Why
African business should join ICC
ICC
brings together the world's biggest, most influential and dynamic companies. In
joining ICC, African companies become part of the mainstream of international
business. They gain influence at national level through ICC's presence in every
major trading nation and at international level through its privileged links with
major intergovernmental organizations. Both the United Nations and World Trade
Organization, for example, recognizes ICC as their natural interlocutor on all
matters relevant to business.
African
national business organizations need to combine their efforts at international
level in order to offer maximum benefits to their members. ICC, with its global
dimension, offers them the ideal platform for developing this cooperative approach.
ICC
is completely independent of governments. Created by business people and receiving
no government subsidies, its sole task is to defend the interests of the private
sector.
African
business needs fast and easy access to essential knowledge about trade facilitation
and cross-border payments systems. Membership of ICC puts them in direct touch
with the experts who make the rules. There is no better way to gain international
business expertise.
ICC
develops guidelines on various aspects of investment. African members of ICC will
be involved in such initiatives, including the ICC process of advising governments
on legal and tax regimes that are of direct benefit to African business. As part
of that process ICC experts joined with UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development) to publish a series of Business Investment Guides for a number
of African countries.
A
stream of laws and regulations by governments and intergovernmental organizations
covers all aspects of business, including trade, investment, environmental management,
insurance, taxation, competition law and intellectual property. ICC is where African
companies can brief themselves about legislation planned beyond their borders,
which will affect their operations.
It
is the members who set ICC's agenda. A current example i
s modernization of customs
procedures, singled out as the source of huge unnecessary costs as tariffs and
other barriers to cross-border trade come down.
ICC
draws up rules that banks and traders world-wide apply every day to reduce costs
and uncertainties in international trade. Correct and widespread application is
a must as African business seeks new markets. As ICC members, African companies
help to shape those rules, on arbitration, banking, commercial contracts, and
so on.
As members
of an ICC national committee, African companies and business associations join
forces to project their concerns and provide their expertise as an integral part
of the world business community. They work directly with business colleagues from
Asia and the Pacific, the Americas and Europe.
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