Khaled Hanafi met Sidi Ould Al-Tah: A Joint Partnership to Serve Arab-African Economic Development

  • Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt
  • 19 April 2022
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The Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Dr. Khaled Hanafi, met the Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADIA) and the former Minister of Economic Affairs and Development of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Sidi Ould Al-Tah, during the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance joint cooperation between the Union of Arab Chambers and the Arab Bank for Economic Development.

They discussed the successful partnership between the Union of Arab Chambers and the Arab Development Bank, which was enshrined in the activities of the fourth edition of the International Forum for Entrepreneurs and Investment, which was held during the period 28-30 March, on the sidelines of the Expo 2020 Dubai. Mechanisms for strengthening this partnership by organizing more events and activities that support development and Arab-African economic cooperation were also discussed. In addition to working on signing cooperation agreements between the two sides, in a way that serves the common Arab-African interests.

Khaled Hanafi stressed that “The Union of Arab Chambers is keen to strengthen cooperation with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADIA), and this meeting comes with the Director General of the Bank, His Excellency Sidi Ould Al-Tah, in the context of exchanging views and ideas, in order to raise the level of cooperation to levels that meet our common goals, the Union’s work is focused on promoting joint Arab actions and raising the level of private sector activity. While the bank has a long history of work to enhance the reality of economic development not only in the Arab countries but also in the African continent. Hence, it can be said that there is a fundamental complementarity between the work of the Union and the Bank, which we hope, through raising the level of cooperation and coordination between us, will contribute more and more to serving the development goals of our Arab and African countries and people.”

Hanafi noted the distinguished role that the bank plays in achieving development, whether in the Arab countries or in the African continent, through the huge development projects that it implements, which benefited and benefited from Arab and African countries. He stressed that "the Bank's practice of its activities within a geographical framework that goes beyond the regional work limits of the League of Arab States, has contributed to deepening the spirit of solidarity and joint cooperation between the Arab countries on the one hand, and the countries of the African continent on the other."

In turn, Sidi Ould El-Tah praised the outstanding work of the Union of Arab Chambers, noting the activities organized by the Union in cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in the last week of "Expo Dubai 2020," including the International Forum on Entrepreneurship and Investment. He stressed that "we at the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) are concerned today with raising the level of cooperation and partnership with the Union of Arab Chambers, in order to achieve common goals and aspirations."

He pointed out that “Arab and African countries are rich in natural and human resources, and it is very important to raise the volume and level of the Arab-African economic partnership, and to have important partners such as the Union of Arab Chambers to strengthen this partnership through governments and the private sector, which is the main engine and supporter of both Arab and African economies, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa aims to support economic, financial and technical cooperation between Arab and African countries, and to contribute to financing economic development projects, encouraging the participation of Arab capital in these projects and providing the necessary aid for development in Africa.”

The Secretary-General also met with the Chairman of the Arab Organization for Industrialization, Abdel Moneim Al-Terras, and they discussed ways to enhance coordination and cooperation between the Union of Arab Chambers and the Arab Organization for Industrialization, given that the work of the Union and the Organization intersect in supporting industry in Arab countries.

Source (Union of Arab Chambers)