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Aida Araissi
Founder and CEO
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Dear partners, members and friends,
Reflecting back on 2015, we wish to acknowledge and thank our stakeholders for their feedback, encouragement and active participation these last 12 months. Our platform provides timely forums for business leadership, policy makers and experts to exchange and engage on issues of critical importance to their business needs in an often tumultuous and changing landscape.
Our programming in 2015 ranged from events in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Houston to regional events in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, Bahrain and Doha. We've summarized a few highlights below to give you a sense of the ground we covered.
I can assure you that our plans for 2016 will continue to deliver on our mission of making personal introductions, forming sustainable economic partnerships and generating international deals.
Until then, please accept my personal best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season. |
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| Featured Ministers |
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| H.E. Adil Abdul-Mahdi |
T.H. Irene Nafuna Muloni |
T.H. Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah |
T. H. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah |
H.E. Eng. Sherif Ismail |
Minister of Oil
Republic of Iraq |
Minister of Energy
Republic of Uganda |
Minister of Trade & Industry
Republic of Ghana |
Minister of Petroleum
Republic of Ghana |
Prime Minister
Arab Republic of Egypt
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| Participating Ambassadors |
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| T. H. Douglas A. Silliman |
T. H. Barbara A. Leaf
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T.H. Robert W. Jordan
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T.H. Joseph W. Westphal |
U.S. Ambassador
to the
State of Kuwait |
U.S. Ambassador
to the
United Arab Emirates
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Former U.S. Ambassador
to the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
U.S. Ambassador
to the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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| Offering Subject-Matter Expertise |
Leadership Insight Series - Iraq: Panel Discussion with Key Iraqi Ministry, Governorate and Diplomatic Leaders
May, 2015 - Houston, TX, USA
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Our Ambassador and Leadership Insight Series
featured current and former ambassadors, foreign dignitaries, and
leading CEOs and executives, to provide our stakeholders, partners and
members, with first-hand insights into the various business and
socio-economic climates of various MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa regions.
Some have included:
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Panel discussion with former Egyptian Minister of Petroleum, now current Prime Minister, H.E. Minister Sherif Ismail
May 2015- Houston, TX, USA
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| Accelerating Access and Opportunities Across MENA Markets |
Energy and Water
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18th Annual MENA Welcome Reception at OTC
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Gaining Access to the Energy Sector Elite at Bilateral Chamber’s OTC Reception
May 2015 – Houston, Texas, USA
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Our annual, “must-attend” OTC reception
brought together over 1,000 industry professionals, business owners and
thought leaders from across the U.S., MENA, sub-Saharan Africa and the
rest of the globe in tribute to the energy industry, its milestones and
advancements, and to each other. Under the theme ,‘Visionary Leadership
in Business’, the Bilateral Chamber honored Chevron Corporation for
its commitment to advancing social investment, economic development and
education across local communities and the entire energy value chain.
Additionally, with the support of our valued partners from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce, including T.H. Ambassador Joseph W. Westphal, U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, T.H. Ambassador Douglas A. Silliman, U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Chandra Brown,
we also recognized the merits of business diplomacy, cooperation,
dialogue and business exchange and the critical role they play in
safeguarding the vitality and relevance of the industry today.
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Bilateral Chamber Leads Delegation to ADIPEC 2015
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HH Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (center), Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court, formally inaugurates ADIPEC 2015, accompanied by (left) Mr. Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADNOC and (right) Mr. Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, Strategy and Coordination Director, ADNOC and ADIPEC 2015 Chairman
November 2015 – Abu Dhabi, UAE
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In November 2015, we attended the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC), the world’s largest industry-leading oil & gas conferences. The Bilateral Chamber’s delegation to ADIPEC paid tribute to an outstanding energy hub of over 95,000 attendees, 7,000+ delegates, 140 conference sessions, and 23 national pavilions. Under the theme “Innovation & Sustainability in a New Energy World”, ADIPEC 2015 boasted business deals exceeding $9 billion in value and proved once again to be an unrivaled platform for oil and gas professionals to engage in business and peer-to-peer networking.
