The Road to the SDGs

high-quality projects to attract the private sector. As such, it can deliver more on less of its own resources. One of the targets to be achieved is increasing the number of people who benefit from the infrastructure within the region covered by the core value chains. Residents of the value chain area would also be the natural beneficiaries of employment opportunities arising from the geographical distribution of economic activities of this chain. u Redefining the role of Islamic finance in development, given that a strong financial services industry is critical to undertaking activities within value chains. Islamic finance is uniquely positioned to lead in this domain, as it combines finance and economic activity. IsDB seeks to use this advantage, especially as the volume of Islamic financing today exceeds US$ 2 trillion, twice the volume of funding needed to achieve the SDGs. QUESTION: The book or report on achievements includes more than 100 initiatives that were fully or partially implemented in about five years. What were the main difficulties you personally faced, as President, in the rapid shift from an existing business model to a new one? ANSWER: The transition from the pre-2017 business model to the new one and gaining acceptance for this shift internally and externally were not easy, especially in view of the size of IsDB, which has more than 1,000 staff members and a centralised business, with 94% of staff located at the headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. One of the most notable difficulties at the internal level was to convince the staff and win their support for the new business model. At times, even when staff are convinced, they might find it hard to leave their comfort zones and abandon their long-time working customs. This [ 10 ]