Bahrain Bourse will virtually host the two-day Annual Conference of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets (AFCM), the guiding body for the Arab stock exchanges, by the end of March 2022.
The event will consist of 19 sessions with 69 speakers who will engage in discussions on various capital market topics, such as sustainability, Environment, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG), green financing, Regulatory Technology (RegTech), market data monetization, and all developments related to technology applications that support and help the functioning and effectiveness of financial markets.
The conference will witness the handover of the Federation’s Presidency from the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) to the Bahrain Bourse. During its presidential tenure, Bahrain Bourse will lead the AFCM throughout the year 2022 and will continue its efforts to enable the federation to develop further and achieve its vision.
The event is expected to attract over 350 attendees from various Arab exchanges, financial market regulatory bodies, brokerage firms, investment fund managers, economic journalists, and several global financial and development institutions.
The AFCM Annual Conference provides a platform for leaders of the Arab stock industry and international experts to gather and exchange views and expertise. The conference supports the efforts taken to identify the latest developments of systems and work models used globally in managing, developing, and raising the efficiency of capital markets, and aims to utilize it to serve the requirements of capital markets and support governments’ endeavors to achieve the objectives of economic and social development plans.
The conference seeks to enhance integration and coordination efforts in the interest of Arab capital markets at all levels, especially enhancing liquidity and motivating many companies to register, offer and trade to pursue their growth plans through capital markets.
CEO of Bahrain Bourse and AFCM President in its new session Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa expressed gratitude and appreciation to all AFCM members for their sincere efforts and hard work to develop the Federation during the past period.
Shaikh Khalifa remarked that “Bahrain Bourse’s presidency of the Federation will further advance the efforts to develop its capabilities and efforts with the aim of making a unique change in its work systems and models at the institutional and technical levels. This will ensure the continuity of the Federation’s role to further support Arab stock exchanges in a more efficient manner, and enhance its capabilities and competitiveness to promote inter-Arab trade in securities as one of the most important financing sources of the economic and social development plans of our Arab nation.”
“We are honored at Bahrain Bourse to host the AFCM Annual Conference this year, as it represents a launchpad to showcase the major themes driving regional capital markets. We recognize the vital role that Bahrain Bourse could play in providing a stable and transparent environment, and the importance of our endeavors to achieve the objectives of the conference and support a transparent investment environment for Arab capital markets,” Shaikh Khalifa added.
Meanwhile, Secretary-General of Arab Federation of Exchanges (AFCM) Mr. Rami El Dokany stated that “The Federation was established in 1978 upon the recommendation of the Conference of Central Bank Governors under the patronage of the League of Arab States, with the membership of only four Arab stock exchanges at that time. The Federation aims to facilitate the exchange of technical aid between members, coordinating the applicable laws and regulations, and overcoming the difficulties facing inter-Arab investment.”
Mr. El Dokany clarified that the upcoming phase will witness working towards the completion of previous efforts to position the Federation on a stable path in the long term, by formulating flexible policies that contribute to the development of its business and activities, in order to promote and facilitate inter-Arab investments in securities.
The AFCM Secretary-General further added that the conference also aims to develop a platform for cooperation and exchange of expertise and views among all relevant parties, as it constitutes a driving force for the development of Arab capital markets’ capabilities.
The AFCM annual meeting will be held on the sidelines of the conference, with the attendance of 18 Arab capital markets.
AFCM is the Arab industry group consisting of 17 exchanges and 3 Clearinghouses (CSD’s), and multiple affiliate members (financial institutions, brokerage firms) from all around the Arab regions (GCC, Levant, and Arab African countries). The headquarters of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets is located in Beirut, Lebanon.
