Qatar Chamber to Invite 50 Delegates From Developing Countries for WCC

Doha, June 25 (QNA) - Qatar Chamber (QC) will invite 50 chamber delegates from the least developed countries (LDC) to participate in the ICC World Chambers Federation 8th World Chamber Congress (WCC) that will take place in Doha from April 22 to 25 next year. This invitation conforms with the government initiatives to apply corporate social responsibility (CRS) programmes in public and private sectors as part of its long-term CSR strategy, the Chamber said in a media statement Monday. A major deviation from previous editions is that the LDCs will be able to voice their views at one of the world's largest gatherings of businesses and chamber leaders being organized in the Middle East for the first time ever, QC said. Speaking about the initiative, Qatar Chamber Chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani said, "Corporate social responsibility generally tends to examine the role of business in society and maximize the positive societal outcomes of business activity. Qatar Chamber aims to instill positivity not just at the 8th World Chambers Congress but also in the region and around world and beyond the actual event." In every country around the world, chambers of commerce play a pivotal role in the development of the private sector. Chambers share a common mission, which is to promote, develop and further the economic well-being of their business community by providing a collective voice in advocacy to represent and protect business interests, bring quality services to help companies enhance their competitiveness and succeed in their businesses thereby contributing significantly to the economic progress of the nation, the QC said. The Congress helps chambers enhance their management and service capabilities so that they can stimulate and foster private sector development, using the exchange of chamber best practice and experience to achieve this goal. According to the United Nations, LDCs represent the poorest and weakest segment of the international community, comprising over 800 million people (about 12% of world population), but accounting for less than 2% of the world GDP and a paltry 1% of global trade in goods. Currently, the list includes 48 countries but QC will be extending the invitation to 50 to complement its own golden jubilee year in 2013. "By extending the invitation to LDCs, the Qatar Chamber, as the voice of the region, is reinforcing its commitment to harnessing the true potential of humans. While attending the flagship business event, delegates from LDCs will have the opportunity to mitigate negative impacts of their economies and hopefully, spur growth in their respective territories," said Sheikh Khalifa. The latest list of LDCs includes: (Africa) Angola, Benin, Burkina-Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia; (Arab States) Mauritania, Sudan and Yemen; (Asia and the Pacific) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Maldives, Tuvalu and Vanuatu ; (Latin America and the Caribbean) Haiti. QC Director General Remy Rowhani, said, "Qatar Chamber believes that CSR is an integral element of any organization. This is why Qatar Chamber has envisaged a clear policy on CSR reflecting the organization s approach to achieving business goals while maintaining a responsible attitude towards the community. The role of the business sector is critical to the development of any country. "It is the best part of valour to recognize the wonderful partnership with Qatar Airways, which will support Qatar Chamber to bring the delegates of LDCs to Doha. Their commitment as the Official Airline of the 8th WCC is as important as it is commendable." Organized biennially by ICC World Chambers Federation (WCF), the WCC is the only international forum for delegates from over 110 countries and over 12,000 chambers, as well as their business leaders to take stock of the current business environment through a series of plenary, workshop and networking sessions, the QC said. (QNA)