The second annual Islamic Finance Week Conference on Islamic Finance of the AIFC Bureau for Continuing Professional Development, opened on October 7 in Astana. The agenda of this year's professional event raises the most pressing issues on the development of the Islamic finance industry in Kazakhstan and around the world, and also creates an interactive platform for industry professionals, academic and business circles in order to create infrastructure on the basis of the Astana International Financial Centre.

This year a conference which has already become a traditional conference is being held as part of the World Investor Week (WIW 2018) of the IOSCO organization, the head office of which highly appreciated the initiatives of the Astana International Financial Centre in promoting professional education of institutional investors and specialists in Islamic finance, as well as promoting investment literacy generally.

The speakers were experts from the UK, Egypt, Malaysia, Bahrain and Kazakhstan, including: Sheikh Bilal Khan, Panel Member of the AIFC International Arbitration Centre and Member of the AIFC Advisory Council on Islamic Finance Yernur Rysmagambetov, Managing Director, Management Board Member, AIFC, Dr. Ziyaad Mahomed, Director for Executive Education & E-Learning, INCEIF, Farhan Noor, Head of Professional Development, AAOIFI, George Littlejohn, Senior Adviser at Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, Partner at EMF, Al Saqr, Al Hilal Bank, Amanie Advisors, WAQYP, Otbasy Labs, Zaman Bank. Total platform “Islamic Finance Week” gathered more than 100 participants in total.

It is important to note that on September 29 of this year, Kairat Kelimbetov, Governor of the Astana International Financial Centre, received 3 awards  of the most prestigious Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA) for the AIFC. The Astana International Financial Center was awarded three high awards. Award for “Institutional support of Islamic Finance”, for “Development of a policy in the field of Islamic finance”, as well as the AIFC Bureau - for “Initiatives for the development of human capital” in the field of Islamic finance. On the initiative of the AIFC Bureau, on July 4 of this year, the Association of Professionals in Islamic Finance was created during Astana Islamic Economy Forum, aimed at ensuring effective interaction of market professionals. The Islamic Finance Week industry event is held annually, which brings together experts, professionals and financial institutions in the Islamic finance industry to share experiences and build an ecosystem around Islamic finance throughout the region.

In the framework of Islamic Finance Week, Kazakhstani specialists in Islamic finance were also trained by the professional certification program for INCEIF trainers and the AIFC Bureau. As part of the promotion and development of professional initiatives, the AIFC Bureau conducts training in five international certification programs in partnership with leading world financial institutions: International certification in Islamic banking and finance BIBF, Professional qualification in Islamic finance CISI, Professional certification in Islamic finance INCEIF, advanced diploma in Islamic Finance BIBF, Certified Islamic Professional Accountant AAOIFI.