In a bid to address the key challenges faced by business — from the economic impacts of climate change to the effects of glob-alisation on small and medium enterprises — a meeting of World Chambers Congress (WCC) will begin today in Kuala Lumpur.

Under the umbrella theme, ‘Leading sustainable growth and change’, the sixth WCC will also delve into other major issues, including corporate governance, counterfeiting, developing young entrepreneurship and empowering women in business, said a statement.

International Chamber of Commerce-Bangladesh (ICC-B) President Mahbubur Rahman left Dhaka for Malaysia on Monday leading a six-member delegation to attend the three-day event.

The WCC is an international forum for chamber leaders to share experiences and best practices, develop networks and address the latest business issues affecting their community.

Organised by the ICC World Chambers Fed-eration every two years, the WCC brings together the global community of over 14,000 chambers. In the past WCC attracted heads of states and influential world leaders such as former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Some 1,600 chamber leaders and senior executives from over 100 countries will attend the WCC to be held for the first time in Southeast Asia.

The Congress will feature an opening address by the prime minister of Malaysia and a dinner hosted by the mayor of Kuala Lumpur.

Mahbubur Rahman has been invited to be the moderator of a session on ‘Ports: Facilitating Economic Development & Trade’ to be held tomorrow. He will also attend the World Council, Meeting of the Heads of the National Committees of ICC and a workshop on ‘ATA Carnet System’.

Other members of the ICC-B delegation are ICC-B vice presidents Latifur Rahman and Samson H Chowdhury, immediate past president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hossain Khaled, Chairman and Managing Director of Armada Ltd Maj Gen (retd) Ruhul Alam Chowdhury, and Adviser to Green Delta Insurance Co Ltd ASA Muiz.