06-09-2025
HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani, Chairman of Qatar Chamber and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Qatar), led the Chamber’s delegation to the 14th World Chambers Congress, held in Melbourne, Australia.
Organised under the theme “Business, chambers, government: Partners for prosperity”, the congress witnessed the participation of hundreds of chambers of commerce from across the globe, in addition to a distinguished group of experts and decision-makers in the fields of trade and investment.
The Chamber’s delegation also included board members Dr. Khaled bin Klefeekh Al Hajri and Mohamed bin Ahmed Al Obaidli, as well as Sheikha Tamader Al Thani, ICC Qatar Secretary-General and Director of International Relations and Chambers Affairs at Qatar Chamber, and Ahmed Abu Nahya, Head of Public Relations Department.
The biennial congress brought together more than 1,200 business, chamber, and political leaders from over 100 countries, featuring 30 panel sessions with more than 80 speakers. Discussions centred on how fostering collaboration among businesses, chambers of commerce, and governments can effectively drive economic growth and prosperity.
During the congress, the Chamber’s delegation discussed ways to enhance cooperation with chambers of commerce worldwide, exchange experiences on best practices that support the private sector and promote inter-trade between countries.
On the congress’ sidelines, HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim held a series of meetings with senior officials, business leaders, and representatives of chambers of commerce.
He also took part in the World Chambers Federation (WCF) Executive Committee meeting and the “Chamber Leadership Round Table: Strategic Dialogue on Global Trends.”
He met with HE Professor the Hon. Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria, where they discussed ways to enhance cooperation, particularly in economic and commercial fields.
In addition, Sheikh Khalifa held separate meetings with HE Philippe Varin, Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); HE Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB); HE Gennadiy Chyzhykov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Lyall Gorman, Deputy President of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Hon. Danny Pearson MP, Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs; and HE Gönül Serbest, Commissioner for Victoria to Europe, the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa.
The Chamber’s delegation held a meeting with a delegation of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Discussions during these meetings focused on enhancing cooperation between the Qatari private sector and its counterparts in these countries, as well as reviewing the business climate and investment opportunities.
For his part, QC Board Member Mohamed Al Obaidli participated in a panel session titled “Investing in Stability: Building Trust and Fostering Investment Readiness in the Face of Sweeping Changes.”
HE Sheikha Tamader, ICC Qatar Secretary-General and Director of International Relations and Chambers Affairs at Qatar Chamber, participated in the WCF General Council Meeting, the WCF Women’s Council workshop on “Building Effective Women’s Entrepreneurship Programmes: Why Chambers? The Case for Championing Women Entrepreneurs,” as well as the Best Chamber Innovative Project Competition.
In addition, Ahmed Abu Nahya moderated a panel session titled “World Chambers Competition: Best out-of-the-box project”.
In statements, HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim emphasised that the Qatar Chamber was keen to participate in this global conference, noting that the Chamber had previously hosted its eighth edition in 2013.
He highlighted Qatar’s key role in supporting the flow of global trade and pointed out that the conference serves as a leading global platform, bringing together chambers from around the world to discuss best practices, exchange experiences, and review key achievements in international trade.
The World Chambers Congress, organised by the ICC and its World Chambers Federation, is the largest and only international forum that enables chamber leaders and professionals to share best practices, exchange insights, develop networks, address the latest business issues affecting their communities, and learn about new areas of innovation from chambers around the world.
Qatar Chamber’s participation as a platinum sponsor of the congress reflects its commitment to strengthening its presence in global economic forums, showcasing investment opportunities in Qatar, and fostering new partnerships with counterparts from around the world to serve the aspirations of the Qatari private sector.
Through its pavilion at the congress, the Chamber highlighted Qatar’s investment climate and promoted avenues for cooperation and partnership between the Qatari private sector and businesses from the participating countries.
