Missions To The U.S.   DoorKnock-April 2008 Houston Business Mission 2007 DoorKnock-March 2007 DoorKnock- 2006-1996

AmCham Egypt Mission to Washington, D.C., March 1996

The American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt conducted its most successful DoorKnock mission ever to the United States from March 4 to 20, 1996 under the theme "Egypt and the United States: Partnership into the 21st Century." This year's DoorKnock consisted of 52 companies, representing a wide range of Egyptian and American firms active in Egypt. In addition to the traditional week's visit to Washington, D.C., the Chamber also sent business missions to New York, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and St. Louis.

Two senior cabinet officials accompanied the delegation and had the opportunity to address the U.S. business community. H.E. Dr. Nawal El Tatawi, minister of economy & international cooperation, gave a speech entitled "Egypt into the Year 2000," and H.E. Dr. Mohieddin Elghareeb, minister of finance, spoke on ''The Investment Climate and Investment Opportunities in Egypt'' at a one-day conference in New York. El Tatawi also spoke to an AmCham-hosted luncheon in Washington.

As in previous years, the overall objectives of the 1996 DoorKnock mission were to strengthen U.S.-Egypt commercial ties and enhance the U.S.-Egypt relationship through encouraging the growth of the private sector in Egypt. The specific objectives of this year's mission were to bring to U.S. businesspeople and politicians the message that Egypt is open for business, to acquaint them with what has happened in Egypt in recent months, and to increase American awareness of the growing opportunities for U.S. investors and financial institutions in Egypt. 

The DoorKnock delegation pointed out the progress made towards the availability of those opportunities by stressing the dramatically improved business atmosphere in Egypt due to the recent changes in Egypt's policies made by the new cabinet under the leadership of H.E. Dr. Kamal El Ganzouri. In addition to the economic reforms, progress has also been made in U.S.-Egypt private sector relations, U.S. economic assistance to Egypt and strategic support, U.S. military assistance and defense cooperation, Egyptian-U.S. leadership in the peace process, and regional economic cooperation and economic expansion. 

Several other issues with regard to Egypt and the Middle East were also emphasized: the need for the United States to continue its close cooperation with Egypt as the process of economic growth moves forward, particularly this year as Egypt plays host to the Third Middle East/North Africa Economic Summit in November; the essential role of the Partnership for Economic Growth & Development - the Gore-Mubarak Initiative; and the need for the United States to remain fully engaged in the Middle East peace process and the continuing economic development in the region, which is viewed as the only route to a permanent comprehensive peace.

To further this economic development and open new markets for Egyptian companies in the United States, the business missions to New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and St. Louis were targeted to the specific business objectives of each company involved. Two of the missions, New York and Atlanta, were follow-up opportunities to the 1995 DoorKnock, while the others were first-time visits for the AmCham Egypt delegations. These visits showed varying levels of understanding of Egypt's possibilities for American partners, with the Texas markets being far more involved and aware of Egypt than the others, which presented, for now, only more limited opportunities to those companies that undertook the missions.

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