WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Chamber of Commerce and Industry has become a founding member of the newly established Council of Chambers of Commerce of the Americas (CCCAM), connecting Curaçao’s business community with a network of Chambers representing more than 16 countries across the hemisphere.
The new organization was formally established during its first General Assembly in Bogotá, bringing together 36 Chambers of Commerce from across the Americas. A quorum of 33 voting members participated in the inaugural meeting.
The Curaçao Chamber was actively involved in the preparatory process that led to the creation of the Council and has now formally joined as one of its founding members.
The CCCAM is intended to strengthen cooperation between Chambers of Commerce and create new commercial opportunities for companies throughout North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Latin America and the wider hemisphere.
For Curaçao entrepreneurs, the Chamber expects participation to provide greater access to international business contacts, commercial missions, business matchmaking, market intelligence and cooperation with other Chambers and their respective business communities.
During the inaugural General Assembly, Ovidio Claros Polanco, Executive President of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, was unanimously elected President of the CCCAM.
“I thank each of the representatives of the CCCAM member Chambers for their confidence. We will work together for the benefit of the business community in each of our regions,” Claros said.
The Council also approved its work plan for 2026–2027.
Among the planned initiatives are a CCCAM Summit, hemispheric business matchmaking events and trade missions. The Council will also establish a Value Chains Working Group and develop market intelligence initiatives.
Another initiative will be the creation of a regional Business Climate Barometer, which could provide participating Chambers and businesses with information about commercial conditions across different markets.
A new area of work focused on women’s economic empowerment was also proposed during the General Assembly.
According to the Curaçao Chamber, membership in CCCAM extends its existing efforts to connect local entrepreneurs with international markets and business networks.
The Chamber expects the new organization to provide another channel through which Curaçao businesses can establish commercial relationships, obtain market knowledge and identify opportunities elsewhere in the Americas.