The 39th General Assembly Meeting of the Islamic Chamber

In the presence of member chambers’ presidents and representatives from 26 countries, as well as a selection of economic leaders from the Islamic world, the 39^th General Assembly Meeting of the Islamic Chamber convened under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, on December 16, 2023, in Doha, the State of Qatar, as a platform for exchanging innovative ideas and enlightening visions to lay the foundations of a bright economic future for the entire Islamic nation, through a rich program endowed with opportunities to strengthen mutual cooperation, in order to achieve the desired progress and enhance the economic conditions across the Islamic world.

The opening ceremony of the meeting commenced by the speech of H.E. Mr. Abdullah Saleh Kamel, President of the Islamic Chamber, who emphasized the importance of combined efforts at all levels, to drive the development across OIC member countries, stating: “I call on the Board of Directors of all affiliated institutions to align with the Chamber’s strategy aimed at empowering the private sector, and work in a real partnership with the Chamber as a founding entity, a genuine incubator, and a continuous supporter of these affiliated entities. Remember that as a private sector, we need an integrated system of services provided by all of these institutions, which are essential pillars for the success of our businesses”.

In this regard, H.E. Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani, Vice-President of the Islamic Chamber and President of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, welcomed the esteemed attendees and expressed his appreciation for the Islamic Chamber’s efforts in promoting joint Islamic action, and harnessing the available potential to enhance trade exchange rates among Islamic countries, as well as achieve sustainable growth in various economic sectors. He also affirmed Qatar’s readiness to support the efforts aimed at enhancing economic cooperation among Islamic countries, in order to achieve the desired economic integration.

H.E. Mr. Rifat Hisarciklioglo, Vice-President of the Islamic Chamber and President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, praised the Islamic Chamber’s efforts in promoting business growth and improving economic conditions across the Islamic world, indicating: “The Plenary Assembly of the Islamic Chamber is attracting the interest of more business all over OIC member countries… I would like to congratulate the Islamic Chamber’s President H.E. Abdullah Saleh Kamel for his visionary approach, and H.E. Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Thani for hosting such an important event”.

In recognition of the Islamic Chamber’s strenuous efforts to uplift the economies of Islamic countries, Mr. Naghi Jabbarov, Director General of the Department of Economic Affairs at OIC, delivered a speech on behalf of the General Secretariat of the Organization, stating: ” I must congratulate the Islamic Chamber, for its crucial role in mobilizing the Private Sector, for promoting the socio-economic development of OIC Member States through enhancing public private partnership, and for following up on the various decisions and actions, aimed at increasing intra-OIC investments as well as SMEs development in our Member States.  This assembly serves as a testament to the unity and collaboration that define our shared commitment to fostering economic growth, sustainable development, and prosperity within the OIC Member States”.

In this context, he announced the launch of the OIC Labour Centre, a specialized institution of OIC, to serve as an executing agency for implementing OIC resolutions and programmes in the domain of labour, employment and social protection, urging the Islamic Chamber to cooperate with this institution, especially in areas of women and youth empowerment, research support, and capacity building.

H.E. Mr. Mohamed Saleh Abdel Jalil, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Chad, also participated in the ceremony, affirming the Chadian government’s commitment to facilitate all procedures for implementing projects launched by the Islamic Chamber, including the establishment of microfinance institutions and the Cross Border Gates, which is based on the partnership between the public and private sectors. He also highlighted the government’s efforts to develop the capacities of private sector institutions and stimulate investment, pointing out a range of initiatives launched by the government in this regard, including the establishment of special economic zones and the adoption of a public-private partnership law to implement social projects and develop infrastructure and public services, contributing to the promotion of principles of justice, transparency, and sustainable development.

In pursuit of achieving economic integration among the Islamic countries, H.E. Mr. Hossein Selahvarzi, President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, emphasized, during his opening speech, the need to establish common Islamic market to remove barriers, reduce restrictions, and decrease customs duties, in order to increase trade exchange rates between countries, boost exports, attract more foreign direct investment, and enhance the competitive capacity of these countries in the global market, adding: “I firmly believe that with the good capacity that can be seen in the body of the Islamic Chamber and the capacities of the affiliated member chambers, it is  possible to achieve the economic goals of the organization with the cooperation of the governing bodies”.

In the context of the solid steps taken by the Islamic Chamber to keep pace with ongoing developments in the global business arena, we realized the necessity of updating the Chamber’s name and identity to better reflect its projects and innovative initiatives that pave the way for a new era of growth and progress. Therefore, the 39th General Assembly Meeting adopted the new name for the Chamber “Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development”, as recommended by the Islamic Chamber’s 35th Board of Directors Meeting, held on July 17, 2023, in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In light of the Islamic Chamber’s strenuous efforts to expand its activities and programs aimed at developing private sector institutions and driving economic growth in OIC member countries, the 39th General Assembly Meeting approved the application for membership presented by the Federation of Islamic Associations in New Zealand (FIANZ) as an affiliated member of the Islamic Chamber, bringing the total number of member institutions in the Chamber to 67 members.

One of the most significant objectives of the Islamic Chamber is “Promoting and financing economic, scientific and administrative research and studies which facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information and technical expertise in trade, industry and agriculture and other economic areas”. In this context, the meeting witnessed the election of the Board of Directors of Islamic Chamber Research and Information Center (ICRIC), congratulations were extended to the elected board members, wishing them success in their mission to promote research and projects aimed at enhancing economic development across the Islamic world.

Furthermore, the meeting reviewed the key achievements accomplished by the Islamic Chamber General Secretariat during this year, including: the launch of the Accreditation Program, which aims to improve the performance of chambers of commerce and elevate them in a way that contributes to enhancing the business sector worldwide. Additionally, the Islamic Chamber Training Program was highlighted, where the Islamic Chamber, represented in the Islamic Chamber Training Academy, offers a range of training programs in several countries, including Pakistan, Jordan and Mauritania, with the aim of developing member chambers and private sector institutions in general. This is in addition to the Islamic Chamber’s Business Connect program, which facilitates the work of trade delegations and promotes economic cooperation among all members.

On the sidelines of the 39th General Assembly Meeting, an MOU was signed between Chamber of Commerce of Djibouti and Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry,

Furthermore, in order to strengthen cooperation among OIC member countries, the meeting also witnessed the signing of another MOU between National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers’) Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce.

In conclusion, the 39th General Assembly Meeting of the Islamic Chamber demonstrated its unwavering commitment to achieving integration among its member countries and creating innovative avenues for cooperation and solidarity, facilitating its mission to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development across the Islamic world.

In this regard, the Islamic Chamber reaffirms its commitment to advancing comprehensive and sustainable development across its member countries, by supporting economic cooperation among these nations, providing a fertile investment climate for investors from around the world, and promoting innovation and creativity to achieve the desired future for the Islamic world.