Chamber News and Recent Activities

Tunisia, a valuable partner for 2015

23 April 2015

Fltr: Mr. Mokhtar Chouari, Mr. Khalil Laâbidi, Mr. Qaisar Hijazin, Mr. Yacine Labib, Mr. Didier Leclercq, Mr. Dominique Delattre.

The seminar “Tunisia, a valuable partner for 2015”, jointly organized by the Arab-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and FIPA Tunisia for the Benelux, with the support of the Embassy of Tunisia in Brussels, the CBL-ACP, and AWEX, on 23 April, 2015, was a real success.

The main purpose of this seminar was to get to know more as well as to explore the various possibilities of investment in Tunisia, benefit from the experience of Belgian companies that have chosen Tunisia as a platform for their international development, and meet with Tunisian government officials. It aimed at providing specific and accurate information about “doing business in Tunisia” by gathering members of various professional horizons to participate in an interactive panel of experts.

After a welcome note by H. E. Tahar Cherif, Ambassador of Tunisia to the Kingdom of Belgium, and Mr. Qaisar Hijazin, Secretary of General of Arab-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Dominique Delattre, Director Middle East & Africa at Awex, and moderator of the seminar, introduced the panel of experts to the participants.

Mr. Laâbidi Khalil , Director General of FIPA TUNISIA, took the floor and provided a complete picture of Business Environment in Tunisia along with an analysis of the current situation". It seems worth mentioning that FIPA TUNISIA has a very active office in Brussels.

Mr. Frederic du bois de Vroylande, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Belgium in Tunisia, offered an insightful analysis of the economic situation of Tunisia, business trends and opportunities together with a market approached, based on his past and present experience in the country. He also gave an overview of the various services provided to Belgian entrepreneurs to develop their businesses in Tunisia. Mr. Yacine Labib, Managing Partner at Labib Law Firm, analyzed and commented the legal framework regarding the various conditions and procedures to set up a business in Tunisia.

Finally, Mr. Didier Leclercq, CEO of PCSol, shared his experience in establishing his company in Tunisia and insisted on the fact that Tunisia has a highly qualified labour force.

To bring to a close this interesting seminar, the participants had the opportunity to establish contacts during a networking buffet where they could exchange with Tunisian officials and companies.

Economic Mission to Morocco and Tunisia

29-30 April 2015

The ABLCC took part to the Economic Mission to Morocco and Tunisia, organized by the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and presided by H.R.H. the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and H.R.H the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.

Seminar “Arab Gulf Countries”

04 May 2015

Mr. Qaisar Hijazin, Secretary General of the ABLCC, gave a presentation on “Intercultural Aspects” on the occasion of the seminar “Arab Gulf Countries” organized by the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce on 04 may 2015.

6th EBBA visit to Brussels

27 May 2015

For the sixth consecutive year, the Arab-Belgian- Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with BECI and CBL-ACP, received a delegation of Egyptian-Belgian Business men and women (EBBA) on 27th May, 2015, in BECI headquarters.

Since the end of the nineteenth century, Belgium has been an important Partner for Egypt. Indeed, as stated by H.E.M. Gilles Heyvaert, Belgian Ambassador to Egypt, “despite four years of economic uncertainties and difficult times in Egypt, our bilateral economic ties consolidated. Since 2010, bilateral trade flows grew by 40%, jumping over €2 billion per year and placing Belgium as the fourth European trading partner of Egypt”!

On the occasion of the visit of these Business men and women, the ABLCC organized an afternoon of B2B Business Networking, which offered a great opportunity for the various participants to meet potential cooperation and business partners.

Lunch-Conference with H.E.M. Pieter De Crem as guest speaker

03 June 2015

H.E.M. Pieter De Crem with Mr. Chairman and Mr. Secretary General of the ABLCC.

As is the custom, the Arab-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce has brought together its board members, Arab Ambassadors accredited to Brussels, and its members, for a lunch-conference in the Cercle Royal Gaulois, on the occasion of its meeting of the Board of Directors and the General Assembly.

This year, the ABLCC has had the honour to welcome H.E.M. Pieter De Crem, Federal Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, as its guest speaker.

After a welcome speech by Mr. Johan Beerlant, President of the ABLCC, H.E.M. Pieter De Crem elaborated on the challenges and opportunities of a growing trade and economic relationship between Belgium and Arab countries in the aftermath of the princely mission to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

“The excellent relations and numerous new contacts generated by these two missions must now be expanded and further deepened. Moreover, their impact doesn’t stay limited to the economic domain. They also have an impact on our mutual knowledge and understanding of each other in the political, social and cultural domains. And this, ladies and gentlemen, lays the foundations for trust and even friendship, an essential element for doing business."

Fltr: Mr. Andre Deltenre, Mr. Hazem Hassanein, Mr. Ghassan Ejjeh, Mrs. Carina Sutera Sardo, Mr. Johan Beerlandt, Mr. Qaisar Hijazin, Mr. Mohamad Al-Mazny, Mr. Nabil Jijakli.

What is more, H.E.M. Pieter De Crem, highlighted the important role played by the ABLCC in developing relations between Belgium Luxembourg and the Arab world.

“You may therefore consider me as a loyal partner that wants to assist you in achieving your objectives. Ever since your establishment in 1978, you are performing excellent work by establishing an economic and commercial network that is capable of exploiting the full opportunities of the relation between Belgium and the Arab World. You deliver important work in assisting Belgian companies on the Arab market, but your role in the other direction is of course equally important." (see full discourse here)

We thank all the participants for coming in such a large number and for their continuing trust and support!