportunities awaiting SMEs as they embark on their digital transformation journeys.
Furthermore, he tackled the challenges faced by SMEs within their digital transformation, providing a compass for their pass towards advancement.
ICCD’s participation at the 2nd Capacity Building Programme for the Users of OBIC entitled “Role of Information Sharing & Business Intelligence in Supporting Trade & Investment Decisions,” serves as a tangible testament to its resolute commitment towards driving digitalization and fostering economic progress within OIC member countries.
In this respect, ICCD remains steadfast in its unwavering efforts to propel digital transformation and sustainable development across Islamic countries. It reaffirms its dedication to forging ahead, tirelessly working alongside relevant institutions to establish a solid foundation for a prosperous global economic future.