The International Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry announced that the Egyptian Chamber of Commerce in Alexandria won the best chamber in the world for the year 2023 for implementing the best non-traditional project. This took place at the conclusion of the thirteenth World Congress of Chambers, which was held in Geneva, the capital of Switzerland, in the presence of more than 2000 leaders of federations and chambers of commerce and industry from all countries of the world. Which was inaugurated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Iwela, and the heads of the World Federation of Chambers and the International Chamber of Commerce.
The Federation of World Chambers includes more than 20,000 chambers and federations from 116 countries and organizes the competition once every two years during the World Congress on one continent on a rotating basis. The Alexandria Chamber submitted its file for the competition to compete with 111 chambers from 47 countries, to be selected first from among the best four chambers with the Dubai Chamber, the Federation of Austrian Chambers, and the Federation of Australian Chambers, where a presentation of the projects was presented during the Congress, to be differentiated between them first by the participating chambers and then by the international jury.
The presentation by the Secretary-General of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers, Dr. Alaa Ezz, received more than 45 percent of the votes of the chambers and then won the consensus of the jury to announce Egypt's victory for the first time in a quarter of a century, which is the age of the competition. At the closing ceremony of the Congress, where the award was received by Ahmed Hassan, the First Vice President of the Alexandria Chamber.
The President of the Alexandria Chamber, Ahmed Al-Wakeel, explained that the winning Alexandria Chamber file is the harvest of solar energy for its members, which is a package of pioneering activities and projects that have been reapplied in many companies to reduce expenses, increase competitiveness and preserve the environment. Supported by training, technology transfer, advocacy for legislative and procedural amendments, and the establishment of business incubators in cooperation with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport, and Alexandria University. Where support was provided to entrepreneurs who grew to become major companies implementing projects inside and outside Egypt. In-line with the fact that the Alexandria Chamber is the first chamber in the world whose building works with solar energy, and has the Amreya Market, the first market for vegetables and fruits in Africa powered by solar energy. The Chamber is currently working with Alexandria University to convert the Faculty of Engineering to operate on solar energy to train and create green job opportunities for them in Egypt and abroad. With the full support of the Ministers of Trade and Industry, International Cooperation, and Foreign Affairs. It is funded by the European Union under the EU ENI CBC MED program and the EU EBSOMED regional project.
Ahmed Al-Wakeel thanked Egypt's partners and friends from the leaders of the Arab, Islamic, Euro-Mediterranean, and African regional federations and their member chambers who voted for Egypt. He also thanked Ms. Reem Siam, member of the Council of the International Chamber of Commerce representing the Alexandria Chamber, Ambassador Dr. Ahmed Ihab Gamal El-Din, Egypt's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva, and Minister Plenipotentiary for Trade Dr. Ahmed Maghawry, Head of the Trade Office in Geneva, for their support to the Egyptian delegation during the conference.
Source (Union of Arab Chambers)
