عبدالله كامل: تحويل إمكانات العالم الإسلامي إلى استثمارات تحدٍ حقيقي

The Chairman of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Abdullah Saleh Kamel, confirmed that the Islamic world possesses capital, resources, markets, and human potential that qualify it to be a more influential economic power, emphasizing that the real challenge lies in transforming these potentials into investments, projects, and partnerships that achieve mutual interests among Islamic countries.

This was stated during his speech at the opening of the second edition of the Business Leaders Summit, organized by the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry under the slogan "The Great Convergence" in Istanbul, on the sidelines of the 42nd session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC), in the presence of Turkish Minister of Trade Dr. Omar Bulat.

Kamel announced the launch of the European chapter of the "B57+" initiative, with its first activities set to begin from the Belgian capital, Brussels, in the coming weeks, aiming to build bridges for economic communication and enhance trade and investment partnerships between the business communities in the 57 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and their European counterparts.

He explained that the initiative, which was launched by the Islamic Chamber in 2025 under the direct supervision of Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, aims to bring together business leaders from Islamic countries and their counterparts around the world, transforming economic dialogues into sustainable projects, investments, and partnerships.

He praised the support of the Union of Turkish Chambers and Exchanges (TOBB) and its president, Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, for the preparations to launch the European chapter, expressing his hope to open an office for the initiative at the Union's headquarters in Brussels in the near future.

He noted that the summit was preceded by specialized activities in resolving trade disputes through mediation and arbitration, with the participation of centers from Islamic countries, Britain, the United States, and Canada, emphasizing that building trust in the business environment is a fundamental pillar for attracting foreign investments, especially in least developed countries.

Kamel stressed that industrial and logistical integration among Islamic countries has become a necessity to enhance the stability of supply chains, facilitate trade movement, and increase exports, pointing out that the success of economic initiatives is not measured by the number of meetings, but by the volume of projects, investments, and partnerships that are realized on the ground.

He affirmed the Islamic Chamber's aspiration to transform the "B57+" initiative into a permanent platform for cooperation among business leaders throughout the year, ensuring that ideas transition into initiatives, and initiatives into projects, ultimately achieving a tangible and sustainable economic impact.

It is worth noting that the "B57+" initiative operates through three main platforms, including the annual Business Leaders Summit, a trade dispute resolution program through mediation and arbitration, and the European chapter, which will launch its activities from Brussels, while the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, established in 1977 and headquartered in Karachi, supports economic and trade cooperation among the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.