logo
The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC)-Supported Nakkaş-Başakşehir Motorway Wins TXF Social Infrastructure Deal of the Year 2024

The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC)-Supported Nakkaş-Başakşehir Motorway Wins TXF Social Infrastructure Deal of the Year 2024

Zawya12-06-2025

The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) (http://ICIEC.IsDB.org), a Shariah-compliant multilateral insurer and member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, is proud to announce that the Nakkaş-Başakşehir Motorway Project in Türkiye has been named TXF's Social Infrastructure Deal of the Year 2024, awarded during the TXF Global Awards Ceremony held on 11 June 2025.
This landmark project involves EUR 1.044 billion in non-recourse financing for the development of a 35-kilometer greenfield motorway in Istanbul Province—the final section of the Northern Marmara Motorway, a 450-kilometer corridor connecting Türkiye's Asian and European regions. The public-private partnership is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion, improve trade logistics, and cut commute times by up to 40 minutes.
The project aligns with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 9 (Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships), by creating jobs, modernizing transport infrastructure, and fostering international cooperation.
ICIEC played a pivotal role in the financial close by offering a comprehensive risk mitigation solution, including a EUR 74 million Non-Honoring of Sovereign Financial Obligations (NHSFO) policy to Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank, and Equity Investment Insurance to Korean investors.
'This award reflects the strength of our partnership with the Government of Türkiye, our member institutions, and the private sector,' said Dr. Khalid Khalafalla, CEO of ICIEC. 'We are particularly proud to have supported this project alongside other Export Credit Agencies and Multilateral Development Banks—most notably our parent institution, the Islamic Development Bank, and our sister entity, the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector. Together, we leveraged synergies to mobilize Islamic finance and de-risk strategic infrastructure. Congratulations to all parties involved in delivering a project with lasting developmental impact.'
This transaction exemplifies ICIEC's mission to provide innovative risk mitigation solutions that enable impactful trade and infrastructure investment across its 50 member states.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).
Media Contact:
Email: ICIEC-Communication@isdb.org
About The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC):
ICIEC commenced operations in 1994 to strengthen economic relations between OIC Member States and promote intra-OIC trade and investments by providing risk mitigation tools and financial solutions. The Corporation is uniquely the only Islamic multilateral insurer in the world. It has led from the front in delivering a comprehensive suite of solutions to companies and parties in its 50 Member States. ICIEC, for the 17 th consecutive year, maintained an "Aa3" insurance financial strength credit rating from Moody's, ranking the Corporation among the top of the Credit and Political Risk Insurance (CPRI) Industry. Additionally, ICIEC has been assigned a First-Time 'AA-' long-term Issuer Credit Rating by S&P with Stable Outlook. ICIEC's resilience is underpinned by its sound underwriting, reinsurance, and risk management policies. Cumulatively, ICIEC has insured more than USD 121 billion in trade and investment. ICIEC activities are directed to several sectors - energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, healthcare, and agriculture.
For more information: visit: http://ICIEC.IsDB.org

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Watch: Dubai expat to build mini Burj Khalifa using 2 million chopsticks
Watch: Dubai expat to build mini Burj Khalifa using 2 million chopsticks

