Al-Ahsa Chamber

Al-Ahsa Chamber of Commerce, also known as al-Ahsa Chamber, is a non-profit entity and one of the twenty-six chambers of commerce in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is a member of the Federation of Saudi Chambers and one of three chambers of commerce in the Eastern Province. It is aimed at promoting various commercial activities across commercial sectors, representing them before ministries, authorities, and public institutions, and striving to protect and develop them. Its main headquarters is located in al-Ahsa, and it publishes al-Ahsa Magazine.

Al-Ahsa Chamber was established in 1982 by a decision from the Ministry of Commerce. It was created to achieve several goals, primarily serving the business sector in al-Ahsa Governorate by caring for its interests and conveying its opinions and suggestions to the relevant officials and specialists in the state. It also aims to provide the best services in the fields of commerce, industry, and tourism to create additional opportunities to advance the progress of the private sector.

In line with the electronic transformation requirements in executing the work of institutions and companies, al-Ahsa Chamber launched the E-subscribers portal in 2012 as part of a comprehensive development plan to provide the best services. This portal allows subscribers to inquire about their subscription information, update it, and review and print all transactions.

Al-Ahsa Chamber undertakes several functions to serve the private sector, including providing subscribers with the laws, regulations, decisions, statistics, and instructions related to commercial activities, classifying and publishing them, and supplying relevant ministries, agencies, and public institutions with data, information, and studies related to commercial activities. It also issues certificates and documents and authenticates the signatures of its subscribers.

The chamber also strives to advance businesses involved in commercial activities by organizing lectures, courses, seminars, and workshops, in addition to conferences and exhibitions that showcase national industries and products. The chamber also solves commercial disputes through conciliation or arbitration and sets up training facilities in areas consistent with its functions.

The chamber has legal personality and financial and administrative autonomy and is affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce. The chamber comprises a general assembly, a board of directors, and a general secretariat.

The chamber has a board of directors formed every four years, with its members appointed by a decision from the Minister of Commerce. The number of members should not exceed eighteen, and no more than one member may be elected to represent a single commercial establishment. Additionally, no member is allowed to be elected for more than two consecutive terms. A term is considered complete if it exceeds two years.

Al-Ahsa Chamber's board of directors meets at least once every two months (sixty days) upon the chairman call. An emergency meeting may be convened at any time as deemed necessary. The invitation must include the meeting agenda.

The chamber's board of directors is responsible for approving the general policies of the chamber and setting plans, programs, and projects that assist in fulfilling its duties. The board also reviews proposed administrative and financial regulations, chamber employee regulations, governance regulations, and training and scholarship regulations, and presents them to the general assembly for approval.

The board of directors also manages the chamber's fixed and movable assets and represents it in leasing, litigation, borrowing, and accepting donations. It monitors the chamber's performance and quarterly reports, discusses the annual report, final accounts, and draft budget for approval, and submits them to the chamber's general assembly for adoption. Additionally, the board provides the Ministry of Commerce with copies of these documents.

The board of directors' responsibilities include appointing and terminating the services of the secretary-general of the chamber, forming sectoral and internal committees, and delegating them as deemed appropriate.

Al-Ahsa Chamber places great importance on training, making it one of its primary activities to serve the business sector in al-Ahsa Governorate. The chamber's Training and Job Localization Department translates the ambitions and directions of the board of directors into a reality by investing in human resources, recognizing the importance of the human element in contributing effectively to development and progress.

Al-Ahsa Chamber, through its Training and Job Localization Department, aims to achieve several key goals including fostering knowledge development, enhancing professional and functional performance to ensure excellence and continuity, through upskilling and increasing specialized knowledge across various areas of management.

Al-Ahsa Forum is one of the most significant economic events organized by al-Ahsa Chamber. It constitutes an added value to the national initiative launch platforms and investment projects, and serves as a forum for dialogue on economic issues and challenges. It also acts as a center for exploring opportunities, attracting investments, and forming partnerships. Additionally, it provides a visionary platform for forecasting the future development directions of al-Ahsa. The forum aims to focus on al-Ahsa’s promising potential and resources, highlight their comparative advantages enhancing competitiveness, and support efforts to transform investment opportunities into viable projects. It also works to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public-private partnerships. These efforts boost al-Ahsa's contribution to achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, diversifying the economy, ensuring its sustainability, developing infrastructure, improving quality of life, and creating job opportunities.