JEDDAH, 17 March 2004 — The new secretary-general of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce is Muhammad Al-Sumadi, the Jordanian candidate. Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia threatened to withdraw from the organization if its candidate Mustafa Al-Hujailan was not elected.
Dr. Fahd Al-Sultan, secretary-general of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce & Industry, said recently, “We want him to get elected and we won’t back down,” and warned Riyadh could establish an independent chamber if Al-Hujailan was not elected to the post.
Al-Sumadi was chosen from the seven candidates who stood for the post, according to Al-Eqtisadiah, a sister publication of Arab News.
Saudi Arabia now has to decide whether to stay in the Arab British Chamber of Commerce or make good on its threat.
The chamber is a non-profit organization governed by a board of directors made up of 50 leading Arab and British businessmen.
Al-Sumadi is only the second secretary-general of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce since it was founded in 1976. The first director, Abdul Kareem Al-Mudares, occupied the position for two terms.
Saudi Arabia contributes 48 percent of the chamber’s budget and no Saudi has been elected to the post since the chamber was formed. “The Kingdom’s big contribution to the chamber as well as the qualifications of Al-Hujailan are enough to get him elected,” Dr. Fahd Al-Sultan had said ahead of the election.
Dr. Saleh Al-Tayyar was appointed secretary-general of the Arab-French Chamber and Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy was elected as second deputy to the president of the Arab Chamber Union.
The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce is devoted to the encouragement of Arab-British trade and economic cooperation. The benefits of membership for the member states include certification and legalization of documents, business information and research, seminars and workshops, translation, language and cultural training, library facilities and a range of business publications.
Saudi Arabia’s threatened withdrawal would lose them access to these benefits. Whether it will materially affect the Kingdom’s annual $1.5 billion export trade to the UK remains to be seen.
The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce works in close cooperation with Arab businesses and legal organizations, particularly the Arab League and its agencies, Arab diplomatic missions in London, the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries, Arab Federation of Chambers of Commerce and national and regional chambers as well as other Euro-Arab chambers.
It has also developed strong links with British business, including chambers of commerce, trade associations, financial institutions and government departments, particularly the Department of Trade and Industry.
In recent years, the chamber has strengthened its contacts with the European Union and has been instrumental in bringing together top-level Arab and European decision-makers.
