DEPARTMENTS AND FUNCTIONS
The various functions and activities of the Foundation are distributed among six main departments headed by three Vice Presidents, two Directors, and a General Manager, supported by a Special Advisor to the President which carry out the functions summarised below under the general supervision of the President of the Foundation.
CORPORATE RESEARCH AND ADVISORY DEPARTMENT
- This Department, which is under the direct supervision of the Vice President- Business Development, organises AFRIEF’s annual forums, round table discussions, periodic seminars, symposia, public lectures, conferences, workshops and online educational programs.
- Organises research into Islamic economics and development of curriculum in basic and applied Islamic economics, etc.
- Coordinates the research activities, economic and financial data collection projects of the Foundation and disseminates their results through publications.
- Provides Advisory services to private and public sector institutions, including governments in the following sectors: Regulatory Frameworks; Shari’ah Audit and Advisory, Research, Guidelines and Toolkits; Conversion to Islamic Banking, Full-Fledge Islamic Banking and Windows; Takaful; and Technical Support for Sukuk Issuance.
- Provides professional development and customised training programs in Islamic Economics; Shari’ah Governance; Shari’ah Standards; Islamic Banking and Takaful products and Instruments; Waqf and Zakat.
- Undertakes research in the areas of technology, monetary policy, taxes, regulation, energy, small business financing and more to support our advocacy efforts. The results of our research are used to educate lawmakers, policy leaders, media, coalition partners, and the public about the vital role small businesses and entrepreneurs play in job creation, innovation, economic growth and a country’s competitiveness. What is more, results of the research projects help the Foundation to advance policies and initiatives that encourage start-up activity and small business growth in Africa.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND HALAL ECONOMY DEPARTMENT
Many governments in Africa are now recognizing that the development of Halal economies as an engine of socio-economic development and growth is an effective means of diversifying and strengthening their economies. As Halal increasingly becomes a world-wide market phenomenon, specialist market information and expertise becomes an important factor for the development of a viable Halal economy and successful positioning in this fast-developing international market sector. This Department, which operates under the supervision of the Vice President-Infrastructure and Halal Economy supports and advises African Governments, Public and Private sector entities and industry players in Africa on the development of Halal Economy, Public-Private Partnerships, Renewable energy, Water and sanitation, ICT, Transport, Urban Development and Services and Islamic project financing.
MARKETING AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
This Department is directed by the Vice President – Marketing and External Relations. Its central function is to market and inform the general public about the Foundation’s goals, aspirations, services and programs, and thereby build support for its mission of teaching, research and services. It coordinates the strategy that enables the Foundation to serve as a knowledge centre and raise its profile as a key player in policy consultation and institutional capacity building for governments of African countries and regional/sub-regional economic groups on the Halal Economy. The Department also advances the institutional objectives of the Foundation, by means of a comprehensive array of communication media, the print, broadcast and the internet.
COOPERATIVES AND COMMUNITY WEALTH DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (CCWD)
This is one of the most important Departments of the Foundation, and it is under the supervision of a Director, Cooperatives and Community Wealth Development.
FUNCTIONS:
- Develops cooperatives in communities and entrepreneurialism in rurally based individuals and enterprises through the processes of individual or group mentoring, direct professional assistance and guided practice. The development and sharing of knowledge and skills to support entrepreneurship also forms an important part of this Department.
- This Department has the responsibility to identify and develop local workshops, seminars and regional forums focused on business opportunity and business development. It assists local communities to identify and compete for grant opportunities that are relevant to local business development and employment growth. The Director-CCWD works towards developing school programs for youth entrepreneurs and assisting local communities to identify and compete for grant opportunities. The Director-CCWD works with start-ups but also will need to provide services to growth-orientated entrepreneurs.
STRATEGY AND RISK MITIGATION DEPARTMENT
This Department is headed by a Director – Strategy and Risk Mitigation and it supports governments and companies with easy economic and financial data access, risk mitigation, accurate forecasting and innovative workflow solutions. It also helps governments and companies identify, develop and implement winning strategies, offering support and capability building at every stage of the strategic journey. The department supports public and private sector entities to enter new markets quickly and safely, navigate uncertainty and prepare for every outcome with the most comprehensive and consistent insight available. The Department’s micro-macro methodology examines microeconomic industry trends to better understand the broad macroeconomic forces affecting business strategy and public policy.