Global Partnerships
Chambers of commerce play a pivotal role in the growth of the private sector. To enhance their management and service capabilities so that they can stimulate and foster private sector development, one of the ICC World Chambers Federation's most effective mechanisms has been the World Chambers Congress, which capitalizes on the exchange of chamber best practice and experience to achieve this goal. To assist chambers from the developing world benefit from the sharing of experiences with those from well-established chambers of commerce, WCF has fostered strong ties with multilateral development organizations to extend programmes of assistance and training for chambers of commerce from developing and least developed countries.
A special feature of our Congresses has included workshops designed to address the new roles and services chambers of commerce in developing countries within the changing context of globalization and sustainable human development. In this regard, the World Chambers Federation has been pleased to have these organizations recognize this event as an effective means where chambers can, by learning from their colleagues, identify new methods and ways to support the private sector. It has also provided useful opportunities for mutually beneficial co-operation between these organizations and chambers of commerce at a local level.
CIPE
In 2003, 2005 and again in 2007, the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), an affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce, with the support of US Aid, sponsored chambers from Afghanistan, Iran, Nigeria, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Peru, Nicaragua, Iraq, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Romania, Russia, Indonesia, Colombia, Poland and Bangladesh, in order for delegations representing those nations to attend the World Chambers Congress.
UNDP
UNDPand
WCF have a well-established relationship of assisting chambers of commerce from developing countries. In 1999,
UNDP provided assistance for chambers of commerce from 10 countries to attend the
1st World Chambers Congress. These chambers came from Bolivia, Bulgaria, Dubai, Ethiopia, Macedonia, Mozambique, Nepal, Peru, Samoa and Yemen.
A special feature of this Congress included a workshop designed to address the new roles and services chambers of commerce in developing countries within the changing context of globalization and sustainable human development. It also identified opportunities for mutually beneficial co-operation between the UN system and chambers of commerce.
UNDP has once again been an important partner in 2007 during the
5th World Chambers Congress in Istanbul.
World Bank
Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the World Bank and ICC, one of the MOU's key resolutions was the strengthening of intermediary business associations. Chambers of commerce from 13 countries now work more closely with local World Bank representative on areas of mutual interest.
These countries are Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Romania, Uganda, Vietnam and West Bank/Palestine. This collaboration falls under the World Bank's Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF) programme. It emphasizes partnerships among governments, the private sector, and other development agencies.
CIDA-ACDI
Chambers of Commerce from Vietnam, Cambodia, South Africa, Russia, Argentina, Congo, Ivory Coast, Haiti, Madagascar, Senegal, and Venezuela were assisted by CIDA to attend the 3rd World Chambers Congress in Quebec, September 2003.
ADB
ADB assisted chambers leaders from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam attend the
2nd World Chambers Congress in Seoul, June 2001 so that they could learn from their fellow chambers, new methods and ways to support the private sector.