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Meeting between the General Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce Industry and Agriculture of Arab countries and the European Investment Bank , July 7,2010
In the frame of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2009 between the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Arab countries and the European Investment Bank, a meeting took place on July 7,2010, in the premises of the EIB in Luxemburg, between the Secretary General of GUCCIAAC, Dr Imad Shehab, the Director of the European Neighbor and Partner Countries department of the EIB, Mr Claudio Cortese, Head of Unit of the Institutional and Policy Unit at the EIB Mr Ioannis Kaltsas, and with the participation of the Secretary General of the CCBLA Mr Qaisar Hijazin, in order to discuss the further cooperation and to set up a working plan.
The two parties agreed on the necessity of implementing the MoU and underlined several bases for cooperation, among which:
- the support of the EIB in the preparation of policy papers focusing on the economic developments in Arab countries, and the preparation of annual surveys about the progress achieved by the private sector in general in Arab countries and by the SME's in particuliar.
- Keeping the EIB informed about the financial and technical needs for the big and medium projects in Arab countries, about the opportunities of investment and the infrastructural projects, in order to obtain European and international funds for these projects.
- The two parties also discussed the organization of training and capacity building programs and business roundtables about economic and financial affairs and where European and Arab experts can exchange best practices and strategies.
- The parties also agreed on organizing an annual economic forum "Euro-Med Chambers Congress" between the EIB, the European Commission, the Chambers of Commerce of the Mediterranean and Arab countries, in order to enhance the cooperation in trade, commerce, investments and finance.
Kuwait Petroleum International Lubricants inaugurates 24 oil storage tanks in Antwerp (June 24,2010)
On June 24, the Kuwait Petroleum International Lubricants (KPIL), which operates commercially under the Brand name Q8Oils, inaugurated 24 new oil storage tanks on the site of its Antwerp lubricant blending plant, in the presence of the Ambassador of Kuwait to Belgium, H.E. Mrs Nabeela Al-Mulla, the President of KPIL in Belgium, Mr Hussein Ismail, Antwerp's Deputy Mayor Mr Robert Voorhamme, the Managing Director of KPIL in Belgium, Mr Giuliano Franzi, the CCBLA represented by the Secretary General, Mr Qaisar Hijazin, Belgian officials, energy managers and workers at the plant.
The Deputy Mayor of Antwerp underlined the importance of this kind of investments as showing "the confidence in relations between Kuwait and Belgium" and the strategic assets of Antwerp which is one of the Europe's largest sea ports and is also home to the second largest petrochemical industrial complex in the world, as well as being one of the world's most important centers for the diamond trade.
Mr Ismail underlined that "Belgium, particularly Antwerp, has been at the centre of KPIL's European strategy for many years". The strategic link to the sea and its central location in Europe makes Belgium an important trade partner for the Kuwaitis as well.
At the inaugural ceremony, the Ambassador of Kuwait to Belgium, HE Mrs Nabeela Al-Mulla, stated that the opening of the new plant is a "symbol of strenghtening ties between Kuwait and the Kingdom of Belgium" and expressed that "Kuwait is blessed with a leadership that has a clear-sighted vision for the future as well as a strong economy that is capable of pursuing infrastructural projects both at home and abroad. We are determined to maintain our presence in Antwerp".
In Belgium, Q8 is best known for its many service stations along the roads and has an extended retail network of over 300 petrol stations in the country. KPIL has invested more than 20 million Euros in the new plant "to ensure we meet our environmental responsibilities and prove our commitment to being truly world class" said Mr Ismail. The tanks have a storage capacity of 36 million liters and replace the old tanks which have been dismantled and removed from the site. The facility is the largest of its four lubricant blending plants and supplies the vast majority of Q8Oils customers in Europe, as well as producing for third parties and other lubricant companies.
Roundtable for Mauritania (June 22 and 23,2010)
 
HE Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf
Under the High patronage of HE Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf, and with the support of the European Union and the collaboration of its partners to development, Mauritania organized on June 22 and 23 2010, a roundtable in Brussels, aiming mainly at presenting the strategic orientations of the government and its public Investment program and mobilizing the partners to development to contribute to financing the Government’s public Investment program, presenting the priority projects for the period 2011-2013 with a global budget amounting to 4,2 billion USD, and the opportunities of investment in the key sectors in Mauritania:
- Oil and Gas: research, exploration, exploitation of oil and gas fields, liquefaction project, etc
- Mining: research, exploration of the basement, mines and carrying exploitation, etc
- Tourism: leisure activities, Saharan tourism, eco-hotels, seaside resorts, lodges, etc
- Agriculture: vegetables and fruits, Arabic gum, cereals, animal feeds
- Fishing: landing infrastructure, aquaculture, traditional and on-shore fishing, technical and commercial partnerships, etc
- Livestock: red meat, leather and skin, milk and dairy products
CCBLA General Assembly (June 9,2010)
On the occasion of its Annual General Assembly, the CCBLA organized on June 9,2010, a business lunch in the presence of H.E. the Ambassador of Kuwait to the EU and Belgium, Mrs Nabeela Abdulla Al-Mulla, as a guest speaker and with the participation of one hundred persons.
In her speech on the Kuwait Presidency of the GCC, Mrs Al-Mulla underlined the strong financial position and stable economic perspective of GCC countries and the various investment opportunities existing in the GCC countries. Mrs Al-Mulla mentioned two major projects, initiated under the Kuwaiti presidency of the GCC, the set-up of a unified power grid system and a railway system between the GCC countries and for which the GCC is committed to invest 109 billion dollars over the next 10 years. H.E. announced that Kuwait will inaugurate next month a new petrol storage facility in Antwerp, with an investment of 34 million dollars, while the GCC ranks fifth among the EU partners.
The Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finances, Mr Didier Reynders, was represented by Mr Jan Bayart, Diplomatic Advisor to the Belgian State Secretary for European Affairs, who presented the Future prospects for the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council" and exposed the main challenges ahead in the field of institutional, economy, social dimension of the economy, energy & climate & environment, justice and home affairs and enlargement.
The President of the CCBLA, Mr Johan Beerlandt, underlined that the trade between the EU and GCC reaches 90 billion Euros and that the relations among the two parties are growing rapidly in many sectors such as healthcare, education and strategic cooperation adding that the signing of a Free Trade Agreement between the GCC and the EU and the development of the GCC Common Market will further reinforce this cooperation.
The Secretary General, Mr Qaisar Hijazin, thanked H.E. Mrs Al-Mulla, Mr Jan Bayart, the Ambassadors, the Diplomatic Counselors, the Members of the Board of the Chamber for their participation in the event and their support to the Chamber.
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ARAB-BELGIUM-LUXEMBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
