Attending a Dialogue Session between the US Consulate General in Dubai and the representatives of the local business community regarding US credit facilities, Olsen and his team of experts said that “in 2009 the UAE was the largest Middle East export market for the US with a value of $ 12 billion.
This is even more remarkable when you consider that our total exports in 2000 were just $ 2.2 billion. So, we’ve seen nearly 600 percent increases in a decade.”
Talking to reporters after the meeting attended by UAE statesmen and business stalwarts at Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry office on Monday, Olsen added that President Obama announced the National Export Initiative, a programme to double US exports in the coming five years.
This initiative aims to grow the US economy and create two million jobs through trade, and to position US products and services in key markets around the world to compete as the global economy recovers.
“There are three key elements of the national export initiatives — Expanding our trade advocacy in all its forms, by educating US companies about opportunities overseas, connecting them with new customers and advocating for their interests, continuing the rigorous enforcement of international trade laws to help remove barriers that prevent US firms from getting free and fair access to foreign markets and improving access to credit with a focus on small- and medium-sized businesses that want to export,” he said.
The discussion was attended by President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Airlines Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Economic Council Juma Al Majid, Secretary General of Dubai Economic Council Hani R Al Hamly, Member of the Board of Directors of the US Export Import Bank Bijan Kian, US Consul General in Dubai Justin Siberell and other members of the Economic Council.
