Building bridges with Africa

ASCAME organized an institutional meeting between the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and Nairobi's Chambers of Commerce

ASCAME organized an institutional meeting between Mr. Josep Santacreu, Vice President of ASCAME and President of Cambra de Barcelona, and both the President of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Eric Rutto, and the President of Nairobi County Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nairobi Chamber),  Mr. James Mwaura. The meeting, which took place in Nairobi (Kenya), paved the way for a future collaboration agreement to promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation to strengthen economic and business relations between the three chambers, to dynamize the Nairobi-Barcelona and Kenya-Africa-Mediterranean axis, and to transform Barcelona into the EMEA hub. According to Mr. Santacreu, “the future of humanity lies in the sustainable development of Africa. In his opinion, “the progress of this continent is a great opportunity not only from an economic point of view but also from a humanitarian one”.

The sub-Saharan country presents business opportunities in areas such as chemical and pharmaceutical products, industrial technologies and construction. The modernization of the economy and the development of infrastructure in the country also open up opportunities in the ICT sector. About a hundred Catalan companies regularly export to Kenya, mainly electrical appliances and equipment, food preparations, and machinery. As for imports, Catalonia receives coffee, canned fruit, and cocoa from this country. 

Fostering EU - Egypt investment opportunities

ASCAME was represented at the EU- Egypt Investment Conference in Cairo

ASCAME supported the EU-Egypt Investment Conference, co-organized by the EU and the Government of Egypt in Cairo on the 29th and 30th of June. The conference witnessed the signing of 29 agreements and MoUs worth 49 billion euros with companies affiliated with the European Union. The agreements, signed at the private sector level or between the private sector and official Egyptian entities, will boost cooperation in various fields and projects, including green hydrogen, electric vehicles, infrastructure, sustainable transportation, information and communication technology.

This event counted on the participation of Mr. Ahmed M. El Wakil, President of ASCAME, Ms. Maria Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, Co-Chair of the ASCAME Gender Commission and President of AFAEMME, and Mr. Alaa Ezz, Secretary General of the Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations (CEEBA) and the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce.

Cooperation between Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf countries

ASCAME participated at the 2nd edition of the Marrakesh Economic Parliamentary Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf 

ASCAME participated in the 2nd edition of the Marrakesh Economic Parliamentary Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean Region and Gulf, which took place on the 11th and 12th of July in Marrakech. The forum, jointly organized by the House of Councilors and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) and held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, counted on the participation of Mr. Afailal Abdelatif, ASCAME’s Vice President and President of the Chambre de Commerce d'Industrie et de Services de la Région Tanger Tétouan Al Hoceima (CCIS-TTA). Mr. Abdelatif pointed out that “it is necessary to pacify political relations in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf region and foster cooperation to advance sustainable development and equal opportunities in all countries”.

European new portfolio for the Mediterranean region

ASCAME welcomes Von der Leyen's future Mediterranean Commissioner

ASCAME welcomes European Commission President Ms. Ursula von der Leyen’s announcement she would be creating a separate portfolio to deal with the Mediterranean, as part of her next team, signaling her next term will pay more attention to the region. “The Mediterranean region should get undivided attention,” Von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg on the 18th of July. For ASCAME, this is a significant step to advance towards current challenges on both shores of the region, such as geopolitics context -wars in Europe and the South of the Mediterranean-, financial crisis, and challenges related to digital transformation and sustainable transition”.

According to Mr. Anwar Zibaoui, General Coordinator at ASCAME, “We look forward to working with the European Commission to further develop comprehensive partnerships between public and private organisations and institutions from the two shores of the Mediterranean”. In his opinion, “the proposed appointed of a European Commissioner for the Mediterranean to better tackle the challenges of the region was made by Ascame in 2015".

📍 MEMBER'S CORNER

Interview with Mr. Zuher Gamra Elorfi, Coordinator

of International Relations and Cooperation at the Tripoli Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture

The Tripoli Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture has 150 years of history being one of the oldest chambers in the Arab countries. From then on, this institution has become a vital component of the national economy of Libya, situated on the Southern Mediterranean coast and North Africa. Throughout this long period, this institution has contributed to strengthening the role of the private sector in the economic and commercial activity in Libya, helping local companies grow and explore new business opportunities.

This chamber of commerce has played a key role in promoting cooperation among all the Mediterranean countries as a basis for achieving peace and stability in the region. We reflect on all these issues in the following interview with its Coordinator Mr. Zuher Gamra Elorfi.

Interview with Mr. Bouzid Tahar, National President of the Confédération Algérienne du Patronat

The Confédération Algérienne du Patronat (CAP) is one of the oldest and most representative trade unions in the Algerian business sector, whose contribution to the country’s economic development since its foundation in 1990 is undoubted. We interviewed its President, Mr. Bouzid Tahar, to talk about investment and business opportunities in this country and also about the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the main challenges faced today by Algerian companies and organisations. According to Mr. Tahar, "Algeria has become a promising country for business start-ups".

ASCAME Insights

ASCAME webinars: Exploring business opportunities in the healthy food sector and the donor-funded market 

Both webinars were co-organized with ASCAME's partners DevelopmentAid and Free From Food & Health Ingredients

At the beginning of July, we organized two new webinars. The first one was 'Connecting with Free From Food: The Food Industry Leader's Event', which was conducted by Mr. Demiral Ikram, Event Manager at Free From Food & Health Ingredients, who shared interesting insights on the growth of the health and wellness food market and told about business opportunities in this field.

