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International IFPA held a seminar for food exporters of Kazakhstan

International Islamic Food Processing Association (“IFPA”) and the international audit, tax and advisory services company KPMG Kazakhstan (“KPMG”) held a joint seminar for the JSC QazTrade Center for Trade Policy Development (“QazTrade”). This was a virtual Webinar dedicated to the promotion of exports and supply-chain linkages of food industry enterprises of Kazakhstan into intra-OIC value chains consisting of more than 30 manufacturers and agri-food sector enterprises including rice production, honey-producing, poultry meet manufacturing, flour milling and many others.

Endowed with vast fertile soil, Kazakhstan has a competitive edge in agricultural production, however, producers often struggle to access the foreign markets due to limited competitiveness, concerns about food safety standards, limited managerial skills and other export-related obstacles.

Other highlights during the Webinar included discussing promoting food producers’ international competitiveness, simplifying border procedures and decreasing administrative barriers to export, the importance of providing tailored support services including the implementation of programs for supply-chain linkages between food producers and large food retailers operating in OIC markets.

The Director General and CEO of IFPA, H.E. Sheikh Bilal Khan, welcomed participants of the Webinar and delivered a special speech where H.E. remarked: “IFPA is very keen to develop close cooperation with food enterprises to create special services in implementing a targeted program to enhance the sector’s investment and innovation; promote agri-food cluster development; increase the readiness of businesses to implement the food safety standards aligned with the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (“SMIIC”) standards; ensure access to the Halal food markets of OIC countries with required certification and accreditation; facilitate supply chain linkages between local food processors and intra-OIC markets; and attract Islamic investments and financing to projects in the agri-food industry.”

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International IFPA participated in the International Agricultural Conference

International Islamic Food Processing Association (“IFPA”) participated in one of the largest agro-industrial conferences of the Central Asia region “Asia Grains & Oils Conference in Qazaqstan”.   The two-day conference brought together leading analysts, manufacturers, experts and participants of agro-industrial sectors to discuss value-added innovations and high-impact solutions in the sphere of grain and oilseed growing and processing.   The event was inaugurated with keynote speeches from Ambassadors of Uzbekistan and Ukraine, H.E. Mr. Saidikram Niyazhodjaev and H.E. Mr. Petr Vrublevsky respectively. The diplomats discussed global trends of grain and oilseed markets and export prospects of the fat-and-oil industry of the countries. Other highlights during the conference included speeches from notable speakers as Mr. Asylzhan Mamytbekov, ex-Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan; Mr. David Jackson, Director of LMC International; Mr. Mikhail Maltsev, Head of Russian Fat and Oil Union; Mr. Kamar Serkayev, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Fat and Oil Enterprises of Uzbekistan; Mr. Darren Cooper, Senior Economist, International Grains Council; Mr. Rodion Rubchinskiy, FAO Expert and many others.   The Director General and CEO of the IFPA H.E. Sheikh Bilal Khan presented on the special Roundtable Session “Experience in Development of Agricultural Complex by Means of Advanced Technologies” with the presence of a great number of agri-transportation and logistics companies. H.E. provided an overview of the key value proposition of IFPA, and the unique opportunities for close business partnership between IFPA and CIS grain and oil sector enterprises in trade and investment through the platform of IFPA under the umbrella of its parent entity, the IOFS. The Director General of IFPA remarked that: “IFPA is very pleased to welcome new potential members from CIS countries, and through our effective coordination and collaboration, we will help increase the contribution in attracting foreign direct investments into the agri-food market to boost new trade corridors and the potential of the agri-food sector for exports into both the CIS region and the wider OIC markets with special focus on Islamic investments and finance in infrastructure, logistics and technology enablers.”
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International IFPA participated in the online meeting with delegation of Tatarstan

International Islamic Food Processing Association (“IFPA“) participated in the online webinar with the representatives of the Office of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, His Excellency Mr. Rustam Minnikhanov.

A live-streamed virtual meeting was devoted to the presentation of IFPA and «Astana» International Finance Centre (“AIFC“) activity and to promote mutually beneficial cooperation with the Republic of Tatarstan in the areas of trade and investment for private sector businesses.

The meeting was kicked off with the presentation of Mr. Baurzhan Sarsembekov, Director of International Business and Cooperation Department of AIFC Business Connect, who widely discussed key areas of activity and opportunities in international investments projects to the main sectors of the countries’ economies. Other highlights during the webinar included a discussion on developing effective mechanisms to promote access to Islamic finance and investments for markets of Tatarstan by Ms. Madina Tukulova, Deputy Head of Islamic Finance & Business HUB at the AIFC.

Some key start-up management and co-investment opportunities were particularly presented by AIFC TechHub and Platforms representative Mr. Arslan Kudiyar, with terms of regulation, registration of new AIFC participants, financing and structuring startups while venture capital companies were presented by Mr. Alibek Sultangazin.

IFPA was represented by Ms. Gulsum Kenenbayeva, Head of International Memberships, who conducted a presentation about the key value proposition of IFPA, namely the OIC countries’ food system security, and remarked: “CIS countries have a growing demand for value-added agri-food products of intra-OIC markets, where IFPA under the leadership of our Director General and CEO, H.E. Sheikh Bilal Khan, is aiming to translate the G2G mandate of our parent entity the IOFS into the B2B reality to explore key challenges, constraints and opportunities of OIC agri-food sector as well as provide sustainable solutions to develop the export potential with particular focus on the deep processing segment for higher added value and attracting Islamic finance and investments into the agri-food sectors of OIC markets including Kazakhstan.”