During his visit to Geneva, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Dr. Khaled Hanafy, met with the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at the organization's headquarters. The meeting was attended by officials from the organization, a number of permanent representatives of Arab countries to the organization, and Arab ambassadors accredited to Switzerland.
Dr. Khaled Hanafy also met with Mr. Zhang Xiangchen, Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization, to discuss enhancing cooperation between the Union of Arab Chambers and the World Trade Organization. The Union, as a representative of the Arab private sector, can assist the eight Arab countries that have not yet joined the WTO by communicating with the chambers and federations of the Union's members. During the meeting, he commended the role of the Arab-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its efforts in networking between Arab economic organizations and the WTO. During the meeting, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization extended an invitation to the Secretary-General of the Union to participate in the annual ministerial conference held by the WTO in Cameroon, stressing the importance of the Union's participation in this important event.
During the meetings, the Union's Secretary-General, Dr. Khaled Hanafy, emphasized "the need to address the challenges and obstacles facing trade in light of the global trade war and ways to overcome them by creating a fair, multilateral trading system that enables Arab and developing countries to utilize their local resources to confront current and future crises."
He considered that "the World Trade Organization has a major role in formulating visions and solutions to crises, in addition to its primary mission of facilitating global trade and ensuring its stability in a manner consistent with the needs of economic development and helping overcome the challenges facing global markets." He praised the fruitful joint meetings, which express a desire to cooperate to strengthen Arab and international trade and economic relations.
The Secretary-General of the Union explained that the repercussions, changes, and major challenges facing global trade and international cooperation require greater coordination and dialogue with all relevant parties to ensure business continuity and maintain economic expansion. He considered that "one of the most prominent goals of the Union of Arab Chambers at this stage is to enhance the role of Arab chambers in representing the Arab private sector in the World Trade Organization."
Dr. Khaled Hanafy noted that "the private sector in the Arab region contributes a significant percentage, exceeding 75 percent of the Arab countries' gross domestic product, which amounts to approximately $4 trillion. Consequently, this sector's contribution will not be less than $3 trillion, in addition to its significant contribution to employment. Therefore, it is essential to engage it significantly in trade, which will support the growth of our businesses and contribute to achieving sustainable development in Arab countries."
The Union’s Secretary-General, Dr. Khaled Hanafy, participated in the coordination meeting of the Arab group of members of the International Labour Organization's Governing Body, which was held at the ILO headquarters and attended by representatives of the three production parties on the ILO's Governing Body: governments, employers, and workers.
The Secretary-General of the Union also participated in a session titled "Briefing the Three Production Parties in Arab Countries on the Upcoming Discussion of the Standards Committee on the Platform Economy," organized by the Arab-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which operates under the umbrella of the Union of Arab Chambers and plays a major role in strengthening Arab-Swiss economic relations and serves as a link between the Arab private sector and the World Trade Organization.
The event discussed the role of joint Arab and foreign chambers, which strengthen economic and cultural relations between Arab and foreign countries and achieve sustainable development in the region. These chambers also contribute to the exchange of expertise, enhancing trade and investment cooperation, and providing information and services that serve common interests.
