Odoo • Image and Text

Ladies and Gentlemen, 
Dear friends of Thailand, Belgium and Luxemburg,

2020 has been for all of us a challenging year. Our lives have been deeply affected by the events. The covid crisis has not only had a huge human toll in the world. It has also has a direct impact on our lifes, our businesses and our capacities to interact as we used to. 
 
All of us have had to reinvent the way we work - using online tools in a way we thought unfeasible. Ironically the distancing has reminded us that at the age of digitalisation, contacts remain the basis of our lives, our enterprises and more than an essential value for all of us. Our destinies are more than ever linked to one another, as human beings but also as countries. We have looked at our organisation differently - as priorities changed and some products supply were suddenly interrupted. We have had to be creative and innovative and go back to the essence of our work.

In this context, the value of working together is reinforced. Solidarity and cooperation have taken new meanings while facing a crisis of an unprecedented scale. The spirit of cooperation requested to fight the pandemic is also needed to address tomorrow’s challenges, from climate change to water and security. The private sector has an important role to play to address them in a sustainable and innovative way.

Thailand and Belgium can surely use this crisis as an opportunity to strengthen their partnership at the benefit of both countries. With dozens of investments, thousands of contacts and an average bilateral trade of about 2.5 billions euros the last years, our two countries have already proven the dynamism of the trade relation and the strong link between our business communities. Recently arrived in Thailand, I will strive to strengthen this partnership.

BeLuThai has proven its dynamism over the years and is without doubt an asset for its members. With sustainability, partnership and conviviality at the heart of its activities, the Chamber of Commerce will surely be important to turn the challenging 2020 year into an opportunity for its members.

I am looking forward to working together to reach this goal. Let’s stay “connected”!

Sibille de Cartier