By Roya Stephens, Office of Public and Media Affairs
This week, Acting United States Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro and Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Eurasia and the Middle East Mark Mowrey delivered remarks at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Center for Transatlantic Relations (CTR). Ambassador Sapiro and Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Mowrey were invited to speak at the launch of the SAIS CTR’s Mediterranean Basin Initiative, a forum created to boost economic cooperation, increase civil society and women's empowerment, and foster political and academic dialogue among the United States and the countries of Southeast Europe and North Africa.
At the launch event, Ambassador Sapiro spoke about the democratic transitions underway in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), as well as the U.S. Trade Representative’s support and promotion of trade and investment in the region. She highlighted economic security as a key way to promote political and economic reforms and discussed the Administration’s Middle East and North Africa Trade and Investment Partnership (MENA TIP) and its efforts to facilitate economic development in nations transitioning to democracy. Sapiro also cited trade facilitation, investment, services, small and medium-sized businesses, and preference programs like the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and qualifying industrial zones (QIZs) as priorities that have significant potential to build on progress in the region. The efforts of USTR and other counterparts will help construct trade patterns that fuel economic growth, inclusive development, and greater economic security for people across the region.
Deputy Assistant USTR for Eurasia and the Middle East Mark Mowrey speaks on SAIS panel
Deputy Assistant USTR Mowrey participated in SAIS CTR’s panel discussion entitled “Transatlantic Cooperation- Benefit for All.” Mowrey, along with private sector and government representatives, discussed how a transatlantic partnership supports the development of prosperous democratic societies across the Mediterranean. Mowrey focused on the emerging relationship with Turkey, and with the European Union (EU) under the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), as well as the challenges and triumphs of the relationship with the Middle East and North Africa. The United States currently has trade agreements with Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, and Oman, in addition to trade and investment framework agreements (TIFAs) with eleven other MENA countries and bilateral investment treaties with several more. To learn more about U.S. trade with Europe and the Middle East, please visit the page here. To learn more about trade with the Middle East and North Africa, please visit the MENA page, here.
