The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted Mr. Philip Frayne, Consul General-Designate to the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, for a policy luncheon and discussion on Tuesday in Washington D.C. During the discussion, senior private-sector stakeholders had an opportunity to engage with Mr. Frayne regarding opportunities and challenges for U.S. businesses in Dubai.

Mr. Danny Sebright began the luncheon by congratulating Mr. Frayne on his new appointment before providing a brief introduction. “Mr. Frayne brings a wealth of experience to this role from his 30 years of service in the U.S. State Department. The appointment of such a distinguished and accomplished diplomat as Consul General shows the importance that the U.S. places on the bilateral relationship with the U.A.E. I know I speak on behalf of the entire Business Council, its members, and the wider business community when I say that we sincerely look forward to working closely with you in the coming years.”

After this introduction, Mr. Frayne offered remarks on his experience in the Middle East and his hopes to continue the support to American businesses in Dubai that the outgoing Consul General, Paul Malik, has diligently provided.

Mr. Philip Frayne, Consul General-Designate to the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, and Mr. Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council

Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Frayne said, “I obviously don’t need to tell the members of this Council that the U.A.E. is the number one importer of U.S. goods in the entire Middle East, and Dubai continues to be the logistics hub for these products. As the leading regional hub for trade and commerce, Dubai plays an important role in connecting U.S. expats, U.S. companies, and U.S. best-in-class products to the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. Therefore, I am excited to work closely with American companies based in the U.A.E. to promote the bilateral trade relationship and increase foreign investment into the United States.”

After concluding his remarks, Mr. Frayne engaged attendees in a vibrant back-and-forth discussion on a variety of topics, including opportunities for American companies to participate in Expo 2020 Dubai. He noted, “I am delighted to serve as Consul General to Dubai at such a historic moment, and I look forward to engaging with U.S. and U.A.E. public and private sector-stakeholders in the lead up to Expo 2020 to ensure America’s prominent role in one of the largest Expos to take place in modern history.”