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ABCC Chief: We Help Bring London Investors Closer to Vision 2030

Arab British Chamber of Commerce CEO Bandar Ali Reda (Photo Credit: Asharq Al-Awsat)
Arab British Chamber of Commerce CEO Bandar Ali Reda (Photo Credit: Asharq Al-Awsat)
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ABCC Chief: We Help Bring London Investors Closer to Vision 2030

Arab British Chamber of Commerce CEO Bandar Ali Reda (Photo Credit: Asharq Al-Awsat)
Arab British Chamber of Commerce CEO Bandar Ali Reda (Photo Credit: Asharq Al-Awsat)

As the Arab British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) leading preparations to host its upcoming Arab British Economic Summit 2019 (ABES 2019) event, ABCC CEO Bandar Ali Reda highlighted the importance of union and communication among trade and industry communities in the UK and the Arab world.

Reda, in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, clarified that the summit will highlight the subjects most relevant to UK and Arab business and offer an exceptional opportunity to network with people from all sectors.

Summit attendees and speakers include British and Arab business leaders, corporate affairs and public policy professionals.

The ABCC chief also emphasized the great UK interest shown in the Saudi national transformation plan, dubbed Kingdom Vision 2030. He explained that the ABCC is active in serving this interest by organizing and hosting several occasions to present investment opportunities in partnership with Saudi officials.

On that note, Bandar revealed that another high-level event will be held at the ABCC headquarters next week.

The summit will provide insights into key topics through panel discussions, keynote speakers and by providing opportunities for discussion with other attendees. It will showcase the broad range of projects emerging and under development within the Arab world and the huge scope for British involvement and offer invaluable opportunities for investors, exporters, experts, consultants and providers of services to engage in dialogue with project leaders and decision makers.

When asked about ABCC’s organizational contribution to Vision 2030, Bandar said the chamber has managed bringing Saudi officials and British parties together for several forums, workshops and meetings.

“The Kingdom is considered the UK’s no.1 economic partner in the Middle East,” he said, underscoring British interest in “entering strategic partnerships with Saudi Arabia since Vision 2030 was announced.”

“The ABCC has hosted many occasions and high-profile personalities, the most prominent being Saudi Trade and Investment Minister Majid Al-Qasabi. A roundtable meeting was held in the presence of major UK companies to review the framework of Vision 2030,” Bandar added.

As for investment-encouraging conferences, Bandar said: “We recently organized many events that support Vision 2030. They included the organization of an open discussion meeting on investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia in partnership with the Saudi General Investment Authority (SAGIA).”

That meeting, according to the ABCC chief, was attended by a trade delegation from the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a semi-government organization that regulates and serves the business community in Makkah, which is home to one of Islam’s holiest sites and a top destination for Muslim pilgrims worldwide.

“We look forward to further cooperation and are ready to keep up with this ambitious vision to achieve its objectives,” Bandar noted.

“These meetings and events invite British decision makers, entrepreneurs and investors interested in investing in Saudi Arabia to acquaint them with available opportunities in the Kingdom.”

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Interviews

Al-Sharaa to Asharq Al-Awsat: Revolution Ended with Regime’s Fall, Will Not Be Exported

Ahmed Al-Sharaa in the interview with Bissane El-Cheikh in Damascus on Thursday
Ahmed Al-Sharaa in the interview with Bissane El-Cheikh in Damascus on Thursday
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Al-Sharaa to Asharq Al-Awsat: Revolution Ended with Regime’s Fall, Will Not Be Exported

Ahmed Al-Sharaa in the interview with Bissane El-Cheikh in Damascus on Thursday
Ahmed Al-Sharaa in the interview with Bissane El-Cheikh in Damascus on Thursday

Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the head of the new Syrian administration, told Asharq Al-Awsat that “the Syrian revolution ended with the regime's fall, and we will not allow it to spread elsewhere.”

He stressed that Syria “will not be used to attack or destabilize any Arab or Gulf country.”

Speaking from the Presidential Palace in Damascus on Thursday, Al-Sharaa said the Syrian opposition’s actions had “set the Iranian project in the region back by 40 years.”

Asked why Syria has yet to send a direct message to the Gulf and major Arab nations, Al-Sharaa responded by saying that his country has much to say to its Arab neighbors.

“Syria had become a platform for Iran to control key Arab capitals, spread wars, and destabilize the Gulf with drugs like Captagon,” he said.

