DUBAI — Dubai was in the spotlight at the 11th World Chambers Congress (WCC) in Rio de Janeiro, the world’s largest gathering of chambers of commerce, as the Brazilian city officially handed over the baton to the emirate as the host city of the next WCC in 2021.

A delegation led by Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of the ICC World Chambers Federation participated in WCC 2019 and offered delegates a glimpse of what to expect at the next World Chambers Congress in Dubai, which is set to take place in 2021 and coincide with Expo 2020.

Addressing delegates during the Congress, Buamim said the World Chambers Congress 2021 in Dubai will put the spotlight on a city that is truly embracing the future and using innovative technologies to enhance business and trade.

“From forward-thinking strategies to the widespread adoption of blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies, Dubai is positioning itself as a global business hub and knowledge-based economy that continues to transform itself and push the boundaries of innovation. The 12th World Chambers Congress in Dubai will take a closer look at how chambers of commerce are embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, adapting to advanced technologies and adjusting their value proposition to their members,” said Buamim.

More than 5,000 delegates visited Dubai Chamber’s stand at WCC 2019 in Rio de Janeiro, where they had a unique opportunity to learn more about Dubai’s economy, business environment, competitive advantages and the key features of the next Congress.

The 11th WCC featured three days of informative presentations, sessions, high-level meetings and discussions, focusing on a wide range of trends and issues impacting the global chambers community, including chambers’ role in addressing climate change and achieving the Sustainable Developments Goals, future skills for the global workforce, digital disruption and smart cities.

Following Buamim’s call for chambers to collaborate in order to shape innovative solutions to global challenges, the ICC launched the Chambers Climate Coalition at WCC 2019, a ground-breaking initiative which showcases the pivotal and essential role that the global network of chambers can play in driving climate action.

The Coalition brings together ICC and its World Chambers Federation to mobilise business to make action on climate everyone’s business. Chamber leaders who signed the Coalition pledged their commitment to: advocating climate action within their business networks; supporting well-conceived policies to limit the global average temperate rise to 1.5°C; working towards the goal of achieving net-zero emissions globally by 2050; mainstreaming climate mitigation and resilience guidance into chamber services, cooperating with public and private entities to support the cause; and reducing the greenhouse footprint from chamber activities without delay.

Commenting on the Coalition in his capacity as Chairman of the ICC World Chambers Federation H.E. Buamim said: “This Coalition is a prime example of how chambers of commerce and their members can take bold and cooperative action to address global challenges, maximise their efforts and create a positive and lasting social impact. We look forward to seeing more businesses join the movement and work towards building a more sustainable future.”

On the final day of the Congress, Hassan Al Hashemi, Vice President of International Relations for Dubai Chamber joined the judging panel for the World Chambers Competition’s Best Education and Training Project category.

More than 1,000 participants from 100 countries attended the 11th WCC in Rio de Janeiro, including 80 speakers participating in about 25 interactive panel discussions and workshops on international trade and global chambers of commerce. Under the theme “A Shared Future” WCC 2019 was organized by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the ICC World Chambers Federation, and Brazilian Confederation of Trade and Business Association.

The World Chambers Federation (WCF) is the International Chamber of Commerce’s global forum uniting the global network of 12,000 chambers and their respective business communities. The WCF provides a platform for chamber leaders, representatives and members to communicate and collaborate with each other on matters of mutual interest and build beneficial partnerships. — SG