CCBLA - Arab-Belgium-Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce - ABLCC

Chamber Activities

Water Reuse and Desalination : Experiences and Opportunities

September 28th & 29th, 2010

The Network of Syrian Scientists, Technologists and Innovators Abroad (NOSSTIA) organised this seminar on September 28-29, 2010, in Damascus under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Syria. Mr. Ghassan Ejjeh, Director of BESIX in Belgium and Member of the Board of Directors of the ABLLCC, was one of the main guest speakers at this event.

GUCCIAA meets the EIB

July 7th, 2010

Dr. Imad Shehab, Secretary General of the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture for Arab countries (GUCCIAAC) had a meeting on July 7th, 2030 with senior representatives of the European Investment Bank in the premises of the bank in Luxemburg. Mr. Qaisar Hijazin, Secretary General of the Chamber, participated in the meeting which discussed cooperation between the Arab Chambers and the EIB.

The two parties agreed on the necessity of implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2009 between GUCCIAAC and EIB and furthermore underlined several bases for cooperation. These include support of the EIB in the preparation of policy papers on the economic development of the Arab countries and of annual surveys on the progress achieved by the Arab private sector.

The two parties also discussed the organisation of training and capacity building programmes and business roundtables on economic and financial affairs. An annual economic forum, the “Euro-Med Chambers Congress”, involving the EIB, the European Commission and the Chambers of Commerce of the Mediterranean and Arab countries is also in the pipeline.

KPIL opens new storage facility in Belgium

June 24th, 2010

The Chamber assisted at the inauguration on June 24th of an important new storage tanks site at the lubricant blending plant of Kuwait Petroleum International Lubricants. The implementation of the project is considered a symbol of the ever strengthening tiers between Kuwait and Belgium.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Kuwaiti Ambassador H.E. Mrs. Nabeela Al-Mulla underlined KPIL is determined to maintain its presence in Antwerp. The Deputy Mayor of Antwerp, Mr. Robert Voorhamme, underlined the importance of this investment which shows "the confidence in relations between Kuwait and Belgium" and the strategic assets of Antwerp as one of the Europe's largest sea ports and home to the second largest petrochemical industrial complex in the world. Mr. Hussein Ismail, President of Kuwait Petroleum International Lubricants in Belgium, said 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.

KPIL invested more than 20 million euros in the new plant as part of a five-year plan to increase lubricants production to 250 million litres per year. 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. KPIL thus strengthens its position as a leading lubricant producer and supplier in Europe.

Round table on Mauritania

June 22nd & 23rd, 2010

A roundtable on Mauritania was organised in Brussels on June 22nd and 23rd 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.

The meeting aimed at presenting the strategic orientations of the government and its public investment programme and was an important move to mobilise the country’s partners in development to contribute to financing the investment programme. Participants presented the priority projects for the period 2011-2013 with a global budget amounting to US$4.2 billion and the investment opportunities in key sectors such as :

• Oil & Gas : research, exploration, exploitation of oil and has fields, liquefaction projects and other
• Mining : exploration and exploitation of strategic mineral resources
• Tourism : leisure activities, desert travel, eco-tourism, seaside resorts and lodges
• Agriculture : vegetables and fruits, Arabic gum, cereals, animal feed
• Fishing : landing infrastructure, aquaculture, traditional fishing, technical and commercial partnerships
• Livestock : red meat, leather and skin, milk and dairy products.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf met the Secretary General of the Chamber and invited him to organise a Belgian Economic mission to Mauritania.

General Assembly of the Chamber

June 9th, 2010

The ABLCC organised its annual General Assembly on June 9th, 2010, followed by a business lunch with the participation of H.E. the Ambassador of Kuwait to the EU and Belgium, Mrs Nabeela Abdulla Al-Mulla, and the representative of the Belgian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finances, Mr. Didier Reynders.

Speaking on the Kuwait Presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Mrs Al-Mulla referred to the strong financial position and stable economic perspective of the GCC countries, underlining the vast investment opportunities in the Gulf countries. The Kuwaiti Ambassador mentioned two major projects, initiated under the Kuwaiti presidency of the GCC, and calling for the creation of a unified power grid system and a railway system between the GCC countries. The GCC is committed to invest US$109 billion over the next 10 in these two schemes which offer extensive opportunities for cooperation with European companies. The GCC indeed ranks 5th among the EU trade partners, with exchanges reaching 90 billion euros and fast growing relations in several sectors, such as healthcare and education. The signing of a Free Trade Agreement between the GCC and the EU and the development of the GCC Common Market is also to reinforce this cooperation.

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 spoke on the main challenges ahead in the field of institutional development, economic prospects, the social dimension of the EU, the energy and environmental challenges, justice and home affairs and, last but not least, the enlargement of the European Union.

Upcoming events

6th ECONOMIC FORUM BELGIUM-LUXEMBURG-ARAB COUNTRIES

The Arab Economies : Growth engines for European Enterprises
Guests of Honour : Jordan – Lebanon – Syria

The Chamber is organising the 6th edition of its annual Economic Forum, to be held in Brussels on November 30th, 2010. The Forum will this year highlight the role of the Arab countries’ economies as an engine for growth in the global economy.

Several top level delegations from Arab countries will be participating and available for contacts during the Forum.

The objective of the meeting is to open new horizons for cooperation between Belgium, Luxemburg and the Arab countries and to increase awareness with the business and investment opportunities in the Arab countries.

The Arab economies have indeed been able to maintain their dynamism in the past few years and notwithstanding the global financial crisis. The economic diversification programmes and the growing importance of new activities such as tourism and communications, along with the development of state-of-the-art infrastructures, is creating a promising environment.

The Arab world is thus not just a strategic supplier of energy resources. The existence of major sovereign funds, large-scale projects and numerous investment opportunities offer scope for increased cooperation.

Longstanding relations between Belgium, Luxemburg and the Arab world should stimulate the awareness for these opportunities. Belgian exports to the Arab countries totalled 6.6 billion euros in 2009 and imports reached an amount of 4.8 billion euros.

The Forum aims to offer first hand information on the opportunities for exporters and joint venture companies, contributing to the building of a partnership which is to serve the interests of both parties. It also forms an important opportunity for direct contacts between businessmen of both sides and to establish working relations and partnerships.

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Trade mission to Egypt

November 8th – 12th, 2010

The ABLCC is organising an economic mission to Egypt with special focus on Cairo and Alexandria, the main economic centres of the country. The mission will offer high-level business contacts and personalised meetings between Belgian and Egyptian economic operators.

Egypt is economically increasingly important : its population of 80 million people and growing middle class in the major cities creates a huge demand for foreign investors and Western products. Several sectors offer interesting opportunities for Belgian companies, including infrastructure, energy, petrochemical industries, IT & telecom, environmental techniques, transport and logistics, tourism and agriculture.

More information and registration : This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it