Activities of the Chamber

Strategic Outreach: Mrs. Hilda Al-Hinai, Secretary General of CASCI, Bolsters Presence in Arab Countries during 2023

Oman – May 3rd to May 16th, 2023 :

• Met with officials from the Oman Chamber and discussed AWJ’s successful program for training young Omanis.
• Met with the Swiss Ambassador to Oman, H.E. Ambassador Thomas Oertle, to present CASCI and the new vision.

• Met with the Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ), H.E. Dr Ali Al-Sunaidi, to discuss participation in a CASCI WTO event and potential sponsorships.

• On May 11, 2023, participation an official lunch with the GCC ministers, undersecretaries of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, along with the presidents of the GCC Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Qatar – May 4th, 2023 :

• Visited Doha and met with the Director General of the Qatar Chamber, Mr Saleh Al-Sharqui, to discuss cooperation, sponsorship of CASCI activities, and inviting Qatari businesses to become CASCI members.

Bahrain – May 2nd, 2023 :

• Met with the CEO of the Bahrain Chamber, Dr. Abdulla Al Sada, to present the CASCI’s vision and discussed cooperation, sponsorship, and inviting Bahraini businesses to become CASCI members.

United Arab Emirates – May 7th to 10th, 2023 :

• Attended the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM), in Abu Dhabi, focused on the theme “The Investment Paradigm Shift: Future Opportunities to Foster Sustainable Economic Growth, Diversity and Prosperity”. Actively promoted  CASCI and participated in ministerial sessions.

• Engaged in a closed ministerial session on Arabic Economic integration, Challenges, and Opportunities. Chaired by HE Ahmed Abu ELGhait, Secretary-General of the Arab League, the session, organized by the Arab League and the Union of Arab Chambers, delved into the progress of economic integration in the Arab region, especially in Customs and Trade in Services Agreement. HE Abu ElGhait emphasized achievements but also highlighted the remaining work, urging all countries to expedite efforts in this regard. Ministers from the UAE, Lebanon, and Jordan shared their perspectives, addressing challenges faced by businessmen, including issues related to obtaining visas for doing business in certain Arab countries.

Egypt – May 14th to 16th, 2023

• Visited Cairo and spoke at a regional workshop organized by the Arab League and UNCTAD, titled “Regional Workshop for the Exchange of Knowledge and Experience on Regional Trade Agreements and WTO Accession Negotiations for Policy Makers and Negotiators for selected Arab Countries.”

• Met with Mr. Mohammed Kassem, Chairman of the Egyptian Exporters Association in Cairo. The conversation centered around the potential opportunities for exporting Egyptian textile and agriculture products to the Swiss market and how CASCI could play a pivotal role in facilitating and streamlining this process.

Planned visits to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria were postponed. Mrs Hilda Al-Hinai played a key role in preparing for the visit of the son of the Sultan of Oman to Geneva in collaboration with the World Trade Organization (WTO).

CASCI’ Annual General Meeting – March 17^th, 2023 at the Fairmont Hotel, Geneva

During the morning, a joint meeting between their Excellencies the Arab ambassadors accredited to Berne, the ambassadors accredited to Geneva and representatives of the Arab Chambers of Commerce and the Union of Arab Chambers was crowned with success and gave rise to fruitful discussions.

The General Meeting closed with a presentation by Mr. Ivo Germann, Ambassador and Head of the Directorate for External Economic Affairs at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). A remarkable speech on “A perspective on economic relations between Switzerland and Arab countries” was delivered to CASCI members and guests.

Visit to Oman – February 3rd to February 15th, 2023

Meeting with the Swiss Ambassador H.E. Thomas Oertle – February 6th, 2023:

• The meeting served as an opportunity to express gratitude to the ambassador and his team for their assistance in appointment procedures.
• Discussions included future opportunities and projects to promote Swiss businesses in Oman, as well as potential collaborations with the Swiss embassy’s activities for the 50th Anniversary of Swiss-Omani diplomatic relations. The ambassador recommended connecting with the current representative of Switzerland Global Enterprise in Dubai and in Switzerland.

