ICC and AICO first established a Working and Cooperation agreement on 14 November 1979. Renewing these commitments on both sides, the official signing of the new agreement took place in Istanbul last week on the occasion of World Chambers Federation’s Transnational and Leading National Chambers of Commerce and Industry Board meeting. The signing was witnessed by other transnational chamber leaders those from the Asean Chambers, Eurochambres and the Association of Francophone African Chambers (CPCCAF).

“The chamber community is a vital link to the worldwide network of small and medium-sized enterprises around the world that rely on ICC tools, such as Incoterms rules for their efficient operation,” said ICC Secretary General Jean-Guy Carrier. “Our new agreement with AICO will enable us to further tap into that community and to help it to prosper.”

Ambrosio Bertolotti, President of AICO said: "In any place of the world in which we could find ourselves – a developed or developing country, a metropolis or even in a small town – if there are private entrepreneurs who are allowed to work, innovate, create and take risks freely in a market economy with legal certainty, there will always be prosperity".

Rona Yircali, Chairman of the World Chambers Federation said: “After 30 years of cooperation we are thrilled to reaffirm our commitments in this new agreement that will help us respond to the diverse and evolving needs of our members. It will help us not only to better support chambers in Latin America but also to ensure they benefit from the innovations and partnerships with chambers in other regions of the world.”

Under the terms of the new agreement ICC, WCF and AICO will use their respective networks to support chambers with reform, modernization and training programmes. An AICO software platform, designed for the exchange of information and interrelation among its chamber members, will also become part of the World Chambers Network as part of the agreement. This move will help to promote the importance of the Iberoamerican region as a powerhouse for business and other commercial opportunities.

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