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

AmCham Egypt Mission to the United States, February 21–March 9, 1999

This year marked the 16th annual American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt Mission to the United States and by all accounts it was the most successful ever. The 40-member delegation carried with it a message that after years of aggressive reform, steady privatization and careful, managed growth, Egypt has earned its place in the top rank of the world's emerging markets.

Each year over the past decade and a half, AmCham Egypt members on annual DoorKnock missions have traveled to the United States to persuade policymakers that Egypt is serious about reform, that it is serious about attracting trade and investment. This year, however, the purpose was not to persuade, but to reveal. The AmCham Egypt message was not that Egypt is open for business, but that Egypt has been open for business, good business, and that the foreign investors who are still sitting on the fence are missing out.

The difference this year was that the mission traveled to the United States as achievers, with a strong economic success story.

The program in Washington, D.C. began on Sunday, February 28 with an organizational meeting and briefing session by the AmCham Egypt president, Dr. Ahmed Shawki, in which issues were identified and discussed regarding the perception of Egypt on Capitol Hill and the current positive economic climate in Egypt. The next day, the DoorKnock delegation began its traditional week's visit in Washington - making American policymakers aware of the important new developments in Egypt's economy and policies, and highlighting the dramatically improving atmosphere for U.S. business investing in Egypt.

In addition to promoting Egypt's successes, AmCham Egypt also views the DoorKnock as an opportunity for an exchange of views. For this reason, the DoorKnock hosted several events in Washington where policymakers engaged in a free exchange of ideas and opinions in a less formal atmosphere. This year, the DoorKnock held a widely attended luncheon at the Hall of Flags, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the yearly reception at the Metropolitan Club and a roundtable discussion at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center.

Washington, D.C. Visit, DoorKnock Meetings

The objectives of the 1999 mission were consistent with previous visits: to focus on enhancing U.S.-Egyptian commercial and economic ties. Specifically, this year's primary goals were: 1) to reinforce the strong bilateral relationship between Egypt and the United States; 2) to keep U.S. officials apprised of developments in Egypt's private sector; and 3) to underscore Egypt's leadership role in promoting economic cooperation in the region as a foundation for peace.

The delegation achieved this by once again disseminating the message to the American business and political communities that Egypt has made significant progress in the past year, and by highlighting Egypt's recognition as a leader among the emerging markets. As always, the delegation stressed to the American business community the opportunities awaiting in Egypt.

This year’s mission emphasized Egypt’s importance as a strategic partner with the strength to transform the relationship between the two countries from one of assistance to one of solid alliance.

Egypt's role as a leading emerging market, as a necessary partner in the peace process, and as an example of serious reform and privatization, as explained by the delegation, were readily recognized by American audiences. This setting allowed the discussions to deepen and intensify in their content, in comparison to previous years, and to further build upon past success.

In total, the Washington DoorKnock schedule included 161 meetings with officials from a wide range of offices in the administration, Congress, Washington-based think-tanks and international organizations. This was by far the most ambitious schedule to date. In order to make this volume of meetings, the delegation was divided into six groups with various areas of interest and expertise. The schedule included meetings and briefings with congressional members and staff, meetings with high-ranking officials of the Clinton administration, including officials from the National Security Council, Office of the Vice President, State Department, Commerce Department, Agency for International Development, Department of Labor, U.S. Trade Representative, Department of Agriculture, U.S. Information Agency, Department of Energy, Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Health & Human Services. Additionally, there were numerous policy discussions with financial institutions such as: the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the Export-Import Bank. Meetings were also arranged with policy think-tanks and organizations including AIPAC, the Arab-American Institute, the Woodrow Wilson Center and the Middle East Institute. This balanced and comprehensive schedule allowed the delegation to spread its message on a broad and thorough basis.

