(Washington D.C.) – U.A.E.- U.S. Business Council has convened the CEO Forum, a high-level business-to-government meeting of fifty senior American and Emirati stakeholders, in Washington, D.C. The meeting, co-led by U.A.E.’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs, H.E. Khalid Al Ghaith, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, Charles H. Rivkin, and covered key developments in the U.A.E.-U.S. commercial relationship and private sector issues for consideration during the upcoming sixth U.A.E.-U.S. Economic Policy Dialogue (EPD).
The programme, moderated by U.A.E.- U.S. Business Council President Danny Sebright, included scene-setting remarks by the U.A.E. Ambassador to the U.S., Yousef Yousef Mana’a Saeed Al Otaiba, and U.S. Ambassador to the U.A.E., Michael H. Corbin.
“No one is better placed to partner with the U.A.E. to foster innovation and growth than U.S. companies,” said Assistant Secretary Rivkin. “To that end, both governments have publically committed to devote the resources needed to promote greater trade and investment, and coordination between our two countries has never been stronger.” Khalid Al Ghaith, in his remarks, said, “The U.A.E. looks to the United States as a key partner in driving investment, educational, and commercial partnership opportunities across numerous sectors with special emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship, the recent visit of the U.A.E. Minister of Economy confirms our commitment towards this partnership. We value the private sector’s wide-ranging, frontline input and take it into consideration during every EPD discussion.” The closed-door CEO Forum working dinner programme included updates from key American and Emirati private and public sector stakeholders on various topics of economic importance, including: U.S.-U.A.E. commercial partnerships, opportunities presented by the U.A.E.’s winning bid to host World Expo 2020 in Dubai, the U.A.E.’s growing commercial aviation sector, evolving industrial standards in the U.A.E. and Gulf Cooperation Council, and an update on federal economic development projects.
(Courtesy WAM)
