São Paulo – This Monday (28), the Superior Management Council from the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce elected the entity board for 2019/2020. President Rubens Hannun was reappointed to his chair during the meeting held in São Paulo, which featured Union of Arab Chambers secretary-general Khaled Hanafy. The Union is a business branch from the League of Arab States and includes chambers of commerce from the 22 Arab countries and the Arab chambers located outside the region, including the Brazilian one.
Hannun thanked the council on behalf of the board for the opportunity to lead the institution for “two new years.” “I said two new years because they are certainly going to be new, with new challenges, new obstacles, new facilities, new accomplishments, and surprises, some pleasant, some not,” said the executive. “However, it is certain these two years will be filled with opportunities,” he added.
The president stressed some priorities for the period, such as diversifying the Chamber services and internationalizing it even more, based on the entity’s new strategic plan, elaborated in 2018, which set actions and goals up to 2028.
“The strategic plan we are following for the next ten years guarantees we will grow in a planned fashion, not a improvised one, but based on an elaborate work by a multinational company,” commented the council president Walid Yazigi, referring to the consulting firm Ernst & Young. “Therefore, we expect a sustainable growth,” stressed Yazigi, who presided the session this Monday.
Hannun said that since last year, Arab Brazilian Chamber has been strengthening its strategic relation with the Union of Chambers, and they intend to strengthen it even more in 2019. Besides participating in the council meeting, Khaled Hanafy is in Brazil for many scheduled meetings with representatives of Brazilian government and private sector.
This Monday, for example, Hanafy and Hannun had meetings with São Paulo Finance secretary Henrique Meirelles, and Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) vice-president Ricardo Santin, in São Paulo capital.
Tuesday in Brasilia, they will meet with Brazilian acting president Hamilton Mourão and minister of Agriculture Tereza Cristina. For Wednesday, there are meetings scheduled with Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) president Mario Vilava, and the presidente of the Senate Committee of Foreign Relations Fernando Collor.
“This strategic partnership with the Union has already made its first steps this year with the Arab Summit for Economic and Social Development (in January 20) in Beirut, and their work schedule in order to leverage the economic relation between Brazil and the Arab countries and strengthen our position as a private institution in case Brazil changes its posture on external politics in the Middle East,” said Hannun.
The possibility Brazil moves its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalen is a concern because, for Hannun, it may cause “troubles” in business between Brazil and the Arab nations.
“We are not expecting an easy time. The troubles don’t let us clearly prognose the future scenarios, but make us alert to the demands of many swift moves we will need to understand, evaluate and execute immediately with quality, professionalism, assertiveness, engagement and love,” said the executive.
Khaled Hanafy stated the Brazilian Arab Chamber has been outstanding in its professional posture, without sentimentalism. “Arab League secretary-general (Ahmed Abou Gheit) asked me to pass on his thanks to the Brazilian Arab Chamber,” he said. “Let’s study how we can improve even more economic relations between Brazil and the Arab countries,” he declared.
Hanafy added Brazilian Arab Chamber “has become a good example” of cooperation between the Arab world and countries outside the region. “Activities performed in 2018 were remarkable, always on the path of growth [of interchange]. Despite the geographic distance, we feel very close to Brazil,” he stressed.
Candidates elected
Also reelected this Monday were Arab Chamber vice-presidents of foreign relations ambassador Osmar Chohfi, Riad Younes in marketing, and Ruy Carlos Cury in foreign trade, as well as the treasurer Nahid Chicani. Director Mohamed Orra Mourad assumes as administrative vice-president, replacing Adel Auada, who remains as a member of the board.
Tamer Mansour was confirmed as secretary-general, chair he had been occupying provisionally. He replaces Michel Alaby. Hannun stressed Alaby “made invaluable contributions to our chamber for many, many years.”
Also part of the board are Cláudia Yazigi Haddad, Daniel Hannun, Khalil Yaghi, Mohamed Abdouni Neto, Sami Roumieh, Sílvia Antibas, Walter Nori, Willian Adib Dib Júnior, and William Atui.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