Khaleej Times

time3 hours ago

  • Khaleej Times

Watch: Dubai expat to build mini Burj Khalifa using 2 million chopsticks

Dubai-based businessman Charles Jabbour is on a mission to boost recycling and up-cycling one chopstick at a time. He plans to spare millions of disposable wooden utensils from going to landfills with projects that give them a second life as new, practical products. And to demonstrate just how many disposable chopsticks a big city like Dubai gets through, a replica of the Burj Khalifa is being constructed at The Arbor School, Al Furjan, led by students, with help from teachers, parents, and Jabbour's team. The Burj Bambusa Project, as it has been named by the school, will result in what is being touted as a potential record-breaker: the world's tallest structure made entirely from recycled bamboo chopsticks. 'We are using close to two million chopsticks, which I believe is about the equivalent number used at restaurants in a week in Dubai,' the 57-year-old Lebanese entrepreneur told Khaleej Times over the weekend. He views the project as a powerful symbol of circular economy principles, environmental innovation, and community engagement, and says the six-metre tower will raise awareness of the vast amount of reusable materials thrown away daily by hundreds of UAE restaurants. Jabbour and his team started collecting chopsticks from restaurants around Dubai 18 months ago and have since harvested at least two million to be repurposed to make attractive items such as 'climate-positive' furniture. He started a franchise, ChopValue, a global circular economy brand headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, and set up a micro-factory in Dubai under his company Art & Culture LLC. The Arbor School, meanwhile, prides itself on its focus on ecological literacy and sustainability, and on embedding compassion and curiosity into the fabric of the curriculum. So students have been directly involved in various stages of the project, including constructing chopstick bundles and conducting waste audits, evaluating the design of the structure, calculating environmental impact, and documenting the process. Since embarking on his campaign, Jabbour has partnered with popular restaurant chains The Noodle House and Wagamama, plus Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek, whose staff gather chopsticks used by customers for collection by Jabbour's team. 'As it currently stands, the majority of chopsticks in restaurants are used once and then thrown out,' Jabbour noted. 'This represents a tragic waste of resources, including wood, energy, and water, but also represents a great opportunity.' Jabbour and ChopValue intend to prevent about 250 tonnes of chopsticks per year locally from going to landfill. They will turn them into attractive items through a carbon-neutral, community-based production model, and give these humble wooden implements a new lease of life. Once clean of food and liquids, the chopsticks and wooden utensils can be engineered to form fresh items such as tables, chopping boards and coasters, thereby saving on carbon emissions and resources used in creating products from raw materials. 'This way, the chopsticks get more than one use and are repurposed creatively for products that look stylish and also come with a story,' Jabbour explained. Three weeks to go Jabbour wants The Arbor School's Burj project to draw attention to the 'breathtaking volume' of chopsticks used by the F&B industry, not only in the UAE but worldwide. The Burj replica construction began in early May and should be completed within three weeks, when Jabbour will seek a new temporary home for the structure. These chopsticks will also later be repurposed as new products.'By getting the school involved, we can demonstrate to the next generation how an item with a very short lifespan is treated as waste by many, but can still have an enduring new purpose,' Jabbour says. 'The project also shows the power of up-cycling and how this imaginative and growing sector can develop not only attractive new products using items destined for landfill but also create jobs for those who wish to pursue a sustainable career direction.' Jabbour said: 'There is a little bit of irony that these chopsticks will actually be around for longer now than they would have been for the purpose for which they were first designed. That is reassuring to know - and even better for the forests, our ecosystem, and the planet.'

Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and SACE provide EUR250 Million to Africa Finance Corporation
Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and SACE provide EUR250 Million to Africa Finance Corporation

Zawya

time10 hours ago

  • Zawya

Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and SACE provide EUR250 Million to Africa Finance Corporation

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) ( the continent's leading infrastructure solutions provider, has secured a landmark EUR 250 million 10-year term loan facility from Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) the Italian Financial Institution for Development Cooperation. The transaction is backed by a guarantee from SACE, the Italian insurance and financial group fully owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance, covering up to 80% of the facility amount. The financing builds on engagement at the Mattei Plan-Global Gateway summit, attended by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, CDP, SACE and AFC, where the parties confirmed their intent to collaborate. The facility is structured to cultivate Italian supply chain opportunities in infrastructure and renewable energy generation, including the supply of components for the Lobito Railway Corridor - a commercial railway line that will run through Angola and extend to the borders of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This long-term facility deepens AFC's strategic partnership with both CDP and SACE, while reinforcing its mandate to mobilise high-quality, long-tenor capital in support of delivering sustainable infrastructure across Africa. "Cassa Depositi e Prestiti confirms its role as a strategic partner in supporting infrastructure projects with a high social and economic impact in Africa. With this financing - said Dario Scannapieco, Chief Executive Officer of CDP - we are strengthening business and technological relations between Italy and Africa, enhancing talent and innovation. We are convinced that investing in strategic projects not only creates new opportunities for our companies but also helps to build lasting and shared ties capable of fostering growth and well-being for local communities." 'We are proud to contribute to the involvement of Italian companies in the transport and logistics sector to realise a significant strategic project like the Lobito Railway Corridor within the Mattei Plan,' said Alessandra Ricci, CEO of SACE. 'This collaboration reaffirms SACE's commitment to promoting new connections for Italian companies seeking to diversify their exports and embrace new growth opportunities.' ' Our partnership with CDP, further strengthened by SACE's guarantee, exemplifies the power of blended finance in unlocking capital for infrastructure development in Africa,' said Banji Fehintola, Executive Board Member and Head, Financial Services, AFC. ' The Lobito Corridor is a transformational project that will open new trade routes for resources, support regional industrialisation, accelerate job creation and strengthen Africa's position in global value chains, while delivering long-term, inclusive growth. ' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). SACE Media gallery: Media Enquiries: Communications Africa Finance Corporation Email: communications@ SACE Press Office ufficiostampa@ CDP Media Relations Tel: +39 06 42213990 Website: Follow CDP on: LinkedIn: X: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: About Lobito Corridor Rail Project: The railway line will be approximately 830 km long and will connect Chingola in Zambia to Luacano in Angola with the aim of facilitating the transportation of agricultural products, minerals and consumer goods. The greatest opportunities for the Italian supply chain in the region lie in sectors such as energy, renewables, transportation and logistics. About CDP: Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is the National Promotional Institute which has been supporting the Italian economy since 1850. The main goal of CDP is to accelerate the industrial and infrastructural development of Italy to boost its economic and social growth. CDP focuses its activities on sustainable development at local level, supporting the innovation and growth of Italian enterprises, also in the international arena. It partners local authorities, in a financing and advisory capacity, to create infrastructures and improve services of public value. CDP also participates actively in international cooperation initiatives to realize projects in developing countries and emerging markets. Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is entirely financed by private capital, through the issuing of Postal Savings Bonds and Postal Savings Passbooks, and through issues on national and international financial markets. About SACE: SACE is the insurance and financial group controlled by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, specialising in supporting the growth of Italian companies through a wide range of solutions to facilitate export and innovation, including financial guarantees, factoring, risk management and protection, advisory services and business matching. With a network of 11 offices in Italy and 13 worldwide in target countries for Made in Italy products, SACE serves over 60,000 companies, supporting their growth in Italy and globally, with a portfolio of insured operations and guaranteed investments totalling EU 267 billion across approximately 200 foreign markets. About AFC: AFC was established in 2007 to be the catalyst for pragmatic infrastructure and industrial investments across Africa. AFC's approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa's infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth. Eighteen years on, AFC has developed a track record as the partner of choice in Africa for investing and delivering on instrumental, high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in core infrastructure sectors. AFC has 45 member countries and has invested over US$15 billion since its inception.

