Jessica Morgan:
Global policymakers, economists, entrepreneurs, and diaspora leaders gathered in Washington, DC, on April 17–18, 2026, for the International Investment and Digital Finance Conference 2026, a two-day forum that concluded with a strong call for greater trust, policy transparency, and investment cooperation between the United States and South Asia.
Organized by the U.S.-based nonprofit In Search of Root Foundation (ISORF), the conference examined the rapid transformation of the digital economy and the growing importance of cross-border collaboration. In the opening session, Raihanul Islam Chowdhury, President of ISORF, described digital finance as a present-day reality rather than a future concept. “Digital finance is no longer the future—it is the present reality. Our goal is to build an inclusive, efficient, and interconnected global financial system,” he said. The session was moderated by Mark Jaffe, CEO and President of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, who emphasized trust and coordination between public and private sectors.
Distinguished participants included Karima M. Woods, Sara Brooks, Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr., Keith Andrew Perry, John Danilovich, Tarun Kishnani, Major General Md. Hakimuzzaman, and Ambassador Osman Siddique, among others. Discussions on the first day highlighted the importance of policy clarity, with policy expert Avik Sanwar Rahman noting that “investment can never be sustainable without policy transparency and trust”.
The second day featured sessions on AI-driven banking, small business financing, enterprise growth, and strengthening investment flows between the U.S. and South Asia. Speakers included Dr. Chris Rodriguez, Abubokor Hanip, Suman Timsina, Tahmeed Shahriad, Sarah Blanford, Nikhil Bhatnagar, Shamarukh Mohiuddin, and Michael S. Edwards. Regional finance leaders also addressed regulatory readiness, investor confidence, and South Asia’s expanding digital infrastructure.
A major highlight was the USA–South Asia Digital Finance & Investment Excellence Award 2026, presented to Mastercard, the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, bKash, Trust Bank PLC, and the Bank of Punjab. A special recognition was awarded to Ambassador Osman Siddique for his contributions to strengthening U.S.–South Asia economic and diplomatic ties.
The awards were presented by Hanif Channa, Md. Sarwar Hossain, and Raihanul Islam Chowdhury, followed by a cultural segment celebrating diversity and people-to-people connections.
By the conference’s close, the message was clear: South Asia is emerging as a promising investment region, but long-term growth will depend on trust, transparency, innovation, and sustained international cooperation.
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