{"id":291833,"date":"2021-04-22T20:56:34","date_gmt":"2021-04-22T23:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/?p=291833"},"modified":"2021-04-27T17:53:03","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T20:53:03","slug":"rubens-hannun-bids-farewell-to-abcc-presidency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/rubens-hannun-bids-farewell-to-abcc-presidency\/","title":{"rendered":"Rubens Hannun bids farewell to ABCC presidency"},"content":{"rendered":"

S\u00e3o Paulo \u2013 Businessman Rubens Hannun\u2019s four-year term as president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce<\/strong> (ABCC) ended this Thursday (22). He passed on the presidency to diplomat Osmar Chohfi during a half-in-person, half-online ceremony. Pictured above, Hannun looks at a photo book of his term presented to him as a tribute by ABCC staff.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

In his outgoing address, Hannun said he feels he has accomplished his mission and discussed the guidelines that underpinned his presidency and his board\u2019s actions. He said the ABCC\u2019s track record of nearly seventy years enabled the work that was done in the past few years.<\/p>\n

Several challenges came up in Brazil\u2019s relations with Arab countries since Hannun\u2019s term began in 2017, including Operation Weak Flesh \u2013 which unveiled irregularities by Brazilian meat packers \u2013, a shift in national politics, and the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

Operation Weak Flesh prompted the ABCC to create a crisis committee. The organization played an active role in normalizing Brazilian-Arab meat trade by relaying information and making business safe for both sides \u2013 Brazil supplies meat to Arab countries. \u201cWe had to decide very quickly which way to go: to remain passive and watch someone else make history, or to take action and help build that history,\u201d said Hannun.<\/p>\n

In every situation that came up, they ABCC worked to cater to the interests of Arabs as well as Brazilians. \u201cWe chose the hard route, the one we\u2019d be held accountable for, the riskier path. But God helped us, and the unity of the board and the staff has been remarkable,\u201d he said regarding the choice to take center stage and actively seek solutions.<\/p>\n

The need for novel sources of revenue saw the ABCC \u2013 which had embarked on a process of accepting Brazilian enterprises to become members \u2013 also set out to gain recognition from markets. \u201cWe had to go faster and to work on that recognition,\u201d he said. \u201cThe organization opened a branch office in Itaja\u00ed, Santa Catarina and an international office in Dubai, UAE. It also worked on getting Arab companies to join as members. Hannun said that during these four years, the ABCC also made changes to its structure and its organizational culture.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s more on this topic:<\/em><\/p>\n