Lunch with H.E. Shaikh Saif Al-Maskary – February 6th, 2023:

• Discussions focused on potential collaboration between the Oman-Switzerland Friendship Association (OSFA) and CASCI.

Meeting with H.E. Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Rawas – February 7th, 2023:

• Congratulations were offered to H.E. Faisal Al-Rawas for his appointment as the new Chairman of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI). Talks covered the role of CASCI with the Arab chambers, Switzerland’s significance as Oman’s 9th trading partner, and strategies to increase CASCI’s visibility in Oman.

Meeting with Mrs. Haritha Al-Busaidi – February 7th, 2023:

• Discussions with Mrs. Al-Busaidi focused on the possibility of an internship program for OCCI staff at CASCI, fully covered by OCCI. The program aims to provide international experience for OCCI staff and leverage local contacts for CASCI. The potential success of this initiative could extend to other Arab Chambers and Swiss students.

Exhibition and Cocktail Reception Organized by the Swiss Embassy – February 8th, 2023:

• Attendance at a cocktail dinner (National Museum of Oman) celebrating the Swiss Design Exhibition, part of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Oman.

Seminar for the Libyan Business Delegation – February 12th, 2023:

• Attendance at a seminar discussing Libya’s requirements for various goods and investments, with a focus on medical and food products. Discussions included simplifying procedures for Libyan investors in Oman and introducing CASCI to H.E. Anwar Abouseta, Chairman of Tripoli Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture. Discussions included the possibility of partnerships with Swiss companies in food & medical sectors.

Meeting with Dr. Ngozi, Director General of the WTO at OCCI – February 14th, 2023:

• Attendance at a dialogue between Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Omani business leaders, followed by bilateral discussions. Dr. Ngozi expressed interest in collaborating with CASCI to facilitate an organized visit for Omani businessmen and women to Switzerland.

Qatar National Day, December 2022

CASCI was invited to attend the Qatari National Day Reception. Ms Al-Hinai represented CASCI in this occasion. The Qatari Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, in her speech spoke about the history, vision and achievements of Qatar. It was also an opportunity to promote the World Cup that was going to take place in Qatar few days later.

Arab Economic Forum, Beirut-Lebanon 2022

Ms Hilda Al-Hinai represented CASCI in the economic forum that saw good attendance from the Arab Chambers and Arab businessmen. It was considered as a good support and interest in the Lebanese economy . Prime Minister Najib Mikati participated in the opening session of the conference as well as a number of Lebanese ministers. The focus of the conference was on the new signed agreement to extract gas from the Mediterranean sea. The discussions included the economic situation in Lebanon, how to tackle it and the role of diaspora in supporting the economy.

WTO Trade for Peace Program, December 2022

Our Secretary General, Ms Hilda Al-Hinai, was invited by the WTO to participate in a Concluding Roundtable of the Trade for Peace MINT Course. The Graduate Institute is collaborating with WTO Accessions Division in teaching a new Master’s program on Trade for Peace at the Institute. This program is important to the Arab region because there are a number of countries in the region considered as Fragile and Conflict Affected States . The course approaches Trade for Peace from an interdisciplinary lens, with insights from economics, history, law, and political science , aiming to foster closer collaboration between the trade, peace and humanitarian communities.

Visit of the Secretary General to the Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, December, 2022

Our Secretary General, Ms Hilda Al-Hinai, visited the Ghorfa and with the Secretary General and Coordinator of the Foreign Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Abdulaziz Al-Mikhlafi, they discussed mutual interests and the role of the Secretary General and the role of Foreign Arab Chambers in supporting Arab trade relations with the host countries.

