The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted His Excellency Mohammed Sharaf – the U.A.E.’s Assistant Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – for a small roundtable luncheon at Café Milano in the Four Seasons Abu Dhabi.

His Excellency Addresses Luncheon Guests

His Excellency was joined at this exclusive event by senior executives from twenty of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s Board of Director Founding Members. These prominent U.S. and U.A.E. companies span a wide range of industries, including aerospace and defense, construction, energy, finance, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics.

U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President Danny Sebright began the luncheon by reviewing His Excellency’s distinguished career at DP World prior to his recent appointment as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Mr. Sebright also thanked His Excellency for his longtime support of the Business Council and his personal friendship over the years.

His Excellency thanked Mr. Sebright for this warm introduction before sharing his thoughts on current, priority international economic and trade issues and opportunities for the U.A.E. His Excellency also spoke more specifically about the U.S.-U.A.E. trade and investment relationship. In so doing, His Excellency highlighted the importance of this relationship, emphasizing that “The U.A.E. wants to continue building a sustainable friendship and trade relationship with the U.S.”

His Excellency spent considerable time highlighting a new series of KPI’s being established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which are designed to assist U.A.E. Embassies and Consulates around the world in meeting new targets for U.A.E. export and FDI goals by 2020.  His Excellency lauded the success of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and its member companies and said he and his team looked forward to working with us closely in the months ahead with regard to meeting these targets for the U.S..

Following these remarks, His Excellency received questions from attendees regarding a variety of topics, including the U.A.E.’s economic diversification efforts, new VAT and Excise taxes, overall economic and trade conditions in the GCC, and ways to continue to strengthen trade relations between the U.S. and U.A.E. under the new U.S. administration.

Mr. Sebright concluded the luncheon by giving a special thanks to His Excellency and the distinguished guests for both taking the time to attend the luncheon and for their support of the Business Council.