In her keynote address to the U.S.-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum in Los Angeles, the Honorable Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, noted that the United States and Saudi Arabia have a strong trade and investment relationship which has tripled in the last decade.
The more than 1,100 private sector and government leaders from both the United States and Saudi Arabia who attended the Forum were pleased to hear Secretary Pritzker remark that “U.S. businesses stand ready to partner with Saudi Arabia at this exciting moment–as it moves to become a more knowledge-based economy.”
The 38th Secretary of Commerce, Secretary Pritzker, who assumed office on June 28th this year, added that over the last four years the Commerce department “has helped more than 450 U.S. companies export to Saudi Arabia for the first time.”
The Saudi-US Trade Group (SUSTG) was a primary organizer of the event along with the Saudi Arabian Committee for International Trade (CIT) and the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council. The Forum series is implemented under the patronage of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“It is a pleasure to be among people who are building bridges between the United States and Saudi Arabia, the largest economy in the Middle East,” the Secretary noted. “I’m thrilled to be here to build on the strong relationship that exists between President Obama and King Abdullah – dating back to June 2009 when both leaders visited each others’ countries.”
The Secretary remarked that if current trends continue, “nearly $20 billion in U.S. merchandise will go to Saudi Arabia this year including cars, planes, machinery, medical instruments, and more. I know that many of the people in this room are helping to bring innovative U.S. products to business partners and consumers in Saudi Arabia.”
Click the below to watch a video of the Secretary’s remarks to the U.S.-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum in Los Angeles.
