London to host 9th World Islamic Economic Forum in 2013

London –  Chairman of the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) Foundation Tun Musa Hitam and British Minister of State for International Development Alan Duncan have announced London as host of the 9th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIFE). The global forum will be held on 29-31 October 2013 at the ExCel London. This is the Forum's first event in Europe following events in Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Kuwait and Pakistan.

The announcement was made at the closing ceremony of the 8th WIEF in Johor Bahru, Malaysia where the 2nd Coordinating Committee Meeting took place. The subsequent meeting will be held in London in March 2013.

Tun Musa Hitam said: “We are excited to bring WIEF to London. It is a reflection of the forum's increasing significance as a global platform which brings together Muslim and non-Muslim communities through business. We see immense opportunities for collaboration to propel the world's business, social and economic progress.”

On his part, Alan Duncan said: "This annual event is an excellent platform for bringing together leaders from government, business, media and culture - to name just a few sectors.

Following on from the 2012 Olympics, it will be another opportunity for London to showcase itself as one of the world's most open, multicultural and multi-faith cities, as well as the leading center for Islamic finance in the West." Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said, "It is a great honor that the World Islamic Economic Forum has chosen London as the venue for its first conference ever to be held outside a Muslim country. We look forward to welcoming its delegates next year and will do our upmost to ensure their 2013 Forum is a great success.

Our guests will find a city where they can easily conduct business and which has so much to offer visitors, which is why London is consistently proving to be the conference and event capital of the world."

Three-day World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), which held on December 4-6 at Johor Bahru Malaysia focused on role of Muslim youth in using their qualification and knowledge to shore up economies of their countries. More than 1,500 delegates representing 50 countries participated in the forum themed ‘Changing Trends, New Opportunities’. Addressing the opening session of the forum, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul-Razak said this forum would tackle a number of strategies and shed light on plans for promotion of education, freedom of economies, using modern technologies, promoting justice, preparing youth investors and political freedom.

Union of Comoros President Dr Ikililou Dhoinine, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Pakistan Defense Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, special representative for the Qatar Prime Minister Dr Hussain Al Abdullah, Islamic Development Bank President Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali and Moro Islamic Liberation Front Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim also spoke on the occasion.