The fourth annual congress of Middle East and North Africa motoring clubs opened on Thursday morning at the Kaslik headquarters of the Automobile et Touring Club du Liban (ATCL), which is hosting the two-day meeting.
The opening was attended by FIA President Jean Todt, FIA vice-presidents Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah of Qatar and Graham Stoker of Britain, senior FIA officials, ATCL president Sheikh Fouad El Khazen, secretary-general Camille Edde, treasurer Gilbert Messayhi, FIA MENA coordinator Imad Lahoud, club director-general Charbel Gerges, motorsport committee director Suleiman Khattar and his committee, and head of the club’s automobile department Gaby Kreiker.
Delegates from 20 countries took part: Lebanon plus Algeria, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The ceremony was hosted by Frédérique Trouvé, the FIA’s national federations development programmes manager, who outlined the two-day programme.
I welcome you to Lebanon in this snowy weather. Lebanon is a land of hospitality and beauty, and I wish the congress success. I would like to thank my friend President Jean Todt for being in Lebanon again and for his support for motorsport in Lebanon and the region. The relationship between the ATCL and the FIA has been strong for decades.
Sheikh Fouad El Khazen
I would like to thank the FIA for its confidence in Lebanon and the participating countries for attending the congress, which will discuss several matters aimed at developing motorsport in the region. Motorsport has improved a lot in our region under President Todt and his deputy Al-Attiyah.
Imad Lahoud
Al-Attiyah thanked the ATCL for its “distinguished hosting”, saying the aim was coordination in the interest of the region’s clubs, while Stoker outlined the topics of the meetings.
I am very happy to be in Lebanon again, a wonderful country that is special to me. I salute the club’s president Sheikh Fouad El Khazen and Imad Lahoud and his team. The motoring clubs of the Middle East and North Africa are part of the FIA family and they are active clubs. I follow motorsport activity in this region closely and I hope the congress produces decisions that serve the interests of the region’s clubs.
Jean Todt
Friday’s programme covered safety at events, club interaction and workshops before the closing session at 12:30.
Todt arrived in Lebanon early on Thursday on a private jet and was welcomed at Rafic Hariri International Airport by ATCL vice-president Nabil Karam, Imad Lahoud and Suleiman Khattar.