Private Sector Roundtable at USTR with Qatar's Minister of Economy & Commerce

> On September 19, in Washington, DC, His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar’s Minister of Economy and Commerce, and Mr. Dan Mullaney, Assistant Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East conducted a private sector roundtable to discuss vital issues in the US and Qatar’s bilateral business relationship. The US-Qatar Business Council and the US Chamber of Commerce coordinated the event to bring together American business leaders to discuss the essential trade and investment issues that form the backbone of our thriving bilateral relationship. Dan Mullaney opened the roundtable, reiterating the importance of such private sector-government engagements when developing government frameworks designed to increase bilateral trade and investment. “We are developing the framework for the economic relationship, but in order to do that properly we need to hear from the private sector,” said Dan Mullaney. Shiekh Ahmed then welcomed everyone to the roundtable, commending the role of the US-Qatar Business Council in the bilateral relationship. “The US-Qatar Business Council is a very important Council for increasing trade… We would like to see the US-Qatar Business Council play a much greater role in the bilateral relationship,” said Sheikh Ahmed. “Qatar wants to know how to make it easier for foreign direct investment. We want economic partners from around the world and especially from the United States.” Discussion during the roundtable focused primarily on methods for easing the process of trade and investment into Qatar, international standards compliance, and exclusivity laws for some industries. This roundtable served as part of the US-Qatar Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council meetings over the next several days that cover a wide range of issues related to trade and investment regarding America’s international partners. “Our members always enjoy being able to discuss trade and investment issues with visiting Qatari delegations because it provides them with the crucial information they need to not only grow their businesses, but also the Qatari and American economies,” said Ambassador Patrick Theros, the president of the US-Qatar Business Council.