Category: Timeline Stories

• The Academy of the Arabic Language approves the creation of a new word to describe corporate governance: hawkamat ash-sharikat translates to “the governance of companies.” This is part of efforts by CIPE, the Egyptian Capital Market Association, and the Ministry of Foreign Trade to encourage a regional culture that embraces good corporate governance concepts.
• CIPE organizes a business association development workshop with Chinese industry associations in Shanghai, the first to be sanctioned by the government. Other advancements follow, including the incorporation of concepts around property rights into the Chinese Constitution. This inspires new thinking across the region.

CIPE grows its efforts to amplify the voice of young people and emerging leaders in decision-making, as well as encourage future business leaders. This includes programs in Peru, Afghanistan, and Egypt.

CIPE takes a leadership role in global pushes against corruption, co-sponsoring an Anti-Corruption Conference with Transparency International and others in Prague, Czech Republic. The following year CIPE, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and local partners hold the first-ever private sector conference in China, with a focus on combating corruption.

CIPE takes steps to reach new audiences and make resources more readily available with the launch of a Virtual Business Association website, which receives an award from the American Society of Association Executives. A new Arabic language website is designed to support CIPE’s growing network in the Middle East and North Africa.

CIPE participates in the first World Movement for Democracy conference in New Delhi, India and sponsors the first-ever skill-building workshop for Arab journalists in Egypt.

CIPE increases its focus on the role of corporate governance in strengthening democracy, establishing programs and trainings in numerous countries to help companies build effective and transparent boards. CIPE also participates in the establishment of corporate governance principles by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that eventually become international benchmarks. The work coincides with financial crises in Russia and Asia attributed to corrupt government-business relationships and other issues, such as shifts away from state-owned enterprises.

CIPE is recognized by the Financial Times with an award for the Non-Profit Business Web Site of the Year for its content to serve “the specific needs of a closely targeted, but geographically disparate, user community.”

As the role of civil society becomes increasingly vital to economic and democratic development efforts across Central and Eastern Europe, CIPE continues to work with emerging leaders, advocacy groups, and researchers. Many of the organizations will become leading think tanks in the region.