Business, UN and partners
ICC calls for private sector role in Gaza recovery
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is seeking for greater private sector involvement in Gaza's recovery. The call was made during a high-level dialogue with the United Nations (UN) and regional business leaders this week aiming to support humanitarian assistance and long-term economic development following the announced ceasefire.
Speaking at an interactive dialogue co-hosted by ICC and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on 21 October, ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said that sustained recovery demands practical business engagement alongside immediate relief efforts.
“The scale of devastation in Gaza cannot be addressed by humanitarian actors alone. We must integrate the private sector more deeply into humanitarian architecture—to help sustain peace and security,”
Mr Denton said.
Mobilising business
The online dialogue brought together representatives from companies and foundations, alongside speakers including UN OCHA’s Director for Financing and Partnerships, Lisa Doughten, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator of the UN, Tom Fletcher and Secretary General of the Palestinian Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Jamal Jawabreh.
Lisa Doughten, UN OCHA’s Director for Financing and Partnerships, said:
“Leveraging business expertise, logistics and innovation, to reach more people, more effectively and with greater impact, the private sector has become a key partner in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, working alongside the government, the United Nations and civil society to safeguard lives and livelihoods.”
Mr Denton highlighted ICC’s ability to mobilise its global network of over 45 million companies in more than 170 countries during and post global crises to provide expert resources, deliver aid and connect communities.
Supporting the local private sector, he said, means building capacity for chambers of commerce and SMEs to engage in cross-border trade, establishing effective dispute resolution mechanisms to de-risk private investment, and enabling the export of capital-intensive goods essential for debris removal and infrastructure rebuilding.
“We remain ready to leverage our global network as a force for peace and reconstruction and are committed to unlocking the region’s economic potential and fostering long-term prosperity and opportunity for all.”
The session builds on ICC’s participation last week in high-level talks at Wilton Park in the United Kingdom focused on developing frameworks to mobilise private sector investment for Gaza’s post-war reconstruction, linked to the broader Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit.
ICC has partnered with Palestine Emerging for the past year, a private sector coalition focused on Gaza’s reconstruction and West Bank economic recovery. Through this partnership, the Federation of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture has joined the ICC World Chambers Federation, strengthening Palestinian business participation in international trade.
