The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) welcomed a delegation from the US Regional Trade Center (USARTC) based in Sharjah. The group comprised J.S. Solaiman, CEO of USARTC; Alia Karmeh, Vice President of USARTC; Dawn Warner, National Sales Director at USARTC; and Kim Childs. The visit was aimed at familiarizing the USARTC with Shurooq's various ongoing and planned projects as well as the Authority's investment related activities. Represented by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) CEO Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Shurooq COO, Director of Business Development at Shurooq, Elie Armaly, and Head of Investment Promotion at Shurooq, Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, Shurooq made use of the opportunity to discuss future collaboration between the Authority and the USARTC with regards to international road shows, jointly receiving and sending international delegations, as well the possibility of cooperatively organizing a series of seminars. USARTC gave an overview of their mission and activities in the region, which focuses on enabling business, trade, and cultural understanding between the US and the UAE and the greater Middle Eastern region, through the facilitation of service, trade, manufacturing, and agricultural export opportunities for US small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) to the region, with the ultimate aim to create US jobs through US export. Al Sarkal said “the volume of UAE/US trade in 2012 was $15.58 billion, ranking the US as the Emirates third most important trade partner. In addition, the UAE has been the Arab world's leading importer of US goods and services for the past five years, importing over $15.88 billion in goods and services in 2011. – SG
