Cooperation Reaches Out to Vendors from Developing World and Countries with Economies in Transition
On Thursday 4 June, the United Nations (UN) Secretariat will sign a Cooperation Agreement with the ICC World Chambers Federation during the 6th World Chambers Conference which is being held in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia from 4-6 June 2009.
The UN, acting through its Office of Central Support Services (OCSS), Procurement Division (UN/PD) will sign the Agreement with the ICC World Chamber’s Federation (WCF).
The partnership is based on goodwill, active collaboration as well as mutually beneficial activities and will among other things:
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Identify new business opportunities for members of the ICC WCF;
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Support the outreach needs and efforts by the UN to increase its vendor database;
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Educate ICC WCF staff and vendors about doing business with the UN procurement system; and register more vendors from countries categorized as developing or as economies in transition in the UN Global Market Place (UNGM): www.ungm.org.
Based on previous experiences with individual Chambers of Commerce which have contributed to a joint vision and a common approach, the UN and WCF have decided to sign a Cooperation Agreement and formalize a voluntary and global partnership in which the WCF will actively provide support through its own resources, networks, systems and tools as well as encourage vendors seeking business opportunities to use the UN procurement system. UN/PD, acting as the UN Secretariat Procurement Focal Point, and UN Funds and Programmes as well as Specialized Agencies, will assist WFC by providing information, education tools, and up-to-date information on UN procurement operations.
Commenting on the upcoming formalization of this key cooperation, Paul Buades, Director of the United Nations Procurement Division who will sign the Agreement on behalf of the UN said, “It is a major milestone for the United Nations to enter into such a critical partnership with the ICC. It opens a wide door to attract small and strategic vendors around the world to support UN demands.”
Rona Yircali, Chair ICC World Chambers Federation who will sign the agreement on behalf of WCF said, “The Agreement will give chamber members a fair chance to propose their products to the UN, opening a wide range of possibilities for innovation, job-creation, and the development of new partnerships, especially in developing countries.”
Held every two years, the World Chambers Congress has established an enviable reputation as the place where Chambers and Business Leaders get to know international peers and share experience and best practice on grassroots issues that have a direct impact on the World Chamber of Commerce community.