Editor’s Note:
It has been several years since SUSRIS has caught up with His Excellency Usamah Al-Kurdi, who has been one of the most thoughtful and insightful observers of the state of the U.S.-Saudi relationship we have had the opportunity to interview for you. [You can read his perspectives on the various elements of the relationship in the pages of SUSRIS by searching from the SUSRIS.com home page.]
Today we were very pleased to have time with him on the sidelines of the US-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum in Chicago. Usamah Al-Kurdi has been a distinguished businessman in Saudi Arabia and today serves as a member of the Kingdom’s Consultative Council, the Majlis Ash Shura, and as Chairman of the U.S.-Saudi Congressional Friendship Committee.
U.S.-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum
On the Sidelines with H.E. Usamah Al-Kurdi
SUSRIS: What does it mean to you in the scope of your history of building bridges in the relationship to see an event like this with over one thousand Americans and Saudis together to talk about business opportunities and also about the relationship?
Usamah Al-Kurdi: I will confidently call this the ultimate gathering of Saudi and American businesses. It shows it without any doubt, not only in terms of the number of people present, but also in the issues being discussed and the networking that is taking place. It is the ultimate grouping in terms of showing the serious interest the business people in these two countries have in each other.
It also shows a heightened level of understanding among the American business community of what Saudi Arabia has to offer. What Saudi Arabia has to offer is something that the American business community knew for many, many years. But what is unique now is what Saudi Arabia has gone through in the past few years, which continues, in terms of reforming the economy and opening new business opportunities especially to foreign investors. Things like reducing the taxation on foreign investors in Saudi Arabia and the ability of foreigners to own 100% of their operations in Saudi Arabia along with the formation of so many private sector supporting organizations.
Of course the long list of projects – approaching one trillion Saudi Riyals – has attracted the attention of the American business community. We hope that as a result of this there will be much more interest by American businesses in Saudi Arabia. Mind you, the rest of the world has already done that. The rest of the world has realized the potential Saudi Arabia has – Asia, Europe, Australia, the Americas. They are coming to Saudi Arabia in droves. I have never seen such an interest in Saudi Arabia as I see now. It is especially noteworthy as it comes in the wake of the financial crisis.
I have often said that the American business community may have missed the boat but I have regained my confidence with this conference.
