Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) markets are projected to grow at an average of 5.4 per cent till 2019, significantly higher than the rest of the world (3.6 per cent) and the high growth BRICS markets (3.9 per cent) said the organisers of an upcoming Islamic investment forum in Bahrain.

This increased economic growth is accompanied by a greater maturity in their financial markets, enabling greater involvement of private capital in their development.

Launched by Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the Global Islamic Investment Gateway, a pioneering initiative aimed at bringing together investors and cross-border Islamic investment opportunities in some of the world's fastest growing economies, is set to take place on March 2 and 3, 2015, at the Gulf Hotel.

The event is attracting decision makers from investment banks, sovereign wealth funds, investment companies and family offices of high net worth individuals.

The Global Islamic Investment Gateway is organised by Thomson Reuters, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), through its Business Forum "Thiqah".

It will be held under the patronage of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, First Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the EDB, and Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al Madani, president of IDB Group.

The event is geared toward linking investors with opportunities aligned to their preference, and providing the information and assurance required to facilitate informed investment decision making.

It will be supported by an online portal which will collate international investment opportunities - opportunities that have been refined with the help of Thomson Reuters' internal specialists and which are designed to be within a fortnight of being ready to go to companies' investment committees for approval.

The organisers are collaborating with investment development agencies and investment originators in Islamic markets to obtain, review and standardise investment opportunities across sectors.

Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al Madani, IDB group president, said: "The OIC economies are at the heart of the world's most rapid economic growth and Islamic finance provides an excellent chance to connect capital to exciting opportunities in these markets. This event can play an important role in making that process happen."

Kamal bin Ahmed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and acting chief executive of Bahrain EDB said: "We are very proud to support this event in Bahrain. We are committed to the development of the international Islamic finance sector and event such as this, which will enable real investment in viable projects, can play a great role in the process."

Dr Sayd Farook, global head of Islamic Capital Markets, Thomson Reuters, said: "The Global Islamic Investment Gateway will be the premier event for any investor looking for access to opportunities in emerging and frontier Islamic markets. These markets have the value chains that have the potential to provide excellent returns for the capital in the GCC and this event will give investors the means to access them."

Hasan Al Jabri, chief executive officer, Sedco Capital said: "Other events have focussed on the intellectual issues around Islamic investment which are important but GIIG is very focussed on linking real investors with real opportunities and facilitating actual business and we are very excited to be involved."

The event will feature over 30 OIC countries, split into the key regional sectors including GCC, Mena, CIS, South East Asia, South Asia, West Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa and will cover all major investment sectors, driven by the opportunities presented by the investment development agencies and investment originators. – TradeArabia News Service