VON BATTEN-MONTAGUE-YORK, L.C. Welcomes You
SOMALIA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS
You are Invited to Attend the Somali American Business Executive Panel Discussion at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
On June 29th, 2023, from 09.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m EDT, Somali and American public and private stakeholders will come together in Washington, D.C. to discuss the business opportunities that exist in Somalia and opportunities to increase trade and commerce between Somalia and the United States.
Somali American Business Initiative
The Somali American Business Initiative is a project focused on bringing Somali and American businesses and government agencies together to facilitate trade, commerce, and investments between the United States and Somalia. Somalia is currently the United States’168th largest goods trading partner, with $106 million in total (two-way) goods traded in 2019. The initiative aims to increase trade and commerce between the United States and Somalia in excess of 100% by 2032. We are currently lobbying for Somalia to be granted AGOA eligibility.
Empower Somalia's Global Expansion
We believe that through increased trade, good-paying jobs will be created in Somalia. This will help alleviate poverty and provide hope to millions of Somalis and deny al-Shabaab of a recruiting pool. To achieve this, Somalis must be empowered to lead their economic