U.S. Trade Mission to the Middle East Facilitates Jobs, Partnerships and Greater Understanding

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dozens of business and civic leaders, including Houston Mayor Annise Parker, returned from an eight day visit to the Middle East this week as part of a trade mission organized by the Bilateral U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce. The 38-member delegation travelled to Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar to meet with their counterparts to explore business opportunities, partnerships and trade in the sectors of healthcare, water, renewable energy, law, hospitality and education.

“These trade missions are integral for companies wishing to successfully export, because they represent the first step toward establishing personal relationships with decision makers in the region”

"These trade missions are integral for companies wishing to successfully export, because they represent the first step toward establishing personal relationships with decision makers in the region," said Aida Araissi, President of the Bilateral U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce.

The delegates had a full schedule in each city, including site visits, networking receptions, conferences and private meetings with the region's drivers of infrastructure growth including the national oil companies like Aramco and ADNOC, the urban development and economic development ministries, and the region's airlines. They attended the Middle East's largest oil and gas conference, toured the world's first zero carbon concept city, and learned about hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure projects coming online in the next decade.

“The work the Bilateral Chamber team does is important,” said John B. Boehm, Jr., Partner at Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP in Dubai. “Not only for the businesses involved, but for advancing greater understanding between Arab and non-Arab people.”

The Bilateral U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce is an exclusive membership-based network of international business leadership that establishes strategic connections between the United States and Middle East/North Africa (MENA) to foster economic growth, educational advancement and cultural understanding. Founded in 1997 by Aida Araissi, the Bilateral Chamber creates access, options and results for its members by facilitating relationships with key decision-makers, helping to navigate through the complex field of international trade, and producing effective programming including trade missions, speaker’s series, and educational exchange initiatives. Headquartered in Houston, Texas (USA), the not-for-profit Bilateral Chamber membership includes Fortune 500 companies, private sector enterprises, thought leaders, and academic institutions from a wide range of industry sectors across the U.S. and MENA regions. For more information about the Bilateral Chamber, visit us at http://www.bilateralchamber.org.

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