São Paulo – The secretary generals from nine Arab chambers of commerce in non-Arab countries, including the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB, in the Portuguese acronym) convened this Friday (8th) in Vienna, Austria to discuss common challenges and present innovations. The Arab Chamber CEO Michel Alaby, for instance, showed the online certification project the organization is implementing in Brazil.
According to Alaby, other attendees showed interest in the project and plan on looking into adopting it. They requested information on the online platform and data integration process.
“They regard the Arab Brazilian Chamber as a benchmark, and praised ANBA and the Arab Chamber TV effusively,” said Alaby, referring to the Chamber’s news agency and online TV show. The secretary generals called for assistance in creating similar outlets.
The executive seized the occasion to propose that a mutual network be established by the chambers, along the lines of an intranet, so they can share information on their activities, studies and other data.
One of the shared concerns is with diversifying revenue sources. Alaby told his counterparts that apart from certification, CCAB has a corporate membership policy and projects in partnership with the Brazilian government, among other actions, to ensure the funding for its activities.
According to him, the secretary generals are interested in increasing the number of potential members by accepting Arab corporations, rather than only local businesses from the country they are in.
Yet another concern, expressed by Nabil Kuzbari, honorary president of the event’s host, the Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce, is the high youth unemployment rate in Arab countries. He suggested discussion on ways of leveraging the labor market, such as trade schools.
Aside from the Brazilian and Austrian chambers, the meeting was attended by delegates from Arab chambers in France, England, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Greece and Malta.
According to Alaby, the next meeting of secretary generals may take place in Brazil in early 2016.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