With the recent Asian financial crisis in mind, Officials of the Clinton administration and members of the Congress expressed their deep admiration and support for the significant economic reforms being implemented in Egypt. The people in the administration and Congress uniformly expressed their belief that the continuation of these policy directions will lead Egypt forward into an increasingly broader scope of economic growth, and will necessarily result in significant improvements in the welfare of the Egyptian people. There was considerable knowledge of the recent advances in Egypt, and many senior members of Congress focused their questions on specific business sectors that hold potential opportunities for their own constituents. They pledged their commitment to remaining engaged to assist this process as it develops.

To confirm their message, the delegation was, for the first time armed with all necessary data and information that had been compiled and printed specifically for the mission. In addition to the DoorKnock Brochure identifying the biographical information on the delegates, other brochures were published, namely: Egypt: The Stable Emerging Market, Mega Projects and Economic and Social Benefits of USAID Programs in Egypt. More than 10 position papers covering various topics were developed.

The delegation reconnected with many old friends that had been visited in past years and was introduced to new members of Congress that had just been elected. The mission feels confident that significant contacts established with members of Congress and their staff will prove to be especially meaningful in the years to come. A significant number of congresspersons and senators invited AmCham Egypt to organize trade missions to their states and offered to arrange meetings with various local business groups. Still others suggested that they would be interested in leading a trade delegation of their constituents to Egypt in hopes of spurring closer economic ties.

Throughout these visits and meetings, the delegation sought to provide its viewpoint on the progress being made by the Government of Egypt, focusing on:

Economic Reform
The ongoing dramatic program of reform being put into place by Prime Minister El Ganzouri, under the direction of President Hosni Mubarak, to further open Egypt's economy, reduce its dependence on state-owned industries and build a strong and powerful Egyptian private sector. Years of dramatic and effective structural reform have created a sense of stability and confidence in Egypt's economy. The benefits of this agenda are now widely recognized. The Economist magazine recently ranked Egypt among the world's top five emerging markets. The progress in reform is increasingly evident in the Egyptian economy, and characterized by the progress of the privatization plan, the booming capital markets, and developmental aspirations such as the Toshka project and other mega-projects - all prime examples of what range of possibilities the future holds in Egypt.

The U.S.-Egypt Private Sector Relationship
As a mission of businessmen, the DoorKnock delegation has a unique voice in reaching out to the American private sector. A special emphasis is given to reports of Egypt's reform and growing opportunities for partnership. It is essential that the relationship between the two private sectors be nurtured and stimulated. As there is talk of the uncertainty of aid programs to Egypt, all possible efforts must be exerted on the part of the private sector to facilitate and expedite the transition from aid to trade. The private sector wields a major force in encouraging reforms, but it can also have a direct and strong impact on both the Egyptian and American economies by creating jobs, hastening the transfer of technology and boosting the standard of living. The future of Egyptian youth lies within the private sector - a role which will secure a future of prosperity for Egypt as a nation, and as a regional leader. Egypt is becoming a prime destination for foreign investors, both financial and direct. The delegation seized the opportunity to spread the word and spark the interest of American investors in a wide range of manufacturing and service sectors.

Economic Assistance and Strategic Support
The delegation was unified in its message to Washington that U.S. assistance must continue to play an integral role in supporting Egypt and its functions in security, moderation and regional economic development. As it is necessary to maintain a consistent and frequent line of communication with forces supporting Egypt's interests in Washington, this aspect of the U.S.-Egyptian relationship remains at the forefront of priorities.

The Key of Egyptian Leadership
Egyptian leadership, both political and economic, in the recent developments of the Middle East is undeniable. The delegation placed a high priority on stressing the necessity for consistent and vocal support of Egypt in all aspects and strata. In terms of not only the peace process and regional economic development, there is no doubt that Egypt must continue to assume the role of leader, and be backed up by the support of the U.S. government.

The meetings demonstrated the progress that has been achieved in the past year, not only through policy reforms, but also in the dramatic increase in the U.S. business community's focus on Egypt. One clear signal from the congressional meetings emphasized that Egypt needed to increase the level and sophistication of its lobbying efforts, not only in Washington, D.C., but in more distant states where key votes on foreign assistance and international relations are now being held. In this regard, it was suggested that the private sector and AmCham Egypt should specifically target states critical to the future of U.S.-Egyptian relations with trade fairs and concentrated commercial contacts. The delegation was told repeatedly that Congress could be influenced by local corporate support for investment in Egypt. Job promotion weighs heavily in the minds of most congressional offices visited.

During this trip, the delegation spread the message of Egypt's growth to a receptive audience. It is firmly believed that several significant investments were made in the Washington 'policy-making' community, which will prove, in the long run, to secure a strong voice for Egypt within the U.S. government in years to come.

The mission indicated that the future holds an ever stronger and ever more effective U.S.-Egyptian business and commercial relationship. The delegation was encouraged to maintain regular contacts with Washington policymakers as well as increase its exposure to business communities nationwide.

Luncheon at the Hall of Flags, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Aside from the traditional meetings with American policymakers, AmCham Egypt once again hosted a luncheon at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hall of Flags, on March 4. This event was truly the highlight of the trip with two distinguished keynote speakers. AmCham Egypt was honored to have the minister of education, His Excellency Dr. Hussein K. Bahaa El Din, speaking about "Egyptian education into the new millennium" and the minister of state for environmental affairs, Her Excellency Nadia Makram Ebeid, to discuss "Egypt: Green agenda for action and change." This year's luncheon was by far the most successful with over 250 people in attendance including many senior Clinton administration officials, several organization representatives as well as senior business executives.

AmCham Egypt president Dr. Ahmed Shawki welcomed guests to the luncheon with an informative statement about the success of Egypt's economic reform initiatives and how these reforms have helped Egypt gain respect as one of the world's top five emerging markets. Dr. Shawki then introduced the distinguished speakers. Dr. Bahaa El Din spoke to the receptive audience of Egypt's initiative for education reform in which education has been redefined as a national security matter important to Egypt's present and future. According to Dr. Bahaa El Din, the increasingly changing technological advances "will necessitate that we have a labor force that is well educated and trained for a knowledge-intensive" work place. The Ministry of Education is implementing an educational policy that places a priority on "targeting human-resource development as an imperative for the future." In light of the interest that had been shown with regard to the treatment of Coptic Christians, Dr. Shawki asked the minister whether the new curriculum included any lessons of the Egyptian Copts. Much to the surprise of many Americans in the audience, Dr. Bahaa explained that the new educational curriculum covers a broad array of disciplines including the history of the Coptic people in Egypt. Her Excellency Nadia Makram Ebeid captivated the guests with an overview of the environmental policies implemented in Egypt in recent years. Among those in attendance were several officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Her message was clear, Egypt's new environmental policies were forward thinking, they would benefit not only the land and its environs, but they would be good for business as well.

When asked if the Egyptian government would bother to enforce the law at the expense of possible short-term business interests, Minister Ebeid was unequivocal that the Ministry of State has already and will continue to implement vigorously the environmental laws of Egypt.

Roundtable Discussion
AmCham Egypt sponsored a roundtable discussion on Tuesday, March 2, with various participants from the policy think-tanks as well as the academic community. The purpose of the roundtable was to create a forum in which there could be open discussion regarding the economically and politically strategic importance of Egypt in the Middle East. This year's roundtable discussion, entitled "Egypt's strategic role in a changing Middle East," proved to be an excellent opportunity for the delegation to take part in lively debate by policy experts on a variety of topics.

The Metropolitan Club Reception
A favorite annual Washington tradition is AmCham Egypt’s reception at the renowned Metropolitan Club. The reception allows AmCham members to host many of the people with whom they have met with and to reconnect with old friends. The reception, on March 3, at the elegant private club, a block from the White House, was well attended by Washington policymakers, academics, members of the press and private sector individuals with business interests in Egypt.

Top