U.S.-Egypt Business Council Hosted AmCham Egypt for Breakfast

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S.-Egypt Business Council (USEBC) hosted the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham Egypt) for a breakfast April 6, 2011, while the AmCham was in Washington, D.C., on their annual DoorKnock mission. The breakfast featured nearly 190 participants from the business community, representatives from think tanks, foreign embassies, and the U.S. government. Keynote speaker Robert D. Hormats, under secretary for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, conveyed the U.S. government’s support for Egypt’s political and economic transition in the months ahead.

Steve Farris, chairman of the U.S.-Egypt Business Council and CEO of Apache Corporation, gave a warm welcome to the AmCham Egypt delegates for traveling to Washington, D.C. He reaffirmed that the USEBC continues to champion full economic engagement between the United States and Egypt noting the vast potential of the Egyptian people. He further announced that the council will take a business promotion mission to Egypt in June to listen to what Egyptians want for their political and economic future. M. Gamal Moharam, chairman of AmCham Egypt, briefed the audience on the 2011 DoorKnock mission, the composition of the delegation, and the objectives of the AmCham mission compared to years in the past.

Myron Brilliant, senior vice president for International Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, expressed the U.S. Chamber’s support for a thriving business community in Egypt where American companies can continue to be partners with Egyptian companies, create new jobs, and seek to expand business throughout Egypt and the Middle East region. He stressed that the U.S. Chamber has had a long role in Egypt’s business community and he believes it will only become stronger.

Under Secretary Hormats first reiterated President Obama’s sentiment that Egypt will never be the same as it was before the January 25 revolution and congratulated Egypt on what it had achieved. Under Secretary Hormats reaffirmed that the United States is committed to the long-term U.S.-Egypt partnership and to building democracy and prosperity for all Egyptians. He underscored the U.S. government’s pledge to aid in the immediate economic recovery, assist the government of Egypt to modernize the country’s economy, and promote greater opportunities for all Egyptians especially the youth.