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INSIDE AMCHAM
Committees in motion
AmCham Egypt’s 19 committees – from banking, finance & insurance to women in business, and everything in between – each serve as an action group for their area of focus. Committees deal with matters of specific interest to members, facilitating dialogue between the private and public sectors, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Each year, AmCham’s board of governors selects officers for all of the Chamber’s committees. With the recent announcement of officers for the July 2008 to June 2009 term, a new season for the committees has begun.
As the committees start their new term, they will each outline their respective goals for the coming year. The Industry Committee, for example, aims to make Egyptian industry and exports more competitive and remove duties and other barriers to industry, while increasing exports from and investment in Egypt. A detailed work plan with action items is developed by each committee to help them meet their aims.
To achieve their goals and facilitate dialogue in their particular areas of focus, committees perform a number of functions. In the case of the Industry Committee, it is planning to work on a number of tracks this term, including making an effort to increase competitiveness by encouraging investment-friendly reforms and trying to coordinate lobbying attempts with other organizations.
Committees also take other types of steps to delve into their areas of focus, such as inviting guest speakers to their meetings. The Customs & Taxation Committee, for example, works to increase awareness of the customs and taxation regime in Egypt by bringing in outside speakers, and also conducts discussions with authorities in order to deliver feedback about the quality of service delivered.
While committees often invite speakers to their individual meetings, they can also set up events featuring a number of speakers to shed light on a specific subject. The International Cooperation Committee, for example, organized a one-day seminar on donor financing in July that addressed “The role of partners in development in financing the government and private sector.” The seminar featured guest speakers from a variety of relevant organizations.
Committees can also pursue their goals in other, more unconventional fashions. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee, for example, is working towards the establishment of a CSR information research center.
There is clearly a wide range of possible activities that the committees can undertake in their respective areas of interest. As the committees begin their new term, the opportunity for action is clear. One can hardly wait to see what they can – and will – do.
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