AIWF Institutional Partner the Arab British Chamber of Commerce celebrated a special 40 year milestone with a Gala Dinner event held at the Banqueting House Whitehall on Tuesday 14 November 2017. HE Mr Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, HE Dr Abdullatif AlZayani, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and The Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP, Minister of State for the Middle East & North Africa at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, addressed over 250 guests, comprising a significant proportion of London’s diplomatic corps, members of the Arab and British business communities and representatives from British, European and Arab Chambers of Commerce. Guests listened to keynote speakers’ thoughts on the Arab-British relationship, many of which referenced Brexit and Arab economic diversification projects.
Baroness Symons, Chair of the ABCC’s Board, thanked ABCC CEO and Secretary-General Dr Afnan AlShuaiby for a decade of service, praising her “determination and charm” and declaring her “an example of what Arab women can do around the world.”
Dr Afnan AlShuaiby told guests that the evening was a celebration of “not just the ABCC’s 40th Anniversary, but so much more than that: we celebrate four decades of excellent Arab-British trade relations … We see opportunity in the changes that Brexit and ambitious diversification projects in Arab economies will bring.”
HE Dr Abdullatif AlZayani, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, reported that the UK-GCC relationship had been especially strong in recent years, particularly regarding tourism and students. He called upon guests to “build upon these successes in human interaction which this evening embodies,” and referenced the Prime Minister’s statement at last year’s UK-GCC summit that “Gulf security is UK security” and “Gulf prosperity is UK prosperity.”
HE Mr Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, stated that: “the core mission of the Chamber, to promote friendship through trade, remains equally valid today as it did throughout the years of its operation.” He continued: “The Arab British Chamber of Commerce has played an instrumental role in advancing the multi-dimensional partnership that the Arab world enjoys with the United Kingdom through the sustained promotion, encouragement and facilitation of trade and commercial relations between the two sides,” and surveyed the challenges and opportunities the region faces.
Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP, Minister of State for the Middle East & North Africa at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, surveyed prevailing challenges and opportunities in both the UK and the Arab world, telling guests that “problems can become opportunities when the right people come together,” and appealing for even closer trading relations.
The Arab British Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organisation whose function is to promote bilateral trade and investment between the UK and Arab countries, guided by its motto ‘friendship through trade’. It works closely with governmental, diplomatic and business organisations and individuals in both the UK and the Arab world, and also provides trade services to businesses. Membership is open to all companies, associations and individuals who are involved in, or have an interest in, Arab-British commercial relations.
AIWF Founder & Chairman Haifa Al Kaylani is proud to be a Board Member of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce and to have Dr Afnan Al Shuaiby as a valued member of the AIWF Board. The Board and Members of AIWF are also proud to enjoy a longstanding institutional partnership with the ABCC. AIWF warmly congratulates the Board, CEO and Secretary General, and members of the ABCC for 40 successful years of supporting and developing vital Arab-British trade links.
