Asia, Africa and Middle East CommitteeIncoming Visitors

Yutaka Hashimoto, Deputy Director General of JETRO Hong Kong, visited the Chamber on 12 July where he was welcomed by Asia & Africa Committee Chairman Behzad Mirzaei. Hashimoto congratulated Mirzaei on his re-election as Chairman of the Committee and expressed his hopes to further the cooperation between JETRO and the Chamber. He said that a delegation representing the Hokkaido government will visit Hong Kong in October and JETRO will organize a number of seminars to encourage Hong Kong businesses to invest in the region.

Dr Mike C Bimha, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development of Zimbabwe, accompanied by Consul General of Zimbabwe Alfred Mutiwazuka, visited the Chamber on 28 June. Behzad Mirzaei, Chairman of the Asia & Africa Committee, and PR & Programs Director Lok Yee Fan received the delegation. Dr Bimha introduced the work of his ministry in promoting the development of Zimbabwe’s industrial and commercial enterprises, and said that the country was implementing measures to improve the ease of doing business. For example, he said, Zimbabwe was setting up new special economic zones to encourage joint ventures and attract investment.

The Asia and Africa Committee held its Committee meeting on 27 June. David Dodwell, Executive Director of the Hong Kong-APEC Trade Policy Group, presented the latest developments in South Africa. For the Committee’s next overseas mission, the secretariat introduced Morocco and Ghana as an alternative to Morocco and Tunisia as prospective destinations. The Committee held its election where Chairman Behzad Mirzaei was re-elected as Chairman, and Vice Chairmen Nigel Anthony Collett and Andrew Wells were also re-elected. Vice Chairman Neville Shroff stepped down and Jonathan Lamport, Managing Director of Lynter International, was elected as a new Vice Chairman. The Committee thanked Shroff for his and his father’s contribution to the Committee over the years.