Restaurant Review: How BOCA in DIFC champions sustainable fine dining
Restaurant Review: How BOCA in DIFC champions sustainable fine dining

Khaleej Times

time15 hours ago

  • Khaleej Times

Restaurant Review: How BOCA in DIFC champions sustainable fine dining

Picture‭, ‬if you will‭, ‬a vision born in 2012‭, ‬when DIFC's gleaming towers were still finding their culinary soul‭, ‬and sustainability was more a whisper than a movement‭. ‬But who would dare to plant the seeds of conscious dining in Dubai's financial heartland before it became fashionable‭? ‬The answer lies in understanding Omar Shihab's extraordinary genius for seeing tomorrow's necessity in today's opportunity beyond the expectant DIFC bling‭.‬ What transforms a technology research director into the Middle East's most influential sustainability champion‭? ‬Perhaps it's the kind of intellectual curiosity that bridges disciplines‭, ‬from analysing market intelligence at IDC to reimagining restaurant operations through environmental science‭. ‬Shihab's journey from Management Information Systems graduate to The World's 50‭ ‬Best Restaurants Mena Icon Award 2025‭ ‬winner reads like prescient understanding of where hospitality needed to evolve‭.‬ Step into BOCA today‭, ‬and witness something still quite remarkable‭. ‬The transformation from pioneering experiment to beloved institution feels both inevitable and miraculous‭. ‬How does one maintain revolutionary edge whilst becoming the comfortable slipper‭ ‬that everyone loves‭? ‬The answer seems to lie in Shihab's unwavering commitment to principles rather than trends‭.‬ Some might think extraordinary‭, ‬but honestly supremely deserved‭, ‬is the MICHELIN Green Star achievement that positions BOCA as sustainability's gold standard‭ ‬—‭ ‬with 100‭ ‬per cent renewable energy from Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park‭, ‬as well as‭, ‬local and regional sourcing mandated across the value chain‭. ‬Cross-training programmes and climate emergency briefings for staff‭. ‬Who else conducts the first carbon emission calculations for a restaurant in the Middle East whilst maintaining gastronomic excellence‭? ‬Let me know‭.‬ Chef Patricia Roig's Mediterranean cuisine achieves harmony with Shihab's sustainability vision‭; ‬modern Spanish techniques meet locally-sourced UAE ingredients in combinations that shouldn't work but absolutely sing‭. ‬The menu careers joyfully around the Mediterranean whilst remaining rooted in Emirati soil‭, ‬somewhat‭ ‬a culinary paradox that somehow makes perfect sense‭.‬ The 40+‭ ‬team members from 18‭ ‬nationalities‭, ‬with 90‭ ‬per cent women in top leadership roles‭, ‬creates energy that transcends typical restaurant dynamics‭. ‬It's rare beyond that we encounter establishments where diversity becomes strength and sustainability becomes signature rather than‭ ‬supplement‭.‬ BOCA succeeds because it answers fundamental questions about restaurant evolution‭: ‬can establishments lead industries rather than follow trends‭? ‬Shihab has created something genuinely transformative‭, ‬a space where environmental consciousness enhances rather than compromises culinary excellence‭. ‬The comfortable slipper metaphor isn't diminishment‭, ‬who throws them away ever‭, ‬it's the highest praise for an institution that's become indispensable to DIFC's identity‭.‬

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store