Conference and Business Networking Event, November 8, 2022

CASCI, was represented on this occasion by Ms Burgisser Christel, Events-Communication Manager, in partnership with the AICC – Association of International Chambers of commerce, organized a major humanitarian conference and Networking Event, on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, in with the Special Assistant to the UN Secretary General: Ms. Gillian Triggs, who honored us with her presence.
Theme: whoever, Wherever, Whenever : Everyone has the right to seek safety.
In 2019, she has been appointed by UN Secretary General António G. to the position of UN Under-Secretary General. In this capacity, she serve as Deputy High Commissioner for Protection on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees team.

After the conference, a cocktail reception was served during which one could meet and exchange ideas with the guests and members of other chambers of commerce, as well as meet and ask questions directly to the speaker.
The event attracted nearly 150 attendees.

CASCI is pleased to introduce its new Secretary General, October 2022

H.E. Mrs. Hilda Ali Al-Hinai, an Omani diplomat with an extensive and impressive international experience, takes up her position as Secretary General of the Swiss Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
After a careful and challenging selection process, Mrs. Al-Hinai has been appointed by a unanimous vote of CASCI’s Board of Directors, after a preliminary approval by the Council of the General Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce.
She is replacing H.E. Mr. Bahaa El-Attar, who retired at after twelve years of service in favour of the Arab-Swiss commercial relationships.

92nd National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, September 22, 2022

CASCI was invited to the celebration in Geneva of the 92nd National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia organised by H.E. Ambassador Bin Khothaila and was represented on this occasion by Ms. Suzanne Merhi, Director of the Chamber, and Ms. Tram Pham, Legalization.
The event took place at the Permanent Mission on Thursday, September 22 in Geneva.
In a speech delivered at the ceremony, the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Abdulmohsen bin Khothaila, highlighted the Kingdom’s march throughout its history to the current prosperous era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
He underlined their role in building the Kingdom’s international relations on the basis of distinguished partnerships founded on cooperation and mutual respect.
He also hailed their role in achieving security, peace, stability and prosperity.
Mr. Khothaila underscored the Kingdom’s efforts to spread tolerance, peace and respect for cultural diversity and to reject of hatred and extremism.The ceremony was attended by a number of country ambassadors, heads of international organizations, senior Swiss officials and Saudi citizens residing in Geneva.

Visit of the President to Oman, February 11-18, 2022

CASCI’s President, Mr. Jean-Paul Vulliety, was invited to Oman, from 11 to 18 February 2022, for an official visit.
This visit helped identify promising areas of business development and investment opportunities between Switzerland and Oman.
The Sultanate of Oman has developed its “Vision 2040”, along the following economic and commercial development goals:

• Logistics, in particular downstream logistics for food and fish
• Tourism
• Food security
• Healthcare and pharma, hospital management
• Industrial production/processing banking, project financing and financing mechanisms (including crowd funding, venture capital, etc.)

Our Chamber will monitor this very closely with the Oman Chamber of Commerce and the relevant ministries (in particular Economy and Trade. During these visits, our president had the pleasure to meet various personalities of the country, in particular the Chairman of the Omani Chamber of Commerce, the Minister of Trade, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and various private industry leaders with whom the Swiss industry should develop closer ties.

The importance of collaboration in the pharmaceutical industry, November 17th, 2021, Hilton Geneva Hotel & Conference Center.

Conference and International Business Networking Event by AICC
(Association of International Chambers of Commerce in Switzerland)

Our Chamber participated in the event organized by the Association of International Chambers (AICC), of which our Chamber is one of the founding Chambers.

The conference and international business networking event hosted Mr. Per Falk, CEO of ”Ferring Pharmaceuticals”, who introduced Ferring as a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to helping people build healthy families and live better lives.

He emphasized that Ferring is a leader in reproductive medicine and maternal health, as well as in the specialty areas of gastroenterology and urology.

He provided a presentation explaining how they have addressed inequalities, as well as the impact of the pandemic on their reproductive medicine output.

He also powerfully presented their expertise in pushing the boundaries of medical science to improve people’s lives. While maintaining their scientific approach and confidence in the power of research, they are moving into new areas of technology and biology, using recent breakthroughs in gene therapy and microbiome research.