He added: “By removing Iranian militias and closing Syria to Iranian influence, we’ve served the region’s interests—achieving what diplomacy and external pressure could not, with minimal losses.”

Al-Sharaa also criticized efforts to restore ties with the former Syrian regime, including its return to the Arab League in exchange for concessions.

“We were confident this would fail because we knew the regime would not make any genuine concessions or approach these overtures in good faith,” he said.

He claimed that during a meeting with Jordanian officials, the former regime was asked why it insisted on exporting Captagon to Jordan.

“The response was that it would not stop unless sanctions were lifted," Al-Sharaa said, adding “this is not how the regime operates.”

He emphasized that Gulf strategic security has since improved. “Today, the Iranian project in the region has been pushed back 40 years, making the Gulf more secure and stable.”

When asked if he would give reassurances on Syria not becoming a refuge for certain figures, Al-Sharaa dismissed concerns about hosting figures who cause concern for some Arab nations, saying Syria will not become a haven for controversial individuals.

“We are now focused on state-building. The revolution ended with the regime's fall, and we will not allow it to spread elsewhere. Syria will not be a platform to threaten or unsettle any Arab or Gulf country,” he said.

Al-Sharaa stressed that Syria seeks to rebuild and strengthen ties with Arab nations. “Syria is tired of wars and being used for others’ agendas. We want to restore trust and rebuild our country as part of the Arab world.”

He praised the Gulf’s progress, saying: “We admire the development in Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia’s bold plans and vision, and we aspire to achieve similar progress for Syria.”

He added: “There are many opportunities for cooperation, especially in economic and developmental areas, where we can align our goals.”

On Syria’s relationship with its neighbor Lebanon, Al-Sharaa acknowledged concerns raised by Lebanese counterparts about him reaching Damascus, fearing it could strengthen one faction over another in Lebanon.

“We are not seeking any form of dominance over Lebanon,” he said. “We want a relationship based on mutual respect and exchange, without interfering in Lebanon’s internal affairs. We have enough work to do in our own country.”

Al-Sharaa emphasized Syria’s intention to maintain balanced relations, saying he aims “to stand equally with all Lebanese groups, and what pleases them, pleases us.”

Al-Sharaa was asked about a national dialogue conference and a new constitution to guide Syria’s future, and the mechanism that he plans to ensure inclusivity for all Syrians in the process, especially among the base of supporters and fighters who do not necessarily agree with his current moderate speech.

Al-Sharaa acknowledged differing opinions but emphasized he does not want to impose his personal views on Syrians.

“I believe in letting legal experts shape the relationship between citizens, with the law as the guide,” he said.

“Syria is diverse, and it's natural for there to be different opinions. This difference is healthy.”

Al-Sharaa stressed that the recent victory is for all Syrians, not one group over another.

“Even those we thought were loyal to the old regime expressed joy, as they had not been able to openly express their feelings before,” he noted.

He expressed confidence that Syrians, regardless of their background, are aware enough to protect their country.

“My aim is to reach a broad agreement and build a country where the rule of law helps resolve our differences,” Al-Sharaa concluded.

On the complex issue of forced disappearances and individuals missing in prisons and mass graves, Al-Sharaa said the previous regime was a criminal gang, not a political system.

“We fought a brutal group that committed crimes like arrests, forced disappearances, killings, displacement, starvation, chemical attacks, and torture,” he said.

He stressed that while the regime is gone, the focus should be on justice, not revenge.

“We must not approach this with a desire for vengeance,” he said.

Al-Sharaa stated that those responsible for crimes like the Saydnaya prison and chemical attacks must be held accountable.

“Their names are known and they must be pursued,” he said. He also affirmed that families have the right to file complaints against unknown perpetrators.

Al-Sharaa outlined efforts to address the issue of missing persons. “We’ve broken the barriers, and specialized organizations are now helping with this task,” he said.

A new ministry will be set up to track the fate of the missing, both the deceased and the living.

“This will also assist families with documents like death certificates and inheritance,” he added.

He acknowledged the challenge ahead but emphasized the need to uncover the truth. “This is a big task, but we must find the truth,” Al-Sharaa said.

When asked about hosting the interview at the People’s Palace, the same location where Bashar al-Assad once sat, Al-Sharaa responded with a light-hearted laugh.

“To be honest, I don’t feel comfortable at all,” he said. “But this is a place that should be open to the people, a site where they can visit and where children can play in these courtyards.”