AmCham Abu Dhabi Roundtable Summit 2023

AmCham Abu Dhabi held its 13th Annual Roundtable Summit.

Over 150 leading business executives, academics, thought leaders and government officials participated in this event.

The event’s theme addressed “The U.S. U.A.E. Relationship – Bilateral Trade at work”, and was voiced by keynote leaders H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Cabinet Member and Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade – Ministry of Economy, H.E. Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi, Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary, Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH), Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, Acting Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, and Mr. Sean Murphy, Charge D’Affaires – U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi.

H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, during his keynote speech, commended the role played by AmCham Abu Dhabi “I am pleased to note today that AmCham Abu Dhabi is accomplishing its mission. Your group has developed relationships between its members and the UAE community and has promoted mutually beneficial investment, trade, and economic relations between the United States and the United Arab Emirates. You have witnessed a growing relationship between our two countries. The United States has indelibly influenced the world for centuries, and the U.A.E., a new force in the global scene, has been proud to cooperate with the United States in positively shaping our global future.”

H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said: “The U.A.E.’s economic relationship with the United States continues to deepen and evolve, creating new opportunities across all industry sectors. They are our fourth-largest trading partner, accounting for 5 percent of our total foreign trade and, by the end of 2020, the source of USD $4.6 billion in foreign direct investment. The American Chamber has been central to this, enabling US investors and businesses to not only establish their footprint in the U.A.E. but then expand their operations into the wider region.” “I was delighted to be able to address the American Chamber of Abu Dhabi’s Annual Roundtable Summit and not only herald the dynamism and innovation inherent in the UAE-US partnership but highlight the many incentives available in the U.A.E. for aspiring, globally minded U.S. companies. By facilitating such opportunities, the Chamber remains an essential bridge between our two economies.”

H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi stated: “The ties between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and American companies have never been stronger, as we have been working closely with key American players in the biopharmaceutical industry including companies like Pfizer, MSD and Johnson and Johnson among others to boost local and global capabilities in life science and real-world evidence, digital health, and supply chain – strengthening our position as a leading destination in healthcare.”

H.E. Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi, during his fireside chat with Liz Beneski, Chief Executive Director, AmCham Abu Dhabi said: “Our continuous, open dialogue with business leaders, such as the American Chamber of Commerce, complements our efforts in providing exceptional support to businesses, and contributes to our objective to ensure the ease of doing business in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.”

“Abu Dhabi has consistently nurtured a supportive business ecosystem to generate lucrative opportunities. It involves a strategic public-private partnership that empowers companies, entrepreneurs, and investors, and offers them an array of financial and non-financial incentives to grow and expand in the wider region”.

Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi anticipates 2023 will be a year of expansion and growth for Abu Dhabi’s US business community. He said: “Abu Dhabi’s ecosystem and infrastructure continues to provide an ideal foundation for US companies to establish or expand their regional operations. We are at the beginning of what we can achieve together and 2023 is set to be another outstanding year for transformative U.S. companies in the U.A.E. capital.” 

Mr. Sean Murphy, U.S. Charge D’Affaires, stressed “the resolute U.S. commitment to the UAE and our enduring strategic partnership that benefits peoples from both nations.” “The UAE,” he added, “is an ambitious nation that boasts impressive accomplishments. The achievements of the U.A.E.’s space program, the Barakah nuclear power plant, Expo 2020 Dubai, and the upcoming COP28 climate conference are just a few examples of how the UAE is making history and promoting progress. The United States understands and supports the U.A.E.’s vision of its future.”