The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council, and U.S.-Turkey Business Council, hosted a Welcome Reception last night for high-level delegates from the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, and Kuwait attending the 2017 SelectUSA Investment Summit this week in Washington.
The SelectUSA Investment Summit is the highest-profile event dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) into the United States. Featured guests at the welcome reception included Skip Jones, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Middle East and Africa, U.S. Department of Commerce; Ambassador Stuart Jones, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East Affairs Bureau; Brian Kenner, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Washington D.C.; Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President of Middle East Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Edward Burton, President and CEO of the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council; and Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council.
Guests attending the 2017 SelectUSA Welcome Reception hosted by the U.S. Chamber, U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council, & U.S.-Turkey Business Council
Khush Choksy provided welcome remarks before introducing Edward Burton. “The United States remains a great place to invest,” said Mr. Choksy. “While we often focus on trying to grow American exports to the Middle East, it is equally important that we work on attracting greater investments from the region into the United States. Those investments will enhance our economic growth and create jobs in communities across our nation.”
Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President of Middle East Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, kicked off the 2017 SelectUSA Welcome Reception
Edward Burton, President and CEO of the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council, highlighted the success of President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia
Edward Burton outlined the ever-growing relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia marked by President Trump’s recent trip to the region. Mr. Burton remarked, “Just last month, it was exciting to be in the room with so many Fortune 500 company Chairmen and CEOs at Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh and with His Majesty King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud and President Donald Trump where billions of dollars’ worth of deals were signed. The success of the CEO Summit is quite clearly a vote of confidence by the American business community in the Kingdom, its people, and its economic strength.”
Deputy Assistant Secretary Skip Jones added, “We are pleased to welcome the international delegations to the 2017 SelectUSA Summit, which showcases investment opportunities from every corner of the United States. To date, SelectUSA has directly assisted attracting over $23 billion in client verified investments into the United States, and the Commerce Department looks forward to deepening our partnerships with investors from the Middle East region and around the globe.”
Skip Jones, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Middle East and Africa at the U.S. Department of Commerce, welcomed the 2017 SelectUSA Investment Summit attendees
Danny Sebright highlighted the importance of the U.S.-U.A.E. political and diplomatic; business and commercial; and defense and security relationships. “The U.A.E. continues to grow its investments into the United States. It is currently the 7th fastest-growing source of FDI in the U.S.,” said Sebright. “This supplements a broader relationship marked by $26 billion in trade and over 70,000 U.S. Expats in the U.A.E. who continue to promote best-in-class U.S. goods and services in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.”
Mr. Sebright welcomed Ambassador Stuart Jones who emphasized the strength of the U.S. economy’s investment climate.
Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, wished a Ramadan Mubarak to all of the delegates attending the 2017 SelectUSA Investment Summit
Ambassador Stuart Jones, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East Affairs Bureau, highlighted the U.S. as a key market for Foreign Direct Investment and applauded the large turnout at the 2017 SelectUSA Investment Summit
“We are delighted to showcase the U.S. market for our partners in the Middle East at the SelectUSA event. The President’s trip to the region last month highlighted and reinforced the solid foundation of our relations in the Middle East. Now inbound foreign direct investment opportunities presented here, will provide further opportunities to build bridges here at home with our great U.S. private sector and offer our partners the best of the U.S. markets – superior technology, high-quality products, transparency and reliable service.”
Brian Kenner, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Washington D.C., highlighted investment opportunities in Washington
Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner emphasized the myriad investment opportunities available in Washington D.C. and the city’s growing trade relationship with the Middle East, following the Mayoral delegation’s recent trip to the region, including the U.A.E. “We are excited to host the Middle East business community at the 2017 SelectUSA Summit as we look to expand economic opportunities in every corner of Washington, D.C.,” said Deputy Mayor Kenner. “Boasting the second-strongest economy in the country, there has never been a better time to do business in the nation’s capital and invest in our neighborhoods. We will continue expanding strategic business partnerships at home and abroad to improve our city and transform D.C. into a global economic powerhouse.”