The event attracted nearly 120 attendees, including 12 of our members

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development – 7th World Investment Forum, October 18-22th, 2021

In light of our past successful cooperation with UNCTAD, they invited our Chamber to co-organize the session dedicated to ”Talking Business: Middle East and North Africa” in cooperation with their division on investment and enterprise. We were able to provide prominent speakers representing the Arab private sector.

The session was organized, virtually, on October 20, 2021, and moderated by Ms. Maha El Masri, an investment policy expert. The panelists were:
* Mr. Ammar Kassab, Regional Governance Coordinator, African Development Bank.
* Mr. Ahmed Abdel-Hakam, Advisor, International Arbitration and Public International Law, Eversheds Sutherland LLP.
* Mr. Bahaa El Attar, Secretary General, Arab-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

​The three speakers shared their experiences, and highlighted the forthcoming opportunities and challenges for companies in the Middle East and North Africa, and how their activities could contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Our Secretary General’s contribution was an overview of the key emerging challenges and investment opportunities in the region, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and recovery.

The forum was a great success with 95 high-level events organized by UNCTAD in collaboration with 67 international institutions. It brought together some 8,000 participants and 300 high-level speakers, including 13 Heads of State and Government, 54 ministers, 24 heads of international organizations and 70 CEOs of multinationals, family businesses and financial institutions.

End of Summer Get-Together, September 6th, 2021

After this pandemic, our Chamber was happy to resume and organize again a networking “End of Summer GET-TOGETHER”!

Monday September 6 at 6:30 pm at Chez Fouad Restaurant in Geneva for a wonderful Lebanese food and wine tasting.

All members of the Executive Bureau of the Chamber were present and had the pleasure to welcome about 35 people from different companies (Japan Tobacco, FAB private Bank, Cercle dipomatique de Genève, etc) as well as several Ambassadors and representatives of the permanent Missions in Geneva (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, etc) and several of our members.

Message from the President :

Presiding over a chamber of commerce and industry covering more than twenty countries – CASCI indeed covers twenty-two Arab countries and Switzerland – is quite a task in times when everyone can find on the internet almost everything he/she is looking for and even more!

CASCI, like other chambers of commerce, has not escaped this trend, which has forced us all to fundamentally rethink our position. If it has kept its historical role of legalizing commercial documents for the importation of goods, our Chamber has had to resolve to become over time more of a platform for “networking” and professional promotion of its members. Nevertheless, it still retains a strong diplomatic anchor, thanks to the active support of the embassies and consulates of our member states.

I would like to emphasize its vocation to promote business, trade and exchange of views between Switzerland and the Arab world and to enable contacts. Our goal is to connect the actors of the business community, to guide them, to facilitate their approaches and to open doors for them, thanks to the very high quality links and personal contacts we have been able to establish over the years. The recent pandemic crisis has demonstrated the importance of having a solid, simple, direct and effective relationship between the Arab countries and Switzerland.

Thank you for attending this evening’s first Networking event, which will be followed very soon by “Country Focus” events.

Jean-Paul Vulliety – President of Casci

Europe in 2021 , December 14, 2020

Our Chamber participated in the first webinar organized by the Association of International Chambers of Commerce (AICC) of which our chamber is a founding member. The event was an opportunity for 6 leaders from different sectors to present their expectations for the future development of the European economy.

​The sectors covered were economy, environment and sustainability, food, health care, educational technology, and travel.

​The event attracted nearly 350 participants, including several of our members.

Introduction of VAT in Oman , December 16, 2020

In cooperation with Ernst & Yong, our Chamber organized a webcast presenting the introduction of VAT in the Sultanate of Oman. During the virtual event, three experts from EY presented their views on different topics:

* Oman’s changing tax landscape.

* VAT update: new rules and what business need do to prepare for the implementation.

* Swiss perspective: how it works for Swiss companies operating in Oman, including the use of free trade agreements, the business model and compliance requirements.

