Promoting business interests: the agenda of world Chambers of Commerce

№ 1, 2022
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IN 2021, DUBAI HOSTED THE WORLD CHAMBERS CONGRESS, A LARGE-SCALE ANNUAL EVENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (ICC) AND THE WORLD CHAMBERS FEDERATION. VLADIMIR ULAKHOVICH, THE BELCCI CHAIRMAN, WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE CONGRESS EVENTS.

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The 12th World Chambers Congress took place on November 23–25. The three-day event was held under the theme "Generation Next: Chambers 4.0". Heads of business associations and business leaders from around the world discussed the role of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in promoting global trade, new challenges and opportunities arising in the pandemic time, as well as transforming Chambers and their services in response to changing business needs and influenced by modern trends and technologies.

At the sidelines of the Congress, the Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich held meetings and negotiations with the heads of the International Chamber of Commerce, the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry ­(EUROCHAMBRES), Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and certain regions of Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Lipetsk Region), Ukraine, Mongolia, Syria, Madagascar, Jordan, Benin, Colombia, Emirate of Sharjah, as well as heads and representatives of business associations of Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Turkey, the Republic of Chad, the city of Turin (Italy) and the canton of Geneva (Switzerland).

Topical issues of cooperation between the CCIs, plans for holding joint business events and promoting business contacts were considered during the meetings.

In particular, the preparation for the meeting of the Advisory Council of the Heads of the EAEU Chambers was discussed with the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the ­Russian Federation Sergey Katyrin, and plans for the organization of the next meeting of the Belarusian-­Ukrainian ­Business Cooperation ­Advisory ­Council were considered with the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine ­Gennadiy ­Chyzhykov. The President of the Lipetsk CCI ­Union Anatoly ­Goltsov presented the ­Union's committee for cooperation with ­Belarus, and also confirmed his readiness to organize visits of several specialised delegations to Belarus to hold meetings with businessmen and carry out visits to enterprises.

The issues of interaction at the ­level of the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Chambers ­Federation were discussed at the ­meeting of the BelCCI Chairman and the ICC Director Vincent O'Brien. The participation of the BelCCI in events and projects of EUROCHAMBRES were high on the agenda of the meeting with Ben Butters, EUROCHAMBRES Executive Director. Further steps to develop the "Lisbon–Vladivostok" Initiative were discussed with representatives of the Russian-German Chamber of ­Commerce.

The previously reached agreements on the participation of Belarusian enterprises in international exhibitions in Mongolia, as well as joint work on the selection of enterprises of the two countries interested in establishing joint ventures in the fields of livestock and textile industries were confirmed by Vladimir Ulakhovich and the President of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Otgondavaa Amartuvshin during the negotiations.

The heads of African Chambers of Commerce and Industry confirmed their interest in taking part in the third Belarusian-­African economic forum, which is planned for holding in Cairo in May 2022, as well as in expanding business cooperation between the African continent businesses and the Belarusian manufacturers of food and engineering products. Senior officials of the Colombian CCI expressed the interest of Colombian companies in establishing contacts with Belarusian chemical enterprises.

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Agreements on the participation of Belarusian enterprises in one of the international exhibitions in the field of mechanical engineering to be held in the Emirate, as well as on the organization of a visit of a delegation consisting of interested business ­leaders to Belarus to consider investing in specific projects in Minsk and regional centers of the country were reached at the ­meeting with the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Emirate of Sharjah Abdullah Sultan Al Owais.

During negotiations with representatives of the business associations of Bangladesh, Oman, Turkey, the main avenues of work of the business councils created by the BelCCI jointly with these organizations, plans for holding council meetings in 2022 were addressed.

The possibilities of participation of ­Belarusian enterprises in the International Trade Fair in Bulawayo and the organization of a business visit to ­Zimbabwe were discussed at the ­meeting with the head of the ­Chamber of Commerce and Industry of this country. An agreement was reached on the exchange of business missions with the Chamber of Commerce and ­Industry of Saudi ­Arabia.

The head of the Belgian Chamber of Commerce presented a successful project of interaction with the Byelorussian Metallurgical Plant, expressed the willingness of his ­Chamber to contribute to the further development of cooperation between the Belgian and Belarusian business circles.

The highly-productive work of the ­BelCCI Chairman contributed to a comprehensive exchange of experience, the establishment of new contacts and discussion of cooperation prospects. The interest shown in ­Belarus by the business associations of different states has once again confirmed that the country is a promising and reliable partner.