DCCI holds ceremony of the declaration of the UAE National Committee of ICC

Attending were also Mrs. Maria Qattawi, the Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Abdul Rahman Ghanim Al Mutaiwee, the Director General of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Banna, the Deputy Director General of the Dubai Chamber, along with many leading figures in the commercial and business sectors.

In his speech, Dr. Belhasa said that 'the UAE National Committee can now be introduced to the international business community and start a new phase to attain its objectives.'

From her side, Maria Qattawi assured that there is no other organization in the world doing what the ICC is doing, clarifying that it promotes trade, commerce and investment in the market, and believes that trade is the strength behind peace. She insisted that despite the low population in the UAE, it is able to play an important role through its membership with the ICC.

The ICC is considered to be an organization for international business people, and the only body speaking on behalf of the specialized organizations in all of the various sectors around the world. It was established in Paris in 1919 by a small group of businessmen naming themselves 'Peace Traders'.

Dr. Belhasa said that the UAE has adopted a successful economic policy pivoting on receptiveness to the world's cultures and conformity with free market principles, thus providing the private sector with all means of promising investment. 'Under the wise leadership of H.H Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE has established its national unity, earned a reputed standing and kept pace with modern countries in a record time of less than four decades', commented Dr. Belhasa.

Dr. Belhasa displayed the developments of the preparation and implementation of a work program to meet the terms and requirements for joining the ICC. It started with a meeting held in October 2002 to set up the ICC-UAE in tune with the ICC objectives. Then meetings continued to draw up and approve the Memorandum of Association of the ICC-UAE in the light of the experience and memoranda of association of the similar national committees of other countries.

Maria Qattawi said that since the establishment of ICC, it has aimed to establish the basis of organizing the world in a way acceptable to governments, including rules for International Arbitration. She also pointed out that the ICC brings together private companies and establishment in developed and developing countries from all parts of the world under one roof. 'It speaks of thousands of companies covering a wide spectrum of professions, sectors and trade organizations in most of the world countries.'