By S A H RIZVI
The Times, Kuwait,
Bureau Chief – New Delhi
Emboldened by the whopping success of its three day “World Summit” which concluded in Tamil Nadu this Sunday, the United Economic Forum Chamber of Commerce has now set its eye to become a global giant with a pan India presence. Inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Minister for Industries M C. Sampat, the three days Virtual Mega Event addressed by more than 80 speakers from 30 countries and attended by over 15000 delegates.
Beaming with happiness UEF Chairman Ahmad Buhari said “We have drawn ambitious plans to become a premier forum and a Chamber of Commerce for enabling the backward community and society at large to become an Inspirational and Formidable Contributors to the nation and beyond. We have set our target to be a major global player”
The UEF chairman said “ UEF has members and associates in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, UK, US, Sri Lanka, UAE, to name a few countries.” Our virtual event which was our fourth edition has enabled global participation”
“Keen interest from other states in India and overseas to open similar chapter has been evinced. We are in close dialogue with possible member countries/ Indian states”, Buhari added
He said the corona pandemic has badly affected the world and it was a time to look for a viable alternative growth model. “It is for this UEF World Summit 2020 was titled – ‘Imagine (a new future) – Impact (Humanity) – Inspire (The World)’.
“I am so happy the response and agreement and MOUs have elicited tremendous response” Admitting it was indeed a herculean task and first of its kind meet to be conducted in Tamil Nadu by a’ small Chamber of commerce like ours’, Buhari said the mega event at this time of pandemic was more challenging,
“ Various committees comprising a Chairman, sub-committees with experienced Board members and Volunteers were formed to take care of Expo, Seminar, Event Management. Besides this, reputed global partners too were engaged for the proposed virtual event”.
Since he took over as UEF chairman in 2015, Buhari said they have conducted two international trade summits in 2016 and 2017 where MOUs for Rs. 5,000 Crores( US$ 700 Mn) were signed and international speakers from over 10 countries participated.”
UEF in association with world renowned World Islamic Economic Forum of Malaysia also organized an International Roundtable in 2018 as well.
United Economic Forum (UEF) was set up by the iconic Tamil Nadu based leading industrial, philanthropist and educationist B S Abdur Rahman (1929-2015) in 1979 with a specific aim to improve the socio economic status of the backward communities, deprived and marginalized section of the society
A highly successful man B S Abdur Rahman himself had a very humble beginning .At the age of fifteen he left his village Kilakarai in Tamil Nadu and moved to Sri Lanka, then Ceylon with just Rs170. He worked as an errand in a gem stores but soon learned the trade and started his own venture.
In a few years time his venture into gems trade has expanded in various countries and success came in abundance. In 1973, B S Abdur Rahman set up Emirates Trading Agency in Dubai with his friend Abdullah al Ghurair, Chairman of the Ghurair Group of companies.
ETA-Ascon is today the flagship of BSA Rahman’s vast industrial empire
United Economic Forum was designed as a vehicle by late B S Abdur Rahman to pay back the society and for this, a series of education institutions besides vocational training centre entrepreneur and skill development programme was added to the core.
UEF vast activities stand as a testimony to B S Abdur Rahman vision. It was his third son Ahmad Buhari who took over UEF as its chairman in 2015. In a year time he converted UEF into Chamber of Commerce designed to involve leading global corporate in the mission and to make his home state a hub of commercial activities thus aiding to the nation growth.
A graduate from Bentley University Boston with a master degree in Shipping , Trade and Finance from London, Buhari began to translate his father vision of inculcating entrepreneurial qualities among the backward community and society as a whole,
Ahmed A.R. Buhari is the Founder President and CEO of the Coal and Oil Group, an India centric, Integrated Energy and InfrastructureCompany with interests in Power Generation – Coal Trading – Shipping – Logistics and Industrial Parks.
Sensing a shift in Global Economic Balance Buhari recognized during the early 90’s that the Energy business in India is set to boom. He left ETA and launched Coastal Energy (C&O Group) in 1997 in India.
C&O’s partners today include some of the largest blue chip Global companies such as TANGEDCO, Goldman Sachs, Itochu, BHP, Anglo American, Sojitz, Mitsubishi, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Tata Power, Formosa, My Home Cements, TOTAL, SBI, Harbin, ABB, ThyssenKrupp, Samtan-Kideco, etc.
As a great believer in India and particularly South India, Mr. Buhari was certain that power will be critical for India and Tamil Nadu. Today the group’s flagship 1200 MW Power generation company, Coastal Energen’s Mutiara Thermal Power Plant, is catering to the Power needs of the state
Mr. Buhari has plans to play an active role in developing the Indian Energy and Infrastructure Sector, facilitating Global Investments and Trade in South India with specific impetus on Tamil Nadu.
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