The 12^th AmCham MENA Regional Council Conference

 

“One Region, One Voice”

 

AmCham Dubai, in its capacity as incoming Chair of the AmCham MENA Regional Council, hosted the 12th Annual AmCham MENA Regional Council Conference, on April 18-19, welcoming AmCham MENA members and regional guests.

Under the theme "One Region, One Voice," this year's conference served as a platform for leaders, experts, and industry stakeholders from 10 nations to come together and tackle the multifaceted challenges and opportunities shaping the regional business landscape.

 

Through its sessions, the Conference addressed:

 

• Cybersecurity Innovation Technology
• International Trade

• Forging A Sustainability Tomorrow:Post-COP28 Strategies for Ongoing Climate Momentum

• Food & Water Security

• Financing Energy Transition

• Health Equity
• Unleashing the Potential of AI

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Details

 

The Conference’s Opening Remarks delved into the importance of regional cooperation and trade during turbulent times, and the impact of geopolitical challenges and economic instability on the private sector. In her Keynote Remarks, the Honorable Martina A. Strong, US Ambassador to the UAE, emphasized the importance of advancing U.S.-MENA Trade and investment relations, being paramount to regional stability, as well as the importance of tapping on opportunities for development finance in the region. U.S. Chamber Vice President of International Relations, Khush Choksy highlighted the important role that AmChams in the region play in advocating for the interests of U.S. businesses, which serve as partners to regional companies, working on advancing economic relations, and on being a force for good business practices. AmCham Egypt’s Executive Vice President, Tarek Mohanna delivered the welcoming remarks on behalf of the AmCham MENA Chairmanship and Permanent Secretariat at AmCham Egypt, while AmCham MENA Council’s incoming Chair, and President of AmCham Dubai, the Conference host, Mr. Sammy Boussaba welcomed all attendees. 

During the Conference’s Day 1, various regional speakers and experts addressed attendees across five sessions, along with two breakout sessions; all focusing on advancing solutions for unique regional issues. The first session, “Cybersecurity Innovation Technology”, focused on the intersection of cybersecurity enabling innovation technology in the MENA region, exploring challenges to foster technological advancement while ensuring robust cybersecurity measures.  The second session, “International Trade” explored the impact of global trade trends on the region, protectionism and trade wars, opportunities for regional integration, while addressing trade barriers, and sustainable practices.
Following that, the Conference’s third session “Forging a Sustainable Tomorrow: Post-COP28 Strategies for Ongoing Climate Momentum”, reflected on the outcomes of COP28, and the role of the private sector in advancing regional government goals, both to adapt to climate change and to reduce contributions to global warming. The panel also looked at ways to boost climate resilience and meet 2030 emissions reduction targets through investments. 

Following a Lunch break, keynote speaker Nenad Pacek, EMEA Business Group and Founder and President of Global Success Advisors, shared a comprehensive overview on country economic updates across the region, identifying financing strategies in the MENA region, as well as enriching the audience’s understanding of the region's economic landscape.

Furthermore, the Conference’s Fourth session, “Food & Water Security”, discussed the region’s dire need for resource security and the impact of sustainable agricultural practices. The session also defined the intricate relationship between water management and food security, where the panelists explored strategies to ensure sustainable access to water resources for agricultural production and the role of innovation in the sector.

As the final session of the day, the Fifth session, “Financing Energy Transition”, was addressed virtually by The Honorable Geoffry R. Pyatt, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State. Assistant Secretary Pyatt emphasized the US’s commitment to supporting the energy transition in the region, highlighting the vast energy potential in the region and the importance to of placing clean energy at the forefront. The panel that followed, explored how financing strategies not only support energy initiatives, but also encompass ESG considerations for sustainable and responsible financing. 

During the second day of the conference, April 19th, the Chairmanship Transfer from AmCham Egypt to AmCham Dubai took place, and following that, regional guests witnessed a significant milestone for the AmCham MENA Council, which was the signing of a Letter of Intent/MOU for the Launch of the MENA Marketplace ‘menasourcehere.com’, a virtual marketplace for Members of different AmChams to list their products and services, advancing trade and commerce between members of the region and the United States. The MOU signing was done by Mr. Sammy Bousaba, President, AmCham Dubai; and Managing Director, Sales MEIA, FedEx and Mr. Gamal Abou Ali, Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs, AmCham Egypt; and Partner, Hassouna & Abou Ali Law Firm.  

The Conference’s sixth session, “Health Equity”, addressed the need for fair opportunities, eliminating disparities, and overcoming systemic barriers to ensure everyone can achieve their highest level of health, as well as explored healthcare innovations to promote accessible healthcare. 

As for the closing session of the Conference, “Unleashing the Potential of AI”, the panel discussion provided a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the MENA region, exploring existing applications, challenges, and successes. The panelists delved into the region's unique opportunities for AI advancement and discussed strategies to harness its full potential. Furthermore, panelists touched upon the importance of ensuring the region’s culture, linguistic diversity, is properly represented through emerging technologies.

The Conference was attended by more than 100 business leaders in the UAE and from around the region, U.S. government and regional government representatives, as well as media representatives.