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Bilateral Chamber VIP Board Dinner at ADIPEC 2015
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Mr. Faisal Al Mahroos
November 2015- Abu Dhabi, UAE
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Dr. Abdulrahman Jawahery
November 2015- Abu Dhabi, UAE
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Under the theme “Year of Education”, two industry luminaries, former BAPCO CEO Faisal Al-Mahroos and Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. President Dr. Abdulrahman Jawahery, were recognized for their long-standing support and remarkable personal commitment to excellence in education. Both Mr. Faisal Al-Mahroos and Dr. Abdulrahman Jawahery were honored with the Bilateral Chamber’s 2015 Global Education Leadership award at our Board of Advisors Dinner during ADIPEC.
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Bilateral Chamber Board Dinner at ADIPEC 2015
November 2015- Abu Dhabi, UAE |
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We thank ADNOC, Delta, DMG, DMS Global, ExxonMobil, Falcon Global, Fluor, HAS, IWG, Occidental, Petrofac, and Scotiabank for their patronage. |
Bilateral Chamber Board Dinner at ADIPEC 2015
November 2015- Abu Dhabi, UAE |
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Bilateral Panel at weftec 2015
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Water Industry Leaders at weftec 2015
September 2015- Chicago, Illinois, USA
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The 2nd Annual Bilateral Chamber Panel at weftec 2015, focused on Middle East/North Africa Water Market: Challenges & Opportunities. Widely known as the world’s preeminent program on the topics surrounding water quality and the largest conference and exhibition of its kind, weftec 2015 offered water quality professionals from around the world the best water quality education and training available. The Bilateral Chamber hosted a panel of experts discussing practical & legal guidelines on project & infrastructure planning and development, policy, environmental technology and supply-chain management solutions when doing business in MENA and Africa.
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the world's largest annual water quality event in September 2016.
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Healthcare
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Industry Insight Series
MENA Healthcare Opportunities: Egypt and the Levant
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January 2015. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC), the Bilateral Chamber supported USDOC and U.S. Embassy-based representatives on a webinar focused on current and future healthcare opportunities in Egypt, Jordan and the West Bank. Healthcare is a major industry sector reflected in the Chamber’s membership roster.
In 2016 the Chamber is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with the Saudi American Healthcare Forum in Riyadh. The Bilateral Chamber is also pleased to support the U.S. Department of Commerce’s healthcare trade mission to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, taking place in April 2016.
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Promoting Women in Industry and Energy
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| November 2015. Under the patronage of Her Excellency, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development, UAE,
the 2015 Women in Industry Conference at ADIPEC 2015 convened thought
leadership from across the globe who recognized women’s role in the
growth and future success of the oil and gas sector. Bilateral CEO,
Aida Araissi, moderated a panel during this conference, focused on Women in Energy: Challenges and Opportunities for Success. |
Bilateral Chamber CEO, Aida Araissi, moderates panel at ADIPEC 2015 Women in Industry Conference
November, 2015 - Abu Dhabi, UAE
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Additionally, in December 2015, we co-supported the Women in STEM in MENA Conference, hosted by Rice University’s Baker Institute. Featured speakers included Her Excellency, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, and Sherif Foda, President – Production Group, Schlumberger.
Both the speakers and the esteemed panelists addressed the various
structural and cultural barriers preventing the advancement of women in
STEM professions in the MENA region, while fostering a dialogue with
conference participants to determine successful approaches to increase
the representation of women in STEM fields.
In Dubai, UAE, the Chamber’s work on advocating women leadership was recognized at the Center for Economic & Leadership Development’s 2015 Women Summit. Bilateral Chamber CEO, Aida Araissi, received the United States Congressional Commendation for fostering peace through commerce between the US, Middle East and Africa.
