(MENAFN- Brazil-Arab News Agency (ANBA)) Bruna Garcia Fonseca
Rio de Janeiro – The opening of the 11th World Chambers Congress featured Rio de Janeiro state governor Wilson Witzel and the mayor of its eponymous capital, Marcelo Crivella. Taking place in South America for the first time, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) event saw over 1,000 people flock to the Windsor Convention & Expo Center in Rio's Barra da Tijuca neighborhood. The governor visited the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commercestand and said he intends to travel to Dubai next October. Pictured above are Witzel (R) and the Chamber's CEO Tamer Mansour.
Speakers in the opening ceremony also included Brazilian Confederation of Business and Trade Associations (CACB) president George Teixeira Pinheiro, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry president/CEO and current ICC World Chamber Federation chair Hamad Buamim, and ICC secretary-general John Denton. The solemnity was attended by Ibero-American Chambers Association president Julian Dominguez, of Colombia; Chamber of Commerce of Bogota president Monica Degrife; ICC Mexico president Maria Fernanda Garcia; and ICC Brazil president Daniel Feffer.
The history of chambers of commerce, according to Hamad Buamim, goes back about 400 years. The ICC currently comprises over 12,000 entities from around the world. 'We get together as chambers of commerce of all sizes to encourage networking and find opportunities that can strengthen our global network,' he said. According to him, commerce chambers must support the private sector and their local communities. 'Small and medium businesses constitute the core of what we represent as chambers. They make up the bulk of our member base,' he argued.
(Story continues after photo gallery)
Regarding Brazil, Buamim said it's great to be in a country that 'supports entrepreneurship and facilitates deal-making.' In order to survive in a shifting scenario, he remarked, chambers must adapt if they are to stay relevant to their members and stakeholders. 'We are here to consider how chambers can keep up with challenges and opportunities such as digital innovation, climate change, and sustainable development. We must keep ahead of the game in order to survive those changes and be able to support our members. Collaboration is the key to our shared future: collaboration between chambers, collaboration with the public and private sectors, collaboration between nations,' he said.
George Pinheiro claimed the event is a landmark when it comes to having countries discourage paperwork requirements in trade. 'We must find a point of equilibrium so countries can grow, and growth requires mutual trust,' he said.
John Denton said the ICC is the only business organization in the world that can bring together institutions and delegates from the world over every two years. 'This is what the ICC promotes: deal-making around the world, while ensuring peace, transparency and opportunity for all,' he argued.
Mayor Crivella's discussed business opportunities in Rio de Janeiro: 'The city is working to improve deal-making, and we have plenty of opportunities in energy, transportation, housing and hotels. We need investment,' he said.
Governor Wilson Witzel said that 'creating opportunities for chamber of commerce delegates to connect means linking up those who are responsible for market openness and export-import flows in our country.' The governor said the state of Rio de Janeiro is a dynamic hub for finance, trade and culture. 'We boast excellent transportation logistics, with seven seaports and eleven airports. That makes us one of the leading players when it comes to the flow of goods and people across the country.' He also said he intends to privatize the Rio de Janeiro Port. 'It will be a major step towards improving performance in such an important port to Brazil and the state.'
Rio's municipal youth symphonic orchestra (Orquestra Sinfônica Juvenil Carioca - OSJC) performed under conductor Anderson Alves.
Arab Brazilian Chamber
MENAFN1206201902130000ID1098636878
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.