Pictured from left to right, Sponsor of the breakfast briefing Torsten Ketelsen (GMA Garnet Group), Donna Massie
(WA Chapter Vice Chair, Clough), Dr Kenneth Chern, Consul General of the United States of America, Edmund Damouni (WA Chair and AACCI Board member, Antry).

The National Council of the Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry held its mid-year meeting in Canberra on 17 and 18 June 2008. To mark the occasion, the Chamber offered a reception on the evening of 17 June to which the distinguished members of the Arab diplomatic corps were invited, along with Australia’s Foreign Minister, The Hon Stephen Smith MP, and senior government officials and business members of the Chamber.

Mr Smith, who had just returned from a visit to a number of Arab countries, delivered an address to guests at the reception. The Minister highlighted the breadth of Australia’s relations with the Arab countries, noting in particular the economic dimension of Australia’s interests in the region. He also referred to the current global food crisis and praised a recent decision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to donate $500 million to the World Food Program.

The Minister also referred to the Australian government’s commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and noted that one of the first decisions of the current Australian government was to double the level of development assistance to the Palestinian people.

The Chamber also held a General Meeting on 18 June at which a new AACCI Constitution was adopted. One of the consequences of the adoption of the new Constitution was a change in the leadership of AACCI and in the structure of the Board of Directors.

Mr Syd Giller has stepped down as National Chairman after a distinguished period of service. Syd had earlier foreshadowed his retirement as Chairman upon the adoption of the new Constitution. Directors elected Mr Ray Najar of Adelaide, South Australia, as the new National Chairman and Mr Don Neale of Brisbane, Queensland as Vice Chairman. Also as a consequence of the adoption of the new Constitution there has been an immediate structural transition from National Council, which included a number of adviser positions, to an AACCI Board.

The new Board structure does not provide for adviser positions. As a consequence, the two advisers to National Council, Mr Michael Coffey and Mr Tony Knight retired upon adoption of the new Constitution. Members of the Board thanked Messrs Giller, Coffey and Knight for the very significant contributions they had made over the years to the Chamber.