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Arab British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC)
Arab British Chamber of Commerce ( غرفة التجارة العربية البريطانية ) established 6 February 1975, is an international trade organization located in the prestigious Mayfair area of London, beside the Grosvenor Square. The Chamber has been encouraging, promoting and facilitating Arab-British trade and economic cooperation since 1975. It works in close co-operation with British Chambers of Commerce, Arab businesses and official bodies, particularly the League of Arab States and its specialized agencies, Arab diplomatic missions in London and Chambers of Commerce in the Arab world. The Chamber's regular events include business networking, conferences, seminars and workshops aimed at the business community involved in the UK and Arab business trade relations.The Chamber’s distinguishing motto: ‘Friendship through Trade’ has earned it a well established name within the Arab and British business sectors over the past four decades.

History
The decision to create Joint Chambers of Commerce was taken by the Economic Council of the League of Arab States in the early Seventies. This led to the decision by the Arab governments to set up the Arab British Chamber of Commerce under the decree of the League of Arab States no. K1175/D52/G who mandated it to: ‘promote, encourage and facilitate bilateral trade’. On 10 January 1975, the Department of Trade granted the Chamber a license. The Chamber was officially founded by incorporation and registration on 6 February 1975, as a non-political and non-profit making company and the first Board of Directors was elected.

The first priority, following the appointment of the first Secretary General and Chief Executive, late Mr Abdul Karim Al Mudaris, was to create a nucleus of staff capable of establishing a firm presence in the business world, setting out to attract membership by providing basic services to members and creating a physical capacity to handle the certification and documentation which is an essential part of the export procedure for the shipment of goods from the United Kingdom to Arab states. In this stage it was vital for the Chamber to establish sound working relations with British Chambers of Commerce and set up a system capable of handling the vast flow of export documentation.

In October 1976 the Chamber started issuing Certificates of Origin for goods exported from Britain to Arab countries, after securing a license from the Department of Trade and Industry in the UK to issue these certificates. The form of the Certificates of Origin was designed in consultation with the DTI and in conformity with international standardized rules. The Chamber’s Certificate of Origin was recognized by all Arab countries as a document which has to be completed and certified by the Chamber and legalized by Arab consular authorities accredited in the UK.

From the day the first Board of Directors was elected, the Chamber had aspirations to become a body of influence, providing a unique bridge between Britain and the Arab world participating in wide range of activities associated with economic exchange and the positive promotion of cultural understanding. The result has been a rapid but controlled expansion, matched by adjustments to the policy-making on a limited scale, becoming a significant organization engaged in a wide range of activities and playing a full part in the business life of the United Kingdom and Arab countries.

By 1981 the Chamber published its first Annual Directory, printed in Arabic and English, containing a detailed economic survey of each Arab state and of the United Kingdom. The directory provided a full membership list in addition to the section with commercial information.

A milestone in the life of the Chamber was its move to new premises in 1984, where all the departments were brought under one roof at 6 Belgrave Square. The building was initially inaugurated on 18 September 1985 by Britain’s then Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Lord Howe, and Arab Ambassadors in London. The presence of the Foreign Secretary was a recognition of the importance of Arab-British trade and the role of the Chamber.

In 1980 the Chairmanship passed to Sir Richard Beaumont and the Board was composed of 40 leading Arab and British businessmen, officials, bankers and industrialists. A sound departmental structure was in place, reflecting the various functions of the Chamber, administered by highly qualified Arab and British staff. The Chamber was starting to establish itself in the mind of the European Community with its considerable importance in the area of Arab-British trade policy.

Also in the 80’s, as part of its development programme, the Chamber sought to act as a conduit for information on science and technology forming an extensive base of knowledge and practice in Britain and the Arab governmental and private sectors. To this end, the Chamber launched the publication of a specialized magazine, the “Science & Technology Now”. This development allowed wider contacts to be made in the university sector in the UK as a whole, and with British industry which itself was seen as a source of technological development.

In addition, Saturday classes were run by the Chamber in order to teach Arabic to children of the Arab community in London. Similarly, the Chamber founded a Charitable Foundation financed by the percentage of the Chamber’s surplus, the main objective of which was to provide scholarship for Arab students on post-graduate courses in science and technology at British universities. These educational aspects of the Chamber’s work were widely welcomed by Arab and British governments, businesses and the world of academia.

With the growing importance of the European Union as a single market and single organization in terms of trade negotiations in the 90’s, the Chamber sought to bring this European dimension into its activities by making effort to explain the complexities and policies of the European Union to the Arab audience. During this time, Britain and other European countries gained substantial benefits from the politics of economic expansion pursued by Arab countries which created opportunities for European technology and skills.

Over the past 35 years the Chamber has developed number of services that continue to grow and withstand the volatile period in the history of both Britain and the Middle East. In 2004, following the structural modernization and outsourcing of number of its services, the Chamber was moved from its headquarters in 6 Belgrave Square to the current site in 43 Upper Grosvenor Street in the prestigious Mayfair area of London.

Secretary General
Meeting on 22 May 2007, the Board of Directors of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce has approved the appointment of Dr Afnan Al-Shuaiby as Secretary General and Chief Executive of the Chamber in accordance with the recommendation of the Council of the General Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Dr Al-Shuaiby had previously worked as an Advisor to the President of the US Saudi Arabian Business Council in Washington, DC since 1998. She was educated at King Saud University in Riyadh and holds a Masters of Art in Educational Administration from the American University in Washington DC. She then continued with her PhD studies at the George Washington University in Washington, DC specializing in Leadership Administration. Dr Al-Shuaiby also holds a certificate in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the School of International Service at the American University Washington, DC.

