Held from 16 to 19 June under the theme “Regional Integration for Sustainable Prosperity,” the Annual Meetings provided a strategic platform for ICIEC to advance partnerships, support bankable projects, and reinforce its role in enabling trade and investment across its 51 Member States.

During the 14th IsDB Group Private Sector Forum (PSF), Dr. Khalid Khalafalla, Chief Executive Officer of ICIEC, participated as a speaker in the CEOs Session titled “Making Regional Integration Investable.” The session focused on how the IsDB Group can deliver integrated solutions by combining trade facilitation, investment structuring, and de-risking instruments to transform regional integration ambitions into scalable and bankable opportunities.

Following the CEOs Session, ICIEC hosted its High-Level Panel Discussion titled “De-Risking Trade & Investment for Regional Prosperity.” The session brought together around 300 participants, including senior Azerbaijani officials, business leaders, investors, development finance institutions, export credit agencies, insurers, and trade promotion organisations. The discussion highlighted Azerbaijan’s role as a strategic regional hub connecting Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Türkiye, Europe, and the wider OIC region. It also examined how Shariah-compliant risk management instruments can unlock cross-border capital, strengthen investor confidence, and support sustainable development across Member Countries.

The agreements signed during the PSF covered key areas including infrastructure, trade finance, export development, banking cooperation, and investment facilitation. They included support for strategic transactions in Nigeria, Türkiye, Uganda, and other Member Countries, alongside partnerships with financial institutions aimed at expanding access to Shariah-compliant risk mitigation and trade finance solutions.

Commenting on ICIEC’s participation, Dr. Khalid Khalafalla said: “ICIEC’s achievements in Baku demonstrate the vital role of risk mitigation in turning regional integration ambitions into bankable opportunities. The agreements concluded during the Annual Meetings will support infrastructure delivery, trade flows, investment mobilisation, and private sector growth across our Member States. ICIEC remains committed to providing the confidence and protection needed to move strategic projects from concept to implementation.”

Throughout the Annual Meetings, ICIEC held more than 80 B2B and B2G meetings with stakeholders from over 60 countries, strengthening engagement with governments, financial institutions, investors, exporters, and private sector leaders.

The ICIEC Awards recognised outstanding institutions and initiatives for their contributions to trade, investment, and sustainable development. This year, ICIEC honoured First Abu Dhabi Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and Agrobank for landmark infrastructure and trade finance transactions that reflect the impact of effective partnerships and risk mitigation.

On the occasion of the Annual Meetings, ICIEC also issued a Special Issue themed “Corridors of Opportunities: From Azerbaijan to Central Asia, Enabling Bankable Delivery Through Risk Mitigation.” The publication highlighted Azerbaijan’s growing role as a gateway linking Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Türkiye, Europe, and the wider Islamic world. It featured perspectives on trade corridors, Islamic finance, export credit insurance, investment protection, and the role of risk mitigation in advancing sustainable growth.

ICIEC’s outcomes in Baku reaffirm its commitment to working with Member States, financial institutions, investors, and development partners to de-risk strategic projects, expand cross-border trade, and promote sustainable prosperity across the OIC region and beyond.

The post ICIEC Finalizes IsDB Group Annual Meetings 2026 in Baku, Securing Over USD 1 Billion in Seven Agreements appeared first on NRI News.

INDIA: One97 Communications Limited (OCL) which owns the brand Paytm, India’s leading payments and financial services distribution company and the pioneer of QR and mobile payments, has announced a Travel Carnival Sale until June 7, offering exclusive 10%-25% discounts on both domestic and international trips this summer season.

As part of the Travel Carnival Sale, the company has partnered with Bank of Baroda and ICICI Bank to provide exclusive discounts. Customers can enjoy up to 15% off on domestic flights, up to 10% off on international flights, and up to 25% off on bus bookings. There are zero payment gateway charges on train bookings when paid using UPI through Paytm, making travel even more affordable.

Paytm is seeing a rising interest in offbeat destinations such as Langkawi (Malaysia), Baku (Azerbaijan) and Almaty (Kazakhstan). The company is also offering special discounts on new destinations every week. This week’s destination is Baku and users can avail flat 25% off on Flight tickets to Baku. New destinations will be revealed every week on the Travel section in the Paytm app.

Paytm Spokesperson said, “Our goal is to make travel more accessible and affordable for everyone. By partnering with banks, we’re able to offer exclusive discounts that further enhance savings across a broad spectrum of travel bookings. With features like zero charges on train bookings via UPI and substantial discounts on flights and buses, we are confident that our customers will find great value in this sale. We invite everyone to take advantage of these offers and make their travel plans with Paytm.”

The company is also offering incredible discounts on trains, and bus tickets, making it the perfect opportunity for users to plan their summer getaways.

For train travelers, Paytm waives all charges for train ticket bookings made through UPI. The platform offers features such as live train status updates, Easy Tatkal Booking, PNR checks, Guaranteed Seat Assistance, and Free Cancellation, providing a seamless travel planning experience. For bus travelers, the company offers features like live bus tracking, free cancellation and a best price guarantee. For female bus travelers, unique features like bus ratings, “most booked by females,” and “female favorites” are available to enhance safety and comfort. These tools help users make informed decisions based on reliable information.

Users can also benefit from the ‘Free Cancellation’ option for a full refund directly to their payment source and choose from various payment methods, including Paytm UPI, Wallet, net banking, and credit or debit cards for hassle-free bookings.

The post Paytm Launches Travel Carnival Sale Featuring 25% Off On Flights To Baku With Mega Discounts On Train And Bus Bookings appeared first on NRI News.