- President, ASCAME
- President, Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount-Lebanon
I believe it is the feeling that creeps whoever is called to take the lead of ASCAME. In any case, it is the feeling that governed my action for 4 years, throughout two consecutive mandates.
ASCAME was born 35 years ago by the will of the main chambers of coastal cities. Beirut responded immediately to the initiative of the Chambers of Barcelona, Marseille and others to form an association of about ten members who will soon become 250 and represent all the 23 countries surrounding the Mediterranean.
The essential role of ASCAME is to cement economic cooperation which, with openness, becomes the essential factor in resource optimization and progress. The creation of the Union for the Mediterranean, a decade ago, confirms this orientation. It had to be a vast project to consolidate the Union’s attachment to Europe, but the global crisis has delayed this program.
ASCAME, a world of action
Throughout the year, ASCAME provided its know-how, and in partnership with the national chambers, organized conferences, exhibitions, and economic meetings to promote trade, investment and, especially, technology transfer and information. Accordingly, it has become an essential instrument of the knowledge economy.
Increasingly, close ties are being forged with regional organizations that advocate for the advancement of women, decent work, or are concerned about culture, the improvement of the city, tourism, and especially the environment. ASCAME would spare no efforts to provide the needed support or for the dissemination of good practices. In this regard, it certainly has notoriety and the means.
A changing world
My colleagues at the Executive Committee remember well the first two councils where I had asked with perseverance to introduce social media into the daily practice of the Organization. And it turned out to be a vanguard just a short time ago. It must be said that ASCAME has surpassed all my expectations in this field, and this is essential because we have to make known to the largest possible number of chambers all the actions we undertake.
To this end, ASCAME has been recently the vector of a large number of community “upgrading” projects of the European Union, which have enabled the chambers in various countries to associate themselves with very interesting achievements to their countries and for the region as a whole.
Each according to its means
The Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation has, since its inception, hosted and assumed charges for ASCAME, ensuring its development away from financial worries and allowing it to allocate its funds to various field projects.
Difficulties that we have to encounter in the future, and even what we face already, require more involvement from the chambers by giving ASCAME the means to fulfil its ambitions.