Astana hosts World Islamic Forum

Astana is hosting the 7th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) at the
Independence Palace of Astana today, Trend reports.

The economic forum will be preceded by the Forum of Business Women,
Forum of Young Leaders and the Forum of States in Focus. They will be
opened by Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov with an exhibition of
the WIEF.

One of the main events is the discussion on business development,
trade and investments of OIC states, Islamic banking, new
technologies, infrastructure development, small- and medium-sized
business, the halal industry and alternative energy sources.

The forum will be held in Central Asia for the first time.

Political leaders of Asia and Europe will attend the meeting. They
include President of Djibuti Ismail Omar Guelleh, Indonesian
Vice-President Boediono, Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Tajikistan
Najib Razak and Akil Akilov, Vice-Premiers of Iraq and Kyrgyzstan Ruza
Nuri Shauisa and Omurbek Babanov, President of the Islamic Development
Bank Ahmed Muhammed Ali, former Prime Ministers of Lebanon Fuad
Siniora, Pakistan Shaukat Aziz, Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badavi, the
Netherlands Vim Kok, Finance Ministers of Saudi Arabia and Jordan,
Ministers of Economy of the UAE, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

The WIEF is an annual economic summit of members of the Islamic
Conference Organization (OIC). It was first held in Kuala Lumpur
(Malaysia) on October 1-3, 2005, with the slogan "Forging New
Alliances for Development and Progress". The first session was held in
October 2003 at the Administrative Center of Putradjaya (Malaysia)
within the 10th summit of OIC states.

WIEF was initiated by Malaysia. Its goal is to discuss the economic
and geopolitical development of Muslim states, their role in the
economy and the prospects for developing new markets and capital.