A delegation from the Republic of Somaliland, led by Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Hamse Abdirahman Khayre, and including members of the Central Bank’s Sharia Committee, attended the 23rd Islamic Finance Conference in Bahrain as one of 40 invited countries. Welcomed by Sheikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Chairman of AAOIFI, the delegation represented Somaliland, a full member of AAOIFI, at the two-day event where delegates from 40 Islamic nations and financial institutions discussed advancements in Islamic finance.
During the conference, Deputy Governor Hamse held a private meeting with Bahrain’s Central Bank officials, securing an agreement for cooperative ties. Bahrain’s Central Bank committed to providing technical support and training in Islamic finance to Somaliland’s Central Bank. A statement on the Bahrain Central Bank’s Twitter account noted:
“The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) welcomed officials from the National Bank of Tajikistan, Somaliland Bank, and the Central Bank of Iraq as part of their visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain to attend the AAOIFI Annual Sharia Boards Conference.”
Further strengthening ties, Deputy Governor Hamse met with Dr. Abdelilah Belatik, Secretary-General of CIBAFI, alongside Somaliland’s Sharia Committee members Sheikh Almis Haji Yahya Ibrahim, Sheikh Ibrahim Ahmed Hirsi, and Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Jama. The Deputy Governor expressed gratitude for the warm reception and productive talks, stating:
“We thank CIBAFI for their hospitality and fruitful discussions on future cooperation to advance the Islamic financial system. Building on a prior agreement with the Somaliland Institute of Banking Knowledge (SLIBF), we have agreed to expand collaboration, with a comprehensive cooperation agreement to be signed soon, covering various aspects.”
The Somaliland delegation also held significant sideline meetings with leading Islamic financial institutions, including Bahrain’s Central Bank, to enhance global financial cooperation and align with the diverse services of Islamic banks worldwide.
In a notable meeting with H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Shaikh, Director General of the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF_BH), Deputy Governor Hamse highlighted the growing partnership, saying:
“We were deeply moved by the warm hospitality, especially seeing the Somaliland flag proudly displayed—a touching gesture of friendship. Our longstanding relationship with BIBF forage continues to strengthen, with agreements to exchange expertise in Islamic finance training and institutional capacity building.”
These engagements are poised to significantly advance the modernization and reform initiatives led by the Central Bank of Somaliland’s leadership.