On 14 October 2025, the Euro-Mediterranean Guarantee Network (EMGN), in collaboration with the European Association of Guarantee Institutions (AECM) and the MENA Guarantee Group, co-organised a high-level webinar on Islamic Finance and Guarantees.

The session explored the growing relevance of Sharia-compliant financial instruments and their potential to enhance access to finance for SMEs and entrepreneurs across the Euro-Mediterranean and MENA regions.

Moderated by Ms. Nagla Bahr, Lead Representative of EMGN, Executive Board Member of CGC Egypt, and African Coordinator of the Global Network for Guarantee Institutions (GNGI), the webinar gathered experts, regulators, bankers, and FinTech representatives to discuss:

• The key differences between conventional and Islamic guarantee schemes;
• Sharia-compliant structures and operational frameworks;
• The role of FinTechs, smart contracts, and digital finance in developing innovative guarantee products;
• Opportunities for collaboration between guarantee institutions and Islamic finance stakeholders.

Distinguished speakers included Dr. Mohamed El-Jafari (Senior Independent Expert, Amman), Dr. Mohamed ElBeltagie (Chairman, Egyptian Islamic Finance Association, Cairo), Dr. Homam Hashem (CEO, Kafalah Saudi Guarantee Scheme, Riyadh), Bahaa Aldeen Omar Khashagji (Head of MSMEs, Bank Saudi Fransi, Riyadh), and Mr. Azhar Tasadduq (Founder & CEO, Fauree, Dubai).

Ms. Nagla Bahr underlined: “This webinar provided a valuable opportunity to deepen understanding of Sharia-compliant financial instruments and their potential to strengthen access to finance for SMEs.”

The discussions highlighted the strong interest among participants in continuing the dialogue and advancing collaboration on the development of Sharia-compliant guarantee mechanisms. A follow-up working group and future joint sessions will further explore practical pathways to support Islamic finance innovation across the region.