Riyadh:Saudi Arabia has taken over the presidency of the Union of Arab Chambers, with Abdullah Saleh Kamel, President of the Federation of Saudi Chambers and Chairman of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development, leading the new term. This transition follows the union's system of rotating the presidency alphabetically among Arab countries, with Saudi Arabia succeeding Tunisia.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the presidency coincides with the implementation of the union's 2026-2030 strategy, which focuses on expanding Arab economic integration. This includes stimulating investment and joint production, linking capital with investment opportunities, developing value chains, empowering small and medium-sized enterprises, and enhancing private-sector participation in setting Arab economic priorities.
The forthcoming phase will emphasize joint Arab investment, productive integration, food and industrial security, and digital transformation. It will also aim to strengthen the integration of the Arab business community into regional and global value chains.
Saudi Arabia's presidency aligns with the progression of Saudi Vision 2030 into its third phase for 2026-2030, emphasizing accelerated implementation and maximizing impact. This phase will rely on sustained government capital expenditure and enhancing the roles of the Public Investment Fund and the National Development Fund in stimulating domestic investment, creating a conducive environment for expanding investment and production partnerships.
Abdullah Saleh Kamel holds significant positions within private-sector representative institutions across Saudi, Gulf, and Islamic levels. He chairs the Federation of Saudi Chambers and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development and serves as First Vice President of the Federation of GCC Chambers for the 2026-2028 term. His role provides the new presidency with increased capacity to coordinate between business communities and foster cooperation opportunities.
The Union of Arab Chambers, based in Beirut, was established on December 16, 1951. It operates as a non-governmental Arab economic organization, promoting cooperation and integration among Arab chambers and federations of commerce and industry, in addition to fostering ties with joint Arab-foreign chambers.