Featured Trade Event

Investment and Trade Opportunities in Republic of Georgia Touted at U.S. Chamber of Commerce Forum

by Ellen House

On September 8, 2008, Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez urged U.S. businesses and investors to consider the Republic of Georgia as a prime location for future investment and trade. Gutierrez was the keynote speaker at Georgia Day, which was hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the America–Georgia Business Council.

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Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez promotes trade opportunities and urges future investment in the Republic of Georgia during Georgia Day, the September 8, 2008, event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. (U.S. Department of Commerce photo)

The event highlighted U.S. support for the recovery and reconstruction of Georgia in the wake of its recent confrontation with Russia. Although Georgia is not a leading trading partner, the United States is aiming to restore investor confidence and to help the country build on recent economic reforms.

“Georgia has been a great place to do business—and it remains a great place to do business,” Gutierrez said. “The Bush administration will do all it can to help get this message out to companies and investors from all parts of the United States.”

John Sullivan, deputy secretary of commerce, will host the Georgia Business Summit in Tbilisi, Georgia, on October 27, 2008. The summit will show U.S. support for investment and trade with the country, and it is designed to help U.S. companies explore trade and investment opportunities. The event targets U.S. companies already doing business with Georgia or in the region and experienced exporters and investors seeking to enter Georgia for the first time. For more information, visit www.export.gov/georgiasummit.

The summit will be coordinated with a trade mission certified by the Department of Commerce. The America–Georgia Business Council and the American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia are organizing the trade mission. Participants will join in the summit, have one-on-one meetings with representatives of Georgian businesses, and have an opportunity to meet Georgian government officials. For more information on the trade mission, please visit www.agbdc.com.

Ellen House is an international trade specialist in the International Trade Administration’s Market Access and Compliance unit.