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Hon. Edward Gnehm, H.E. Sheikh Salem Al Sabah, and Hon. Robert Kimmitt on board United Airlines’ inaugural flight from Washington Dulles Airport to Kuwait City.

able to join us to celebrate the Open Skies Agreement and United’s new route to Kuwait. Transportation and communications infrastructures are a vital part of economic development around the globe, and Kuwait is positioning itself to be a leader in the Arabian Gulf.”

OPENING NEW MARKETS

Two “new” markets captured the attention of the U.S. business community in 2006 – Libya and Iraq – and the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce played a key role in opening doors to those markets for NUSACC members.

Libya

The business delegation that NUSACC led to Libya in April – the largest and highest-level U.S. private sector group ever to visit that nation – was not the only “first” that NUSACC registered in behalf of Libya in 2006. NUSACC was also very fortunate to host the first official Libyan government delegation to the United States since the U.S. announced in mid-2006 that sanctions against Libya would be lifted and relations would be normalized.

Mercedes Fitchett discusses with Kevin Woelflein and Steven Skancke her experiences in Iraq after a roundtable discussion in Washington DC.

In June, at the St. Regis Hotel, NUSACC hosted a “standing room only” crowd of

nearly 200 U.S. business leaders looking to gain insights into trade and investment opportunities in Libya. A delegation composed of H.E. Mohamed Siala, Libya’s Secretary (minister) for Cooperation, and eight other high-level government officials participated in an extensive question and answer session. H.E. Ambassador Ali Aujali, Libya’s representative to the United States, also served as one of the guest speakers.

An arch at Lepis Magna beckons modern day visitors to Libya.

Minister Siala gave a detailed outline of the new economic policies now in place in Libya, highlighting new tax laws and burgeoning opportunities for foreign direct investment and partnerships. He stated, “The improvement of economic performance basically requires the improvement of political relations. We have now achieved this political climate, allowing us to encourage cooperation with all countries of the world – particularly with the U.S.A. and the European Union. That was the best lesson drawn from the period of embargo and boycott.”

In September, NUSACC hosted an off-the-record roundtable discussion at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel featuring Hon. Paula J. Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, and H.E. Ambassador Ali Aujali, Libya’s representative to the United States. The event, Under Secretary Dobriansky’s first business briefing since returning from a visit to Libya, was limited to NUSACC Platinum members and select corporate members.

Libyan Minister for Cooperation Mohamed Siala speaks to a “standing room only” crowd at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington DC.

Under Secretary Dobriansky described her trip to Libya with Hon. David Sampson, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, and Hon. Alex Azar, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. She said she was very impressed by the goodwill shown to her in Libya and by the clear desire of the Libyan people to build closer relations with their counterparts in the United States.

One of the main reasons for the inter-agency U.S. Government delegation, she suggested, was to provide multi-disciplinary expertise in discussions with Libyan officials. The mission’s focus on health, science, technology, and the environment sent a clear message that the United States looks forward to addressing issues that will enhance the Libyan people’s quality of life and further integrate Libya into the international community.»

David Hamod and Under Secretary of State Paula Dobriansky listen to Libyan Ambassador Ali Aujali during a roundtable discussion at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington DC.