A Qatar Chamber delegation participated in the 40th Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development (ICCD) board of directors meeting held Sunday in Ankara, Türkiye.
During the meeting, Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani was reelected first vice chairman of the ICCD board.
The chamber’s delegation included board members Dr Mohammed bin Jawhar al-Mohammed, Abdulrahman bin Abduljalil al-Abdulghani, and Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Emadi.
The meeting discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation among Islamic countries, exchange expertise, support joint development projects, and strengthen trade exchange among member states.
Sheikh Khalifa affirmed the important and vital role played by the ICCD in strengthening economic relations among Islamic countries. He noted that it plays a pivotal role in promoting trade and investment cooperation among Islamic countries by providing an effective platform for dialogue and coordination between chambers of commerce and private sector institutions across the Islamic world.
He pointed out that the rapidly changing global economic challenges require Islamic countries to strengthen economic partnerships among themselves and expand areas of cooperation in trade, investment, industry, food security, innovation, and entrepreneurship, in a way that supports sustainable development and serves mutual interests.
Sheikh Khalifa noted that the ICCD represents an important framework for bringing business communities in member states closer together and opening new horizons for investors and businesspeople by encouraging the exchange of information and investment opportunities, organising economic meetings and forums, and supporting initiatives that promote economic integration among Islamic countries.
He noted that the private sector in Islamic countries possesses significant potential that can be utilised to build stronger and more sustainable partnerships, empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and enhance cooperation among business owners, which would positively contribute to economic growth and job creation.
Sheikh Khalifa stressed Qatar Chamber’s support for the efforts exerted by the ICCD to strengthen the role of the Islamic private sector, affirming the chamber’s keenness to actively participate in initiatives and programmes that contribute to developing economic relations among Islamic countries and consolidating trade and investment cooperation in a way that meets the aspirations of their peoples for greater prosperity and development.
The meeting also discussed a proposal to celebrate the ICCD’s golden jubilee, marking 50 years since its establishment. In addition, the meeting reviewed the B57+ Group initiative and the Business Leaders Summit (BLS), as well as their achievements.
The B57+ Group is an international network and economic bloc of business leaders launched by the ICCD to promote economic integration and partnerships. It aims to institutionalise dialogue between the business sector and governments in OIC countries and beyond, and to bridge gaps in the trade and investment ecosystem across the Islamic world by moving from dialogue to tangible development projects.