The event attracted close to 60 participants, including many of our members, who are active on, or interested in, the Omani market.

4th Egypt Investment Forum, Cairo, March 2-3, 2019

Our Chamber was represented by our Secretary General.

The Forum attracted officials, ministers, businesspeople and investors from Egypt and Arab countries, as well as representatives of international financial organizations.

Issues discussed at the Forum included the free trade zone, investment opportunities in large size projects, the private sector’s views on economic policies, electricity and renewable energy projects, and Egyptian, Arab and African cooperation.

Switzerland-Oman Forum, Bern, April 29, 2019

The event was supported by Mr. Adolf Ogi, Honorary President of the Oman-Swiss Friendship Association (OSFA), and former Head of the Swiss Government. The Omani delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, the Omani Public Investment Authority “ITHRA”, the Oman Chamber of Commerce and the Duqm Free Trade Zone.

Discussions focused in particular on the GCC-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement and best practices for entering the Omani market in various sectors (e.g. financial services and renewable energy), as well as the huge cooperation potential of both countries in the fields of economy, industry, tourism and culture. The event ended with a reception hosted by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman.

The Arab economic Forum, Beirut, May 2-3, 2019

As every year, our Chamber participated in this event, which is traditionally organized in cooperation with the Union of Arab Chambers and other Arab institutions.

The Forum was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Lebanon, and aimed at addressing the challenges of economic growth and reform, the role of banks and capital markets in supporting investment, the future of Arab youth, the investment climate and business opportunities in Arab countries, and the future of the Lebanese economy. The Forum provided an opportunity to obtain first-hand information on the economic challenges facing Arab countries and provided a platform to strengthen communication between business leaders and government officials.

Visit of the Secretary General of the Union of Arabs Chambers

At his initiative, Dr. Khaled Hanafi, Secretary General of the Union of Arab Chambers visited our Chamber on June 10-11 and October 11-12, 2019.

During his visit, we gave him a presentation of the Chamber and its members, as well as of the activities and services we offer to our members.

Dr. Hanafi expressed the Union’s interest in promoting communications with the international organizations based in Geneva, such as the World Trade Organization and other related organizations, in order to defend and advocate the position of the Arab private sector regarding the issues under negotiation in their meetings. He also proposed to study the possibility of organizing the Arab-Swiss Economic Forum which could host an Arab country as a guest of honor every year, with the aim of promoting Arab economies in Switzerland.

The Association of International Chambers of Commerce (AICC) International Business Networking Event, WTO, October 29, 2019

The Association of the International Chambers of Commerce was founded in Geneva on May 16, 2019, and has currently 12 founding members among the Swiss-Foreign Chambers, including our Chamber.

Its objective is to organize common events between all the International Chambers of Commerce based in French-speaking Switzerland with the participation of high-level speakers and guests.

In this context, the AICC organized its first international business networking event on October 29 at the WTO, with the exclusive participation and speech of Mr. Roberto Azevedo, Director General of the WTO.

As a keynote speaker, Mr. Azevedo highlighted some of the recent developments in global trade and how discussions among WTO members seek to respond to the changes in the business environment. He also highlighted the role of the Chambers of Commerce in bringing the voice of business to the trade debate.

The event attracted nearly 400 participants, with a strong participation and sponsorship of our members.

Chambers’ day 2019, Geneva, 26 November 2019

Upon the invitation of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Geneva (CCIG), our Chamber participated in the Chamber’s Day, organized on November 26 at the Hotel Kempinski in Geneva by the CCIG in partnership with the Chambers of French and Italian speaking Switzerland, and the Swiss China Chamber of Commerce.

The event included a village of Chambers, which offered an excellent opportunity to present their activities and practices. Our Chamber had a stand in the Chambers Village, presenting our publications and answering inquiries, as well as exchanging information with interested visitors.

25 Chambers and 30 speakers from the private and public sectors, as well as workshops offered a great experience to all participants.

