The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) launched on 20 May 2025 its innovative Matchmaking Platform for South-South Cooperation (SSC) under the spirit of “From the South to the South, and by the South”, during a high-level event held at the Centre International de Conférences (CIC) in the Algerian capital city, Algiers, as part of the 2025 IsDB Group Annual Meetings.
Senior representatives from IsDB Management, Member Country delegations, and development partners attended the event. The ceremony featured opening remarks by the IsDB’s Director General for Global Practices and Partnerships, Dr. Issa Faye, as well as the IsDB’s Director of the Cooperation & Capacity Development Department, Mrs. May Ali Babiker, followed by a live demonstration of the platform and reflections from Algerian government officials, including the Mr. Abdelkrim Bouzred, Ministry of Finance (IsDB Governor Office) and Mr. Abed Hallouz, the Director General of the Algerian Agency for International Cooperation, recognising Algeria’s growing strategic role in the SSC ecosystem and future contribution to this platform.
In his keynote address, Dr. Faye stated that the platform was more than a digital tool. He said ‘’It is a manifestation of our commitment to institutionalising a scalable Reverse Linkage model, built for our Member Countries and a gateway for sustainable and inclusive cooperation, enabling seekers and providers of expertise to connect, collaborate, and co-create impactful solutions”.
The IsDB Matchmaking Platform was developed under the Roadmap for Scaling Up the Reverse Linkage Mechanism and brought to life by the IsDB’s Reverse Linkage Division. It directly responds to the requests of the IsDB’s Governors and is a key outcome of the Riyadh Declaration@50, adopted during the IsDB’s Golden Jubilee in 2024. This declaration reaffirmed South-South Cooperation as a central pillar of the IsDB’s future direction.
The platform offers Member Countries seamless access to over 300 onboarded Resource Centres across 11 thematic areas, showcasing a proven track record of technical expertise, development cooperation, and innovation. It also allows new institutions and resource centres to join the ecosystem and ensures real-time feedback and knowledge sharing.
A highlight of the event included unveiling the mapping of the Algerian Resource Centres, conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Algerian Agency for International Cooperation. With over 35 Algerian institutions soon to be fully integrated into the platform, Algeria is positioned to emerge as a prominent provider and partner within this platform.
The official launch of the platform’s digital portal by the IsDB team, including the interactive Q&A session, symbolises a new chapter in the IsDB’s SSC journey, underscoring the enthusiasm and readiness of stakeholders to engage with the platform.
The IsDB Matchmaking Platform is now live and accessible. It provides users with intuitive tools to search, connect, and initiate collaboration with institutions across the IsDB network. For more information or to access the platform, please visit: https://Isdbmatchmaking.com
Source: https://www.isdb.org/news/isdb-launches-matchmaking-platform-for-south-south-cooperation-connecting-57-member-countries-through-innovative-digital-tool