The second one was entitled 'Empowering Mediterranean SMEs through  Donor Funded Market Access', which was conducted by Ms. Mariana Uzun, Head of Strategic Partnership and Donor Relations at DevelopmentAid, who explained the benefits of the DevelopmentAid platform, and the opportunities available to SMEs in the Mediterranean region through donor-funded markets.

Mr. Anwar Zibaoui,

ASCAME's General Coordinator, reflects on 'Expansión' about the potential of blue economy

"The blue economy is a source of economic growth for millions of people, especially in poorer and more vulnerable segments of the population" 

Mr. Anwar Zibaoui analyzes the opportunities represented by the blue economy both economically and in terms of preserving the environment and biodiversity. In his opinion, "it is a source of economic growth and also a key factor for the conservation of natural marine ecosystems and the preservation of marine resources".

Within the article, Mr. Zibaoui insists on the potential of the blue economy in the Mediterranean, especially to address challenges such as climate change, employment generation, or the situation of maximum vulnerability the fishing sector is going through. To face this situation, ASCAME's General Coordinator of ASCAME calls for greater cooperation between private sector actors "to boost the blue economy throughout the region and build together a more sustainable and resilient Mediterranean in the face of new global challenges".

ASCAME Projects

Dialogue4Tourism participation in UfM webinar on sustainable maritime and coastal tourism transformation in the Mediterranean

ASCAME’s partner Dialogue4Tourism #D4T participated in the Union for the Mediterranean webinar ‘Scaling up synergies and partnerships for the sustainable maritime and coastal tourism transformation in the Mediterranean’. On behalf of the Interreg Euro-MED Programme D4T Project, Ms. Alexia Spyridonidou, who is also the Business Development Manager at EPLO - European Public Law Organization and Member of the Expert Group on Urban Mobility of the European Commission, talked about the project’s mission and objectives on the panel ‘Cross thematic synergies among projects’. 

The overall objective of the D4T project is to increase the coordination level and institutional capacity of public authorities, multi-level bodies, programmes, strategies and initiatives on sustainable tourism and governance in the Euro-Med area, aiming to transform tourism into greener, smarter and more resilient, embracing the fourfold approach of the mission.

ECO-CRUISING FU_TOUR: The Tangier City Port becomes a flagship for sustainable cruise tourism on an international scale

The Tangier City Port reconversion, from 2011 to 2016, transformed the Moroccan city into a flagship destination for sustainable cruise tourism on an international scale. So far in 2024, the Port of Tangier has received 104,000 cruise passengers. Nowadays, this is a bustling hub for cruise ships, welcoming vessels from various destinations.

Since the development of this project and its recent active participation in the ECO-CRUISING FU_TOUR Project, the Tangier City Port has paved the way for an environmentally friendly cruise sector, becoming a referent for other Mediterranean ports. Meetings with public and private key players in this sector have been held at the Tangier City Port to actively contribute to sustainable tourism.

ASCAME News & Events

Enhancing Tarragona's presence in the Mediterranean and on

an international stage

Invited by the authorities of Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain), the General Coordinator of ASCAME, Mr. Anwar Zibaoui, visited the city and held meetings with various entities and officials, including the Mayor, Mr. Rubén Viñuales, the President of the Tarragona Port Authority, Mr. Saül Garreta, and the Deputy Delegate of the Central Government, Mr. Santiago Castellà. This gathering aimed to explore potential synergies and identify the most promising sectors for joint activities, all to promote economic development and enhance Tarragona's presence on the Mediterranean and international stage.

Countdown to MedaWeek Barcelona 2024

MedaWeek Barcelona 2024 is around the corner! The Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders, which has become the economic forum of Europe, the Middle East & Africa, will take place on the 29th and 30th of October at Casa Llotja de Mar in Barcelona. This iconic conference will give participants a unique opportunity to shake hands, network, establish business connections with the decision-makers, and open doors for organisations to the latest and most exciting regional projects.

Upcoming editions of MedaWomen & MedaCosmetic in Tanger (Morocco)

The city of Tanger will host on the 3rd and 4th of October a new edition of MedaWomen Entrepreneurs Forum and MedaCosmetics. The first event will be MedaWomen on the 3rd of October, which will be organized by the Association of Organisations of Mediterranean Businesswomen (AFAEMME) and the Asssociation des Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises du Maroc (AFEM). One of the main objectives is to exchange knowledge, experience and success stories between women in Africa and their colleagues in the Arab world, Europe, Asia and the Mediterranean region. In addition, the forum will promote networking and B2B partnerships and also will give visibility to women entrepreneurs and women-owned micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The second event will be MedaCosmetics, on the 4th of October, which will be organized by CCI Aix Marseille Provence. This forum will present and explore the latest trends and innovations in the cosmetic sector around the Mediterranean region.  This event will gather industry leaders, experts, researchers, and stakeholders to discuss advancements, share knowledge, and foster collaborations that drive the industry forward.

▶  Contact us if you want to participate in one of the two events!  👉 secretariat@ascame.org

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