The event concluded with the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIG) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

Egypt Investment Forum, Cairo, February 3-4, 2018

Upon the invitation of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, our Chamber had the opportunity to participate in the 3rd Egyptian Investment Forum held in Cairo on 3 and 4 February 2018.

Several Egyptian Ministers presented the main strategies implemented for certain key economic sectors such as transportation, energy, housing and real estate. These are fields where input from, and cooperation with, the Swiss industry and commercial actors are highly regarded and expected.

Visit of Saudi Business delegation to Switzerland, March 12-16, 2018

Many CASCI members had the opportunity to meet with the business delegation, while the Secretary General of CASCI participated in the meetings as our official representative.

The Saudi delegation activities started with a meeting of the Saudi Swiss Business Council in Zurich, during which they also met with members of the Swiss Business Association Saudi Arabia (SBASA) as well as representatives of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF), and Swiss Global Enterprises (S-GE). The Saudi delegation presented the investment opportunities available in their country, as well as a success story by representatives of ARAMCO.

Their program continued with two forums in Zurich and Geneva, where they made numerous presentations on economic developments and the new vision in Saudi Arabia.

We had a very fruitful and enriching roundtable discussion with their Saudi Partners for trade and investment in both countries.

Meeting of the joint Swiss-Saudi Economic Committee, Bern, September 12, 2018

Upon the invitation of SECO, CASCI’s Secretary General participated in a group of representatives of the Swiss private sector, joining the official Swiss delegation in this meeting, chaired by H.E. Ambassador Erwin Bollinger, Head of Bilateral Economic Relations at the SECO.

Both sides reviewed bilateral trade, economic, and financial relations. The Swiss Business Hub has helped Swiss SMEs do Business in the Saudi market, while Swiss investments in Saudi Arabia exceeded 900 million Swiss francs in 2016.

The Saudi delegation was led by Mr. Ibrahim Al Omar, Governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), who gave a presentation on the Economic Plan under the vision 2030. They explained various economic reforms, including providing opportunities for women to participate in economic activities, removing barriers to customs clearance, facilitating the issuance of visas for foreign business people, and improving the legal system to resolve trade disputes. The session concluded with bilateral meetings between private sector representatives from both sides, including members from our Chamber, where they discussed possibilities for future cooperation.

Sultanat of Oman Economic Seminar, Geneva, October 17, 2017

In cooperation with the Ambassador of Oman in Geneva, and the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIG), our Chamber organized the “Oman Economic Seminar” on October 17, 2017 at Hotel President Wilson, Geneva.

Welcome speeches were delivered by our Secretary General as well as the Deputy Director of Geneva Chamber (CCIG).

The opening speech was given by H.E. Abdulla Nasser Al Rahbi, Ambassador of Oman in Geneva, followed by an interesting presentation by the representatives of lthraa, a governmental agency, regarding business and investment in Oman. This was followed by informative presentations of investment opportunities in the Port of Duqm, as well as in the Oil and Chemical industries.

We had 50 Swiss participants who engaged in meetings with the Omani Delegation at the end of the Seminar.

Visit of a SECO official delegation to Egypt, December 11-15, 2017

Upon the invitation of SECO, our Chamber participated in the delegation headed by state Secretary Marie-Gabrielle lneichen-Fleisch, which visited Cairo from 11 to 15 December 2017.

Thanks to an exciting program, which was very well prepared by the Swiss Ambassador in Cairo, we had the opportunity to meet with the Acting Prime Minister, as well as with Ministers of Finance, Trade & Industry and Investment and the Governor of the Central Bank.

These meetings were unique opportunities to get familiar with the economic reform program and investment opportunities in the Egyptian economy, and to keep abreast of the status and development of the economic and trade relations between Egypt and Switzerland.

We had a very fruitful and enriching roundtable discussion with the managers of Swiss companies active in Egypt, including ABB, HERO, NESTLE, SIKA and JULIUS BÄR.