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Bilateral Chamber CEO, Aida Araissi, receives the United States Congressional Commendation
December, 2015 - Dubai, UAE
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Unlocking the Potential of Sub-Saharan Africa
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Africa Insight Series
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T.H. Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah (left) with Mr. Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola Company President
March 2015 - Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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T.H. Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah (center), Bilateral Chamber Vice President Vranae Pavlich (far left)
March 2015 - Atlanta, Georgia, USA |
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March 2015. The Bilateral Chamber was honored to host The Honorable Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry, Republic of Ghana, for a 4-day U.S. roadshow encompassing the cities of Atlanta, GA and Houston, TX. This business-development mission included meetings and site visits with some of Atlanta’s and Houston’s most prominent public and private sector entities including: Coca-Cola, UPS, PodPonics, AGCO, Halliburton, M&H, HPI, Port of Houston Authority, Universal Weather & Aviation, and Houston Airport System, among others. Organized by the Bilateral Chamber, The Honorable Minister Spio-Garbrah also offered a keynote address where he shared insights into the ample opportunities available for U.S. companies looking to enter or expand in the thriving Ghanaian market.
Additionally, in November 2015 during ADIPEC 2015 week, Bilateral Chamber Chairman, David L. Phillips, moderated a panel on Harnessing Africa’s Potential: Opportunities for Future Investors.
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Bilateral Chamber Chairman moderates panel during ADIPEC 2015
November, 2015 - Abu Dhabi, UAE
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| Some of our other notable Africa Insight Series programs included a VIP reception with the Minister of Energy of Uganda, The Honorable Irene Nafuna Muloni, in April 2015, and a briefing featuring a keynote address by The Honorable Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Petroleum, Ghana, in May 2015. |
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| Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders Through Education |
8th Annual
Teachers Educating Across Cultures in Harmony (TEACH) Fellowship
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2015 TEACH Cohort at GPIC
November 2015- Kingdom of Bahrain
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November 2015. The Bilateral Chamber recently concluded its 8th annual TEACH Fellowship, an annual cultural exchange and curriculum-development mission, affording U.S. educators the opportunity to meet and interact with their respective counterparts in the MENA region, exchange teaching methodologies, and compare/contract best practices. Our Fellows met with various schools, education authorities and corporate champions throughout Bahrain, UAE and Qatar including: Hawar International School, St. Christopher School, Bahrain Polytechnic, GPIC, BAPCO, International Community School of Abu Dhabi, ADMA-OPCO, ExxonMobil, Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Al Khor International School, Supreme Education Council, Qatar Foundation and a number of Ministries of Education, among many other notable entities. Click here to view the 2015 TEACH Cohort and the Fellows’ impressive accomplishments.
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2015 TEACH Cohort with International Community School
November 2015- Abu Dhabi, UAE |
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8th Annual Bilateral Model Arab League
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2015 Bilateral Model Arab League Delegation
February 2015 - Houston, TX, USA
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February 2015. We hosted the 8th Annual Bilateral Model Arab League, with support from the National Council on US-Arab Relations and the University of Houston – Honors College. Student delegates from leading universities across Texas and the Southeast convened at the University of Houston – Honors College as part of the conference to craft solutions to the Arab World’s current and most pressing issues in a simulated meeting of the League of Arab States. Delegates debated topics ranging from “assessing means to neutralize armed extremist groups” and “establishing annual joint military exercises” to “formulating strategies to attract foreign direct investment to the region” and “adapting current education systems to the needs of the labor market in order to abate youth unemployment.”
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U.S. college students debate pressing issues during Bilateral MAL
February 2015 - Houston, TX, USA
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Education Roundtables
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Roundtable with Anousheh Ansari, first female private space explorer
October 2015 - Houston, TX, USA
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Throughout the year, our education roundtables featured a wide variety of expert presenters from academia, private sector corporations and public sector officials, for the aim of facilitating collaborative U.S.-MENA connections focused on developing the next generation of leaders. Our 2015 education roundtable highlights include:
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| Establishing Strategic Alliances |
Partnership Insight Series: MEED Events
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We
are proud of our long-standing relationship with MEED events, which
annually delivers over 1000 world-class speakers from both governmental
entities and the private sector, to provide quality programs across the
Middle East and North Africa. For a full listing of the MEED 2015
Calendar, click here.
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