US-Saudi business forum to be held in Chicago
Published: Mar 8, 2010 23:00 Updated: Mar 8, 2010 23:00
RIYADH: The Committee for International Trade (CIT) of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CSCCI) and the US-Saudi Arabian Business Council will hold the "Saudi-US Business Opportunities Forum" in Chicago, Illinois, on April 28-29.
"The forum will be held in view of the growing role of Saudi Arabia in the global financial circles and the need to boost US-Saudi business relationship," the organizers said in a statement.
Trade between the two countries in 2008 crossed $68 billion, compared to only $160 million in 1970.
Top US and Saudi government officials, mainly in business and industry, have been invited to be guest speakers.
They include Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Commerce and Industry Minister Abdullah Zainal Alireza, Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) Gov. Muhammad Al-Jasser, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Gov. Amr Al-Dabbagh, Capital Market Authority (CMA) Gov. Abdulrahman Al-Tuwaijri, Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel Al-Jubeir and Royal Court adviser Abdulrahman Al-Saeed, US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith, among others.
The different sessions will feature senior executives from American companies currently engaged in the Saudi market, along with Saudi government or private sector individuals who are experts in the areas to be discussed during the forum.
To be presented are specific and immediate business opportunities offering profit-making potentials for US firms.
Topics to be discussed include Saudi Arabia's energy sector, finance and investment, information technology, water and electricity, petrochemicals and plastics manufacturing, Saudi Arabia's construction sector, and small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The forum will be held in collaboration with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the US Department of Commerce and the US Chamber of Commerce.
In May last year, the CIT also collaborated with the New America Foundation (NAF) to convene a major forum addressing the state of and prospects for the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia. Distinguished Saudi and American speakers addressed the forum.