On the last day, we visited a couple of projects, which have partially benefitted from a Swiss funding (SIFEM, CIRA, Badr University), as well as a blood bank project.

The closing ceremony was dedicated to the signing of the Cooperation Strategy 2017-2020 between the two countries with a global budget of CHF 86 Million, signed by Secretary of State Marie-Gabrielle lneichen-Fleisch, and Dr. Sahar Nasr Minister of Investment in Egypt.

Visit of a SECO official delegation to Egypt, December 11-15, 2017

Upon the invitation of SECO, our Chamber participated in the delegation headed by state Secretary Marie-Gabrielle lneichen-Fleisch, which visited Cairo from 11 to 15 December 2017.

Visit of CASCI’s Secretary General to Beirut, December 17-20, 2017

CASCI’s Secretary General had very fruitful discussions in Beirut from 17 to 20 December 2017, in particular with Dr. Khaled Hanafi, former Minister of the Egyptian Government and newly elected Secretary General of the Union of Arab Chambers. Among the various topics contemplated, a particular weight was given to the promotion of trade and economic relations between Switzerland and the Arab world and the various ways to make Arab institutions benefit from the Swiss experience in various economic sectors such as energy, environment and healthcare.

In progress.

IIn progress.

40th Annual General Meeting at Park Hyatt Zurich, January 19, 2015.

Guest of Honour and Speaker : 
Amabassador Livia Leu, Head of the Bilateral Economic Relations Division, SECO
Ms. Myret Zaki, Editor in chief, Bilan Magazine

Swiss-Arab Wealth Management Forum 2014, Wednesday, 3rd April 2014, Kempinski Hotel, Geneva.

Swiss-Arab Wealth Management Forum 2013

Held in Geneva 10th April, at grand Hotel Kempinski

Our 38th Annual General Meeting, April 12, 2012, at 4.00 pm. at the Intercontinental Hotel, Geneva

With as guest of Honor and Speaker: Mr. Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou, Head, Middle East and North Africa Program, Geneva Center for Security Policy Visiting Professor, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies / Geneva.
Topic: “After the Arab Spring: Challenges and Opportunities for the Arab World and its Partners”.

Our 37th Annual General Meeting, May 5, 2011, at 4.30 pm. at the Intercontinental Hotel, Geneva

With as guest of honor and speaker: Mr. Nicolas SARKIS, Director General, Arab Petroleum Research Center, Paris.
Topic: “Are the Arab revolts and the Fukushima disaster reshaping the world energy outlook? “

Meeting with the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Switzerland (April 19, 2011 )

Visit of the President and the Secretary General to Gulf countries, November 12-17, 2011

Mr. Werner Oberli, our President and Mr. Bahaa El Attar, our Secretary General visited the Kingdom of Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar and the State of Kuwait between November 12 and 17, 2011, a visit that was widely covered by the local media.

The visit helped identify promising areas of business development and investment opportunities for Swiss companies in the GCC countries.

During these visits, they had the pleasure of meeting the presidents of the chambers of commerce of this countries.
Numerous discussions took place in the fields of tourism, education and the proposal to organize an “Arab-Swiss Economic Forum in Geneva” in June 2012, with Bahrain as guest of honor.

In Dubai our President and our Secretary General have been invited by Mr. Walter Deplazes, Consul General of Switzerland, to a business launch. Meantime, our Board member Mr. Chris Watts kindly hosted a dinner, which constituted an opportunity to discuss ways of cooperation with representatives from the “Swiss Business Hub”, as well as from the “Swiss Business Council” and to have meeting with representatives of Swiss companies working their.

