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A Message from the CEO
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Dear Friends and Colleagues,
As this first decade in the new millennium came to a close, and I started to write this piece for our Annual Review, I began to reflect on my reasons for founding the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber more than 20 years ago. As I reflected, I couldn’t help but recognize that there have been setbacks in some of the markets that we cover
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and indeed some setbacks here in our country as we have seen a rise in protectionist policies and themes.
However, as daunting as that sounds, I still believe there is hope for a better future. I believe this because I am fortunate enough to be able to interact on a daily basis with Bilateral Chamber stakeholders. Our member organizations, sponsors, clients, Advisory Board, and our industry partners all play a role in creating cross border sustainable economic development that’s mutually beneficial and underpinned by mutual respect and understanding. Their support allows us to continue our work providing the insight and access that matters most for companies looking to do business in international markets. By doing so, we cross cultural boundaries and create jobs, and where there are jobs, education follows, and educated people make educated choices about global environmental issues.
So thank you to all of you that support this organization. Whether through membership, sponsorship, program attendance, or by merely reading these newsletters and staying aware of the opportunities that exist. Without you, the Chamber would not exist, and perhaps, neither would my hope for a better future.
I invite you to continue with this Annual Year in Review to see what your support has helped us achieve in 2019 and to get a glimpse into what 2020 will bring.
I look forward to seeing you soon at one of our upcoming programs, but until then, please be well, do good, and be kind.
With warm regards,
Aida Araissi
Chief Executive Officer
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Program Review
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Our core MENA portfolio of programming was particularly strong with events featuring in-country leadership and expert speakers from countries including Bahrain, Oman, the UAE, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Topics ranged from the technical, such as enhanced oil and gas production, to practical discussions about how to set up a branch office in the GCC or identify an agent or joint venture partner. Another notable achievement in 2019 was our work in assisting the Libya NOC to establish a procurement branch office in Houston now serving as their official U.S. headquarters. This office will be instrumental in helping to rebuild Libya when it stabilizes.
We are already working on a variety of programs for 2020 that include leaders from across the GCC region, U.S. and Middle East Ambassadors, and procurement specialists that will help U.S. SME’s gain access to export opportunities. Be sure to read our monthly newsletters to see the most up to date information and program announcements.
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Semi-Annual VIP Advisory Board Dinners
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As always, our flagship programs for our key stakeholders are the semi-Annual Board of Advisors Dinners. Held on May 6, 2019, at the start of OTC week in Houston and November 12, 2019, during ADIPEC in Abu Dhabi, these VIP events are the highlight of the year for our stakeholders. C-Suite executives, Ambassadors, and Ministers from around the globe gather to visit with their peers, renew existing relationships, and forge new alliances in an intimate private setting.
In Spring 2020, we are pleased to announce our Visionary Leadership Award honoree, H.E. Tarek El Molla, Minister of Energy of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. Our Board of Advisors Dinner will also feature our Diplomats Panel, an insightful and off the record discussion of recently retired U.S. Ambassadors who have served in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Oman. This years dinner will take place on March 10.
Stay tuned for program announcements in our Bilateral Business Monthly Newsletter.
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As we hoped, our role as a contractor for the U.S. Trade and Development Agency also grew as the decade came to a close. We were very fortunate to have been awarded a number of contracts in 2019 for an array of countries and industries. We planned reverse trade missions for delegations from China, Argentina, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Egypt. These delegates came to the U.S. looking for a variety of U.S. goods and services including technology infrastructure, e-governance solutions, petroleum ports development, LNG supply, gas infrastructure development, and resource training for the energy sector.
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Our USTDA portfolio of projects for 2020 will feature an emergency management technology focused mission from Peru and two ICT infrastructure and financial technology missions from India. Additionally, a delegation from Algeria, led by new executive decision makers from Sonatrach, puts us in the position to bring our stakeholders substantial opportunities while delivering on USTDA’s mission to increase exports to emerging markets of strategic interest to the U.S.
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In addition to our USG contract work, the Bilateral experienced significant growth via our partnership with DMG, one of the world’s largest and most respected organizers of B2B industry events. In 2019, we continued our collaboration during ADIPEC, holding our fall VIP Board of Advisors Dinner, and taking part in opening ceremonies and several other key events. We also grew our collaborative efforts and worked together on EGYPS, GASTECH, ADIPEC, and Future Energy Asia.
The Bilateral leadership was proud to have participated in and were able to provide several of our member company executives the opportunity to serve in key roles throughout the conference.
During Gastech, we played a pivotal role in presenting Former President George W. Bush, a posthumous award honoring his father, former President George H.W. Bush.
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For 2020, in addition to continuing to support these three industry-leading global programs, we are pleased to announce that we will also be taking a U.S. delegation to Future Energy Asia as well as extending the trip to visit Vietnam.
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Bilateral Education Foundation Programs
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2019 marked 12th consecutive Bilateral Model Arab League Competition. Students from 12 universities across the region represented 13 Arab League countries in this program designed to build critical leadership skills from public speaking and writing to negotiation and compromise. Through participation in a series of councils, students held debates and developed to develop fruitful solutions to a slate of current real-world problems.
Plans are well underway for the 2020 MAL competition and we look forward to increasing the number of participating universities and students!
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2019 was a year for reviewing and renewing our TEACH Fellowship Program. After more than 10 years of taking U.S. educators to visit the Middle East, we wanted to take some time to re-visit with all of the Fellows that have participated in the program from its’ inception. It was time to evaluate which of the many outcomes and collaborations that began as a result of the program were still in place and inquire as to the status and potential success of any additional initiatives subsequently launched.
The results were both impressive and inspiring and have helped us refine the Fellowship program both in terms of the best Fellowship recipient profiles as well as the best framework for the agendas and how to ensure ongoing efforts after the travel has ended.
All of this has been incorporated into TEACH 2020. The Fellowship selection has just concluded and this March the 2020 cohort will be visiting the Kingdom of Bahrain to meet with their counterparts in Bahraini educational facilities, visit corporations to understand their viewpoints on how students could be better prepared to enter a global workforce and visit cultural landmarks to enable them to return to their classrooms in the U.S. and share first-hand accounts about real life experiences in the Middle East.
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With many thanks to:
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Thank You to Our Strategic Partners
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