The strategic advantage of being headquartered in Saudi Arabia is a key driver behind the Islamic Development Bank’s (IsDB) ability to deliver impact worldwide, its Chairman, Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser, stated during a major development finance conference in the Saudi capital.
Speaking at the high-level panel “Building Sustainable Futures on a Global Scale” during the National Development Fund’s MOMENTUM conference, Dr. Al Jasser detailed how the Kingdom’s support has been instrumental to the bank’s operations.
“Our presence in the Kingdom is a strategic advantage that strengthens our ability to deliver sustainable and inclusive development globally,” Dr. Al Jasser told attendees. He directly linked the IsDB’s prestigious AAA credit rating, expanded financing capacity, and strengthened partnerships across the Global South to the “vision, support, and leadership” of Saudi Arabia in development finance.
The Chairman opened by extending gratitude to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their unwavering support of the bank.
In a significant revelation of the bank’s financial leverage, Dr. Al Jasser provided a striking figure: while the IsDB’s paid-up capital stands at approximately $10 billion, it has mobilized over $200 billion in development financing since its inception.
“This demonstrates the Bank’s ability to deliver strong development impact under a robust Global South development model,” he said, crediting the enabling ecosystem fostered by Saudi leadership for innovation and humanitarian action.
Dr. Al Jasser outlined the bank’s collaborative strength, noting its founding role in the Arab Coordination Group (ACG), a coalition behind major global development projects in sectors from agriculture to energy. He highlighted a strategic partnership with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) yielding joint investments in critical infrastructure, and impactful humanitarian alliances with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief) and the Global Muslim Philanthropy Fund for Children.
Further multilateral cooperation with institutions like the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the French Development Agency was also cited as crucial for tackling challenges in food security, health, energy access, and climate resilience.
The remarks positioned the IsDB as a central player in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), leveraging its Saudi Arabian base to amplify its role in global development finance.
TunisianMonitorOnline (Douha Essaafi)
