Business News Time to renew Commonwealth links By John Lamb


It’s time for Greater Birmingham and the rest of the UK to renew links with 52 largely forgotten countries, 150 delegates were told at the launch of the Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce (GBCCC). Paul Kehoe, president of Greater


Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), was speaking at the event, hosted by Aston University, the first patrons of the GBCCC. He told an audience from a wide


spectrum of Greater Birmingham business and academia, plus dignitaries from Commonwealth countries: “We need to recognise our place in the world and shout about it. Brexit will not close the door on Europe and we should be renewing our links with 52 countries we have largely forgotten about. “This is a proud city that has a


great future that we are starting to shout about. The Commonwealth is going to make this country change and with HS2 coming Birmingham is going to be at the centre of that new network. “It will make us a better place to


come and do business. Birmingham’s time is coming and we are fortunate


Paul Kehoe speaking at the launch of Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce


‘When Commonwealth countries trade with each other, costs are reduced, mainly because of common law structures’


to be part of it.” John Crabtree, Lord-Lieutenant


of the West Midlands, endorsed the role Birmingham must now play and said: “We want to try to reverse a modest Birmingham by


using the assets we have. “Top among those is the fact that


warmth and welcome is in our DNA so it’s important that we try to bring nations together in this city.” Keith Stokes-Smith, the first


president of the GBCCC, said: “Brexit clearly puts the Commonwealth back on the map. When Commonwealth countries trade with each other, costs are reduced, mainly because of common law structures.” Professor Alec Cameron, vice-


chancellor of Aston University, said:


“Aston is immensely proud to be the first patron of the GBCCC along with our patronage of the GBCC and the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce.” Paul Faulkner, chief executive of


the GBCC, said: “We are grateful to Paul Kehoe for inspiring the creation of the GBCCC and I’m delighted that we have a really strong executive committee. “A number of leading figures in


the region have stepped forward. They can lead the way to fulfilling the necessity of doing more business with the Commonwealth.” Guests from Commonwealth


countries who praised the launch of the GBCCC included Kofi Addo, Ghana’s head of trade and investment; Moemedi Mokgosi, Botswana’s higher commissioner; Muhammed Zulqar Nain, the Bangladesh assistant high commissioner in the Midlands; and S.M. Chakraborty, head of chancery at Consulate General of India, Birmingham.


To inquire about membership of the GBCCC email gbccc@birmingham-chamber.com or call 0845 603 6650.


April 2018 CHAMBERLINK 13


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