Another interesting meeting was held with the presence of the Swiss Ambassador to the U.A.E Dr. Wolfgang Amadeus Bruelhart with Mr. Abdulla Al Saleh, Under Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Trade, in order to strengthen cooperation between Switzerland and the U.A.E. Mr. Al Saleh presented the ongoing efforts by the Emirati Government to diversify the foreign trade structure and increase the portion of the non-oil sector, highlighting the success of the U.A.E in becoming one of the most important hubs for re-export in the Gulf. He also indicated that U.A.E will ratify the Free Trade Agreement concluded between Switzerland and GCC Countries in the near future.
On the other hand the Emiratis plan to send business delegation to Europe in the second quarter of the next year, and looking forward to include Switzerland within the program of this mission. Meantime they expressed interest in our proposal to hold the “Arab-Swiss Economic Forum” during the second half of 2012.
It is worth mentioning that Switzerland is one of the top ten trading partners of the U.A.E and is one of exporting markets.

On the other side, during their visit to Qatar Chamber of Commerce, our President and our Secretary General have met Mr. Mohammed Al Kuwari, Vice Chairman of the Chamber and his team to discuss cooperation proposals, especially the proposal to organise the “Arab-Swiss Economic Forum” during the second half of 2012.
They have been informed of the high Government engagement in the investment process, with a budget of $300 billion to promote Qatar as an important hub for business in the Gulf.
In view of the well known reputation of the Swiss technology and the huge investment projects in Qatar, the Qataris invite SMEs and other export industries to invest in Qatar.

Finally, during their visit to Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, our President and our Secretary General were first received by Mr. Abdulaziz Al Khaldi, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, who praised the importance of Kuwaiti Swiss relations and stressed their desire to establish a joint Government Committee, as a potential frame to discuss promotion of trade and economic relations between the two countries. He highlighted the possibility of concluding a tourism agreement in view of the importance of Kuwaiti tourism in Switzerland.

Mr. Khalidi has pointed out the facilities provided to foreign investors in Kuwait, where foreign companies are exempt from taxes by 100% during the first ten years, while the tax rate is only 15% afterwards.
Meantime he welcomed our proposal to invite Kuwait as the Guest of Honour to the planned “Arab-Swiss Economic Forum” next year.

The meeting at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce was highly organized by the member of Kuwaiti Chamber Board of Directors and our Board Member and Vice President Mr. Osama Al Nisf, and has attracted the participation of 15 Kuwaiti companies. Our President and our Secretary General have discussed cooperation proposals between the two Chambers, especially our proposal to organize the “Arab-Swiss Economic Forum”, which are welcomed by the Kuwaiti side, who expressed high interest in promoting trade and exchange of business delegations, and they welcomed our proposal to invite Kuwait as the Guest of Honour to the “Arab-Swiss Economic Forum” next year. Nevertheless, Kuwaitis expressed their concern of the high value of the Swiss Franc.
Meantime it was upon the kind invitation for a dinner hosted by H.E. Mr. Etienne Thevoz, Swiss Ambassador in Kuwait, our President and our Secretary General have been able to meet with business community dealing with Switzerland.

Our 36th Annual General Meeting, 14.04.2010, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Geneva.

The Chamber discussed cooperation with Ajman Chamber of Commerce, May 6, 2010

Meeting of a delegation from Ajman Chamber of Commerce with Mr. Bahaa El Attar, Secretary General of the Arab-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CASCI) in Geneva.
The Ajman Chamber delegation was conducted by H.E. Nassir Al Dhifri, Deputy Director General of Media and Corporate Communication Sector, accompanied by H.E. Mohammed Al Janahi, Deputy Director of Key Services Sector at Ajman Chamber, and Mrs. Sheikha Al Nuaimi, International Relations Officer at Ajman Chamber.
The visit allowed to identify promising areas of business development and investment opportunities in the Arab countries.

L’Egypte, un diamant brut.

Business opportunities in a growing Egypt. Prospective trip to Egypt for SMEs. October 13, 2010, Zurich, Convention Point (neue Börse Zürich).

Emerging Innovation.

Redesign your business for breakthrough results; lessons from high-growth markets.
December 2nd 2010, Le Richemond Hotel, Geneva.

Swiss Entrepreneur Trip to Egypt from, 01.12. to 03.12.2010