A delegation from  the American Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain (AmCham Bahrain) during a visit to the United States last week discussed means to promote trade relations, ‮ ‬ maximizing the use of the free trade agreement, at a time when American exports to region are expected to exceed 75‬ billion dollars this year, seeing an increase of 20%. The delegation, which included 30 ‮members representing a number of economic sectors, ‮ ‬ including the Executive Director‬ of Operations for the Economic Development Board, Kamal Ahmed, also discussed during a meeting

with the Arab-American Chamber of Commerce, preparations for Investment in the Gulf Conference expected to be held in ‮December,‬ and "Made in USA‮''‬ Exhibition expected to be organized Bahrain.

President of AmCham Bahrain, and Board member of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry Adel Al Safar said: ‮''‬ Bahrain is a land of opportunity and growth, ‮and it is one of the important economies in the region", ‬ stressing that the investment climate of the Kingdom is witnessing  development at a large scale, especially in investment in tourism business services, industry, and banking and financial services. He pointed out that the delegation held bilateral meetings with several American investors, focusing on real estate, food, engineering industries, consumer goods, education, banking and tourism.

Al Safar added: ‮''‬ Bahrain, as it has always been, is still the gateway to the Gulf region given its strategic location. We are the ideal door for any company that wants access to the Arabian Gulf. We‬ ‮ look to welcome American companies interested in creating a base in ‮ ‬ Middle East".

The Arab-American Chamber of Commerce we represented by it's deputy Chief Executive Kurt Silvers, who welcomed the Bahraini delegation, highlighted the‮ ‬ importance of Arab American trade through the recent report issued by the Chamber for U.S. exports to the Middle East and North Africa, entitled ‮''‬ aspirations of the American-Arab trade in 2010".

Mr. Silvers commented "despite the current difficulties the world economy is going through‬, it is expected that U.S. exports to the region will reach 75 ‮ ‬ billion dollars this year, with an increase of 20% than last year. It's clear that there are opportunities for ‮ ‬ American and Bahraini companies with an interest to work together in ‬ this area".

He noted that this report indicates that the bilateral American – Bahraini trade received support through the free trade agreement, which was signed in 2006 ‮ ‬ He pointed out that "although the world trade slowed down and didn't exceed 1.52%‮ on the global economy level, on the level of trade between Bahrain and the United States it reached a rate of 4.6% ‮where the United States expanded it's exports and distribution over the past four years".