U.S.-ARAB CHAMBER SUPPORTS "WORLD TRADE WEEK" IN LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles, CA – This past week, the National U.S. – Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) and other local institutions supported the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce in celebration of the 89th Annual World Trade Week. NUSACC’s Los Angeles Office – represented by Ms. Huda Salman – participated in the “kickoff” breakfast held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration: “If we’re going to maintain our global economic leadership, strong trade agreements are essential to our small business exporters to reach global markets and elevate their entrepreneurship potential.”
More than 600 business executives – including NUSACC member companies – attended the program, which highlighted trade opportunities and the economic benefits of global trade, investment, transportation and logistics. The launch event included trade representatives from almost 30 countries, including the Arab Republic of Egypt, which was represented by Mr. Yasser M. Moustafa, Commercial Consul with the Consulate General of Egypt in Los Angeles; and the United Arab Emirates, which was represented by H.E. Abdulla Ali Al-Saboosi, the UAE’s Consul General in Los Angeles.
Bret Johnsen, Chief Financial Office for SpaceX, offered keynote remarks.
“NUSACC was very pleased to support the excellent work of our ‘sister’ Chamber in Los Angeles, as well as the L.A. World Trade Week, which may be the largest of its kind in the United States,” said David Hamod, President & CEO of the U.S. – Arab Chamber. “NUSACC sees great value in maintaining a Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration: “If we’re going to maintain our global economic leadership, strong trade agreements are essential to our small business exporters to reach global markets and elevate their entrepreneurship potential.” full-time presence on the West Coast, which is developing increasingly important business ties with the Arab world.”
NUSACC has maintained offices in California for decades. In 2014, the Los Angeles office: hosted a “GCC Trade Connect Workshop”; co-hosted a seminar with the UAE Consulate focused on legalization services; participated in the launch event of the new UAE Consulate in L.A.; supported the launch of Etihad Airways’ non-stop flight from Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles; hosted NUSACC’s first Iftar dinner on the West Coast in observance of the holy month of Ramadan; and co-hosted a visit to California by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).
Keynote speakers at the Kickoff Breakfast, which initiated a solid month of trade-focused events in Southern California, included Bret Johnsen, Chief Financial Officer of SpaceX, and Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
The Hon. Mickey Kantor (right), former Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade, was awarded the Stanley T. Olafson Bronze Plaque by Gary Toebben (left), L.A. Area Chamber President & CEO.
Noted Ms. Contreras-Sweet, “Right now, 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders, but only one percent of our businesses sell to them. If we’re going to maintain our global economic leadership, strong trade agreements are essential to our small business exporters to reach global markets and elevate their entrepreneurship potential.”
Caroline Brown, 2015 World Trade Week Chair and Director of Global Trade & Supply Chain Solutions, said, “The Los Angeles area is considered the ‘gateway for trade’. For 89 years, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce has worked with the Southern Bret Johnsen, Chief Financial Office for SpaceX, offered keynote remarks. The Hon. Mickey Kantor (right), former Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade, was awarded the Stanley T. Olafson Bronze Plaque by Gary Toebben (left), L.A. Area Chamber President & CEO. California trade community to spread the word about the financial benefits of trade, transportation and logistics, and the impact that trade makes on jobs and opportunities within communities.”