On November 7, 2019, the U.S.-Egypt Business Council, in partnership with AmCham Egypt, Inc., was honored to host a program on the U.S. energy landscape and facilitate discussions between the private sector and government.  This program was organized as part of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s Reverse Trade Mission on Egypt Refineries Modernization, with program support from the Bilateral U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce. 

Ahead of their visit to Washington, the delegation spent over a week participating in training seminars hosted by leading U.S. energy companies, including USEBC members Apache Corporation, Bechtel, Chevron, and ExxonMobil.  The delegation then visited the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for a day of briefings and discussions with U.S. government representatives and industry experts who provided overviews of ‘how Washington works’ and discussed their specific roles in the growing U.S.-Egypt energy relationship. 

The program was kicked off by Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President of Middle East Affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who provided welcoming remarks and explained the USEBC’s strong relationship with Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum.  Executive Director of the U.S.-Egypt Business Council Steve Lutes gave an overview of the U.S. Chamber’s role as the voice of American business community and detailed the historic founding of the USEBC and our 40th anniversary celebration activities, which will continue through 2020. Hisham Fahmy, CEO of AmCham Egypt Inc. spoke about the strong partnership between AmCham Egypt and the U.S. Chamber’s U.S.-Egypt Business Council, and provided an overview of AmCham Egypt Inc.’s role from its office in Washington and the role AmCham Egypt is playing with the Ministry of Petroleum (MOP) in preparing future leaders of the sector.

List of Speakers at the event:

Chrissy Bishai
U.S. Department of State’s Egypt Desk Officer for Economic and Energy Affairs

Sherry Lewis-Khanna
U.S. Department of Commerce’s Director of the Office of the Middle East and North Africa for the International Trade Administration

Mike Calvert
ITA’s Commercial Officer for Middle East & Africa

Christopher Guith
U.S. Chamber Global Energy Institute’s Senior Vice President of Policy

Kris Denzel
Senior Director of International Policy for the U.S. Chamber’s International Affairs Division

Landon Derentz
Director for Energy within the International Energy Affairs Office of the National Economic Council

Joshua Volz
Senior international Energy Officer for the U.S. Department of State

Olga Khakova
Atlantic Council’s Associate Director for European Energy Security