The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and Secours Islamique France have signed an agreement to expand support for refugees and displaced people worldwide. SIF, a French humanitarian organization with 35 years of experience, is joining the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees as a donor and steering committee member, the IsDB announced. The partnership brings field expertise and resources to a fund that’s trying to address one of the world’s biggest crises—the forced displacement of millions.
The GIFR was launched in 2022 by the IsDB and UNHCR as a Sharia-compliant endowment fund. Contributions go into capital that gets invested carefully, protecting the principal while generating income. That income funds programs in education, healthcare, shelter, livelihoods, clean energy, water, sanitation, economic empowerment, and emergency response. The model lets the fund support refugees, internally displaced people, stateless individuals, and host communities over the long term.
SIF becomes an eligible donor, which gives it a seat on the GIFR steering committee. That means it can help guide funding decisions and set priorities for high-impact projects. The fund already has backing from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre and Islamic Relief USA. Adding SIF expands the consortium and brings proven experience in complex displacement crises.
“By integrating SIF extensive field expertise with GIFR’s innovative, endowment-based model, we are constructing a more resilient and responsive humanitarian-development architecture,” said Adil Alsharif, Director of IsDB’s Special and Trust Funds Department.
The goal is to replace vulnerability with opportunity and make sure every contribution creates lasting stability and hope for displaced people.
IsDB member countries host more than half the world’s forcibly displaced population. The fund is actively channeling money to crisis areas, including support for Sudanese refugees in Chad, Egypt, and Libya, where projects have recently been approved. Rachid Lahlou, SIF’s President and Founder, said the partnership will strengthen impact through proven field presence.
“Thanks to this strengthened partnership, tens of thousands of refugees will benefit from immediate emergency aid and long-term programs, restoring their dignity and facilitating their reintegration into stable communities,” he said.
After the signing, GIFR held its second partners meeting focused on resource mobilization through technology, including AI, fintech, and digital fundraising.
