On June 16, within the framework of the 51st Annual Meetings of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, the IsDB Halal Economy Leadership Forum (#HELF) and the Azerbaijan Halal Business Forum 2026 (AZHAB Forum) were organized at the Baku Congress Center.

On June 16, within the framework of the 51st Annual Meetings of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, the IsDB Halal Economy Leadership Forum (#HELF) and the Azerbaijan Halal Business Forum 2026 (AZHAB Forum) were jointly organized at the Baku Congress Center through the cooperation of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (KOBIA), the IsDB Kuala Lumpur Centre of Excellence (KLCoE), the Halal Development Corporation of Malaysia (HDC), and the Halal Products Development Company (HPDC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with financial support from Pasha Holding.

The HELF/AZHAB Forum, dedicated to the theme “Halal Economy for Sustainable Regional Integration,” was held as part of the Private Sector Forum (PSF 2026), which forms part of the Annual Meetings of the IsDB Group.

The event aimed to promote practical partnerships, investment opportunities, technical cooperation initiatives, and knowledge exchange that would contribute to the development of more resilient, sustainable, and globally connected halal ecosystems.

The forum was attended by senior government officials, policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions, development organizations, investors, and private-sector representatives from IsDB member and other countries, including Mursel Rustamov, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan-Turkey Business Association, and Board Members Rafiq Garayev and Seymour Bunyatov.

At the opening ceremony, Samer Elesavi, Head of the IsDB Kuala Lumpur Centre of Excellence (KLCoE), and Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Board of KOBIA and Chairman of the AZHAB Forum, shared their views on the role of the private sector, particularly SMEs, in sustainable and inclusive economic development, the growing share of the halal economy in global value chains, and opportunities for cooperation in this field.

The forum continued with panel discussions. A Ministerial Session on “Halal Economy for Sustainable Regional Integration” was also held as part of the forum.