Honorary members are personalities from the EMA region from the fields of business, politics, culture or science who have contributed to the realisation of the EMA’s goals through special achievements or who have generally worked in the interests of these goals. We are pleased to introduce these honorary members to you.
General Secretary of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) and Publisher and Chief Editor of Al-Bia Wal-Tanmia (Environment & Development)
Mr Najib Saab has been an Honorary Member of EMA since September 2013. He is General Secretary of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) and Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Bia Wal-Tanmia (Environment & Development), the leading pan-Arab journal on sustainable development.
Founder and Head of the Arab International Women’s Forum (AIWF)
Ms Haifa Fahoum Al Kaylani has been an Honorary Member of EMA since April 2012. She is also a board member of the Women’s Leadership Board at Harvard University. She holds degrees in economics from the American University of Beirut and Oxford University. In 2008, she was awarded the World of Difference Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Alliance for Women. In 2007, she was among the “Muslim Power 100 Leaders” in the UK. In 2006, she was named one of the “21 Leaders for the 21st Century” by Women’s eNews of New York.
Founder Sekem, Cairo – Egypt
Professor Dr Ibrahim Abouleish was a holder of the Right Livelihood Award (Alternative Nobel Prize). The pursuit of sustainable development for the prosperity of all people was a constant concern of his and his vision was an inspiration to many. Professor Dr Ibrahim Abouleish passed away on 15 June 2017 and EMA will honour his memory.
Saudi Fransi Capital
Reem Asaad received honorary membership of the EMA on the occasion of the 2nd German-Arab Women’s Network Forum (Berlin, 24 October 2013). In Saudi Arabia, she has been a lecturer since 2008 and teaches banking and finance at Dar Al-Hekma Women’s College. Before her academic career, she worked as an investment analyst at the National Commercial Bank since 2001.
In 2008, she launched a campaign for better employment opportunities for women and better consumer rights. The “Lingerie Campaign” gained international recognition and brought many underlying issues about women in Saudi Arabia into the public eye.
Chief executive director of SOMELEC
Mohamed Ould Bilal received honorary membership of the EMA at the 2nd Maghreb Forum (Berlin, 26 October 2013). On 10 October 2013, he was appointed chief executive director of SOMELEC – the state-owned electricity company of Mauritania – by the Mauritanian government. He is Mauritanian Minister of Equipment, Urban Affairs and Infrastructure. He was also involved in a campaign to enforce an anti-slavery law in Mauritania.
Initiator and Director of the Center for Iraq Studies
Professor Dr Bahadιr has been an honorary member of the EMA since May 2014. In addition to his work as a professor at the Institute of Economics at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, he is the director of the Center for Iraq Studies (CIS) in Erlangen.
Chief Executive Director, National Agency for Investment Development (ANDI)
For his great commitment at the Hamburg Business Day Algeria, Mr Mansouri received the EMA honorary membership during the event. Through his great personal commitment, his work at ANDI and his international presence, Mansouri makes a great contribution to Algeria’s economic development and to the international linking of the emerging Algerian economy with international investors and decision-makers.
Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Morocco
For his great commitment as President and Board Member of the EMA, Professor Dr Horst H. Siedentopf was elected Honorary Board Member of the EMA at the 2014 General Assembly. He remained closely associated with the EMA even after his retirement from the presidency. Professor Dr Horst H. Siedentopf passed away December 2017, and the EMA will honour his memory.
Executive Director of Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI)
Michael Pfeiffer received honorary membership of the EMA in May 2015 after many years of dedicated participation in the EMA Board. Until 2012, Mr Pfeiffer was the Managing Director of Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). Before that, he had made a career in many German chambers of commerce and industry. He proved his commitment and expertise in the field of foreign trade relations and in the Arab region not only at the EMA, but also at the German Foreign Office and the Association of Consulting Engineers (VBI), where he is highly regarded as an advisor.
Chairman of the Board TAG-Org
Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh is the Chairman of the Board of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org), a leading global provider of professional and educational services with more than 80 offices worldwide. He is considered one of the most influential and well-known figures in the Arab world and the international scene. He makes valuable contributions in the fields of education, accounting, intellectual property, business administration, administrative trade, technology and law.
Advisor to His Majesty the King of Morocco
André Azoulay, born in 1941, first advised His Majesty King Hassan II of Morocco in 1991. Since his death in 1999, he has been advisor to his son, His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Previously, the trained economist and journalist was Executive Vice President at Bank Paribas, responsible, among others, for the Mediterranean and Middle East regions. As a royal advisor, Mr. Azoulay contributed significantly to the implementation of economic reforms (privatisation, deregulation) in Morocco in the 1990s.
He is also committed to dialogue and reconciliation between Jews and Muslims in the Middle East peace process and beyond. As President of the Seville-based Three Cultures Foundation, former President of the euro-mediterranean Anna-Lindh-Foundation based in Alexandria, board member of the French Mediterranean Institute IPEMED and numerous other research, economic and financial institutions, he promotes international understanding and mutual respect between Muslims and non-Muslims. He has been a member of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations since 2005. He holds the Moroccan Order of the Throne with the rank of Commander, the French Legion of Honour and numerous other international titles and badges of honours.
Entrepreneur
His numerous activities brought the building contractor Hermann J. Zoder to all countries in North Africa and the Middle East region. He was a member of EMA’s Board for nine years and played a key role in its establishment. In recognition of his services to the EMA as a supporter from the very beginning, he was elected an honorary member of the EMA in August 2017.
General Secretary, Union for the Mediterranean
For his great commitment to the development of exchanges between the countries of the Mediterranean region, H.E. Mr. Fathallah Sijilmassi received the EMA Honorary Membership during the 1st Mediterranean Forum. He started his political career at the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Trade and assumed the position of Director of the Multilateral Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and then Director of the European Affairs Department. H.E. Mr. Sijilmassi became Morocco’s Ambassador to the European Union and then to France. He then served as General Secretary of the Union for the Mediterranean from 2012-2018.
Vice Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and former Minister of Industry and Trade
H.E. Dr Jawad Al Anani was awarded Honorary Membership of EMA in August 2019 in recognition of his long association with EMA in a wide range of activities. H.E. Dr Jawad Al Anani is a former Jordanian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He initially worked for the Central Bank of Jordan and then began his political career as Minister of Labour, Minister of Information as well as Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Investment, among others.
Ambassador of the State of Qatar in Germany (ret.)
H.E. Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is a member of the Qatari ruling family and was Qatar’s ambassador to Germany until 2019. He is also Qatari sports administrator. Since 2004, he has held important positions in the coordination of sporting events in Qatar. He is also a director of the company Amyris, which manufactures products based on renewable raw materials. He is also the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee. H.E. Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was granted the status of EMA Ambassador in August 2019 after many years of dedicated participation on the EMA Board.
Member of the Libyan Council of Deputies, Chairman of the Board, Federation of Libyan Chambers, and CEO, Al Naseem for Food Industries
Mohamed Raied has been EMA Ambassador since August 2019. Mohamed Raied is Chairman of the Board of the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Managing Director of Al-Naseem Dairy in Libya. His professional career started in the construction industry and then on a farm. Later, he worked in the steel industry for the state-owned LISCO group. He then became a food trader and specialised in dairy products. Today, his company Al-Naseem Dairy is the largest private company in Libya.