The Annual Coordination Meeting of the Arab-Foreign Joint Chambers of Commerce was held on January 17, 2022, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, under the chairmanship of the President of the Union of Arab Chambers, Abdullah Muhammad Al-Mazrouei, and the participation and presence of the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and the Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Dr. Khaled Hanafi, and a number of foreign presidents, Arab vice presidents, general secretaries of the joint chambers, the general secretariat of the Union of Arab Chambers, and the general secretariat of the League of Arab States.
The meeting was opened by Ahmed Aboul Gheit, praising the efforts of the joint chambers in developing their activities and services and creating new events, as well as coordination and cooperation between them to implement the new projects they are working on, especially with regard to digital network platforms. He stressed that these well-established institutions receive all support from the economic sector in the League of Arab States, as they play an important role in the scope of joint Arab economic work and attract investments.
In turn, President Abdullah Al-Mazrouei expressed his pleasure and pride for holding the meeting in Bait Al Arab, under the patronage and presence of His Excellency Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. He congratulated the joint chambers for their efforts and continuous work, especially in light of the negative effects that resulted from the Corona pandemic on the global and Arab economy, and the prestigious position they reached as advanced points of contact between Arab countries and friendly countries. He praised the achievements that have been achieved, and the greater role expected of them, given the increasing need enshrined in the current developments in light of the world's orientation towards the digital economy, to address the needs of joint Arab development on a more balanced and just basis. As well as to increase the pace of integration of the Arab economy into the international economic system, and to popularize the transfer of modern and advanced technology for the sake of sustainable development and to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and various vital fields.
Dr. Khaled Hanafi delivered a speech in which he pointed out that the Arab-Foreign Joint Chambers, both Arab and foreign, constitute an influential bloc in the political and economic circles in the headquarters countries. Pointing out that these chambers always seek to develop economic diplomacy and pay attention to the role of the chambers, which is no longer a protocol, but rather an interest in the economy to create wealth in our countries and contribute to development. The Secretary-General pointed to the cultural, social, civilizational and media role played by the chambers to promote them and investment opportunities in the Arab world, announcing the participation of the joint chambers in the activities of Expo 2020. He pointed out that the chambers are considered houses of expertise as they are one of the arteries of communication between the Arab and foreign sides with the aim of establishing economic alliances and keeping pace with global economic developments, especially with regard to the digital economy, such as the blockchain and joint information banks.
He stressed the importance of turning crises into opportunities; As the Covid-19 pandemic that swept the world since late 2019, which negatively affected the economic wheel, transportation and mobility, the Joint Chambers continued to virtually provide their services, implement their programs and activities, and organize online specialized forums.
The Secretary-General of the Union stressed the importance of urging Arab customs to make electronic connectivity with the joint chambers in order to speed up the process of registering and clearing goods, in addition to establishing a joint work program between the joint chambers of the Union and the League. To create many cultural activities that help bring people together and then increase relations in all different fields and create training programs between Arab and joint chambers under the umbrella of the Union and the League in the areas of innovation, incubators and small and medium companies.
The President of the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Peter Ramsauer, spoke in his capacity as a representative of the joint Arab-foreign chambers of commerce, pointing out that the Arab-Foreign Joint Chambers under the umbrella of the Union of Arab Chambers is an expression of economic unity and the desire to develop the economic potential of Arab countries.
He pointed to the need that led to the establishment of these chambers, which would provide a platform through which to identify the economic needs of Arab countries. However, the Arab-Foreign Joint Chambers represent not only the economic issue, but also the cultural issue.
During the coordination meeting, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Union of Arab Chambers and the Arab Tourism Organization. A shield of appreciation was presented to the Assistant Secretary-General and former Head of the Economic Affairs Sector at the League of Arab States, Ambassador Dr. Kamal Hassan Ali, as a token of appreciation and thanks for his continuous support for the joint Arab economic work process, the Arab-Foreign Joint Chambers of Commerce, and his fruitful cooperation with the Union of Arab Chambers.
Source (Union of Arab Chambers)