Her previous career has included running a small business, as well as holding appointments as Director (Government Affairs and Business Development) at Qorvis Communications (2003) and Assistant Advisor to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in Washington (1996). She also previously worked in education in Saudi Arabia (1992-94). Dr Al-Shuaiby is an Executive Board Member of the Friends of Saudi Arabia (in Washington) and the Committee for the Development of International Trade of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry. She speaks fluent Arabic and English.

During the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce which took place on 14 and 15 June 2010 at the Chamber’s premises in Mayfair, London, Dr Afnan Al Shuaiby was reappointed as Secretary General & CEO of the organization for the second three-year term.

Commenting on her appointment, Dr Al-Shuaiby stated: “I am honoured and thrilled to accept this post. It represents an exceptional opportunity for me both personally and professionally to contribute my leadership in helping to grow the already unprecedented growth in trade and investment between the Arab and British business communities.”

ABCC Partners
The Arab British Chamber of Commerce works in close cooperation with:


 * League of Arab States
 * The Council of Arab Ambassadors
 * Foreign & Commonwealth Office
 * United Kingdom Trade & Investment (UKTI)
 * The Arab State Ministries
 * The General Union of Arab Chambers
 * Federation of Joint Arab Chambers Commerce by State
 * Federation of British Chambers of Commerce by City

Abdul Karim Al Mudaris
Abdul Karim Al Mudaris (1932 - 25 August 2009), born in Basra, Iraq, was the first and the longest serving Secretary General of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce. Based in London for the majority of his professional life, his earlier passion for the greater Arab homeland had not limited him to one particular Arab country. Before settling down in the United Kingdom, he had worked in Cairo, Egypt, where he was employed in the Department of Legal Affairs and Media at the League of Arab States. In 1960, he worked at the Justice Ministry in Kuwait. In 1965, Al Mudaris moved to London as the Economic Adviser to the Mission of the League of Arab States. All who knew him, admired his strong personality and his sense of punctuality, and readiness to make long-lasting friendships. He was known for his skills in managing all kinds of situations in ways that satisfied all parties concerned, even at the personal cost. Throughout his tenures he was able to establish relations of friendship and fellowship with many high diplomatic and government officials, which had raised the image of the organization which he was yet to establish and which would later become the major focus of his career.

Earlier Education
Abdul Karim Al Mudaris obtained a law degree from Baghdad University, and a Masters Degree in Economic and Social Studies from the Institute of Arab Studies and Research in Iraq. He has also some excellent intellectual contributions in the field of political literature, where he recorded his work and life experiences. His latest work was a book entitled "The events that have continued ..." which is in fact an accurate record of the various phases of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce and the difficulties encountered, and ways in which he managed to find solutions.

Establishing the Arab British Chamber of Commerce
Abdul Karim Al Mudaris spent more than thirty years (1975-2004) in establishing, organizing, managing, and servicing the Arab British Chamber of Commerce. From his position at the Chamber, he also worked as general coordinator of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce. After he left the ABCC in 2004, Abdul Karim Al Mudaris remained as a member of the board of the Arab Joint Chambers of Commerce in Brussels, Lisbon and Dublin, as well as a member of the Arbitration Board of the ABCC in London.

Before his position at the ABCC, Abdul Karim Al Mudaris worked as Economic Adviser to the Mission of the League of Arab States in London, and had chaired the Mission in the years 1973 and 1974.

With his considerable experience in Arab economic and commercial affairs, particularly those related to Arab-British trade and co-operation, Mr Abdul Karim Al-Mudaris was in the early 1970s entrusted by the League of Arab States with the task of establishing the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce in London. His links with the League go back to 1955, when he joined the staff of the League's headquarters and held several senior posts there, particularly in the legal affairs and information departments. He was seconded to the Kuwait Ministry of Justice upon its establishment in 1960, and remained there for five years until his return to the League in 1965.

He was appointed Economic Counsellor at the League's London Office in 1969 and acted as its Director for two years up to 1974. When, in January 1975, the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce was set up, he became its Secretary-General & Chief Executive, a post he still holds. Since 1979, he has been Co-ordination & Liaison Officer of the Joint Arab-European Chambers of Commerce and is also now the Coordinator between all the Joint Arab-Foreign Chambers of Commerce. He is also a member of the Boards of the Arab-Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, Brussels, the Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce, Dublin, and the Arab-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, Lisbon. Abdul Karim Al-Mudaris is a member of the Board of Arbitration of Arab-British Chamber of Commerce and of the Forum for Arbitration and Business Law.

Mr Al Mudaris was elected in 1994 as Board Member of the Arab-British Centre of Trustees in London. From his position in London, he was able to highlight Arab interests and strongly defended them. His attitude therefore won the appreciation of all members of the Board, as well as members of the diplomatic corps, despite the differences of opinion and interests that sometimes existed.

Abdul Karim Al Mudaris was a real source of confidence and inspiration during his leadership of the ABCC. Indeed, the ABCC played a leading role and effectively served on many occasions Arab interests, and laid the foundation for the joint Arab and foreign chambers. Therefore, the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries, in cooperation with the League of Arab States, continued to give the ABCC particular attention as an important part of their joint Arab economic activities outside the Arab world. Thanks to these efforts, the ABCC is now an established independent entity. It is now the essential backbone of the combined efforts for the protection of Arab economic interests, and an indispensable mechanism for extending trade and friendship relations with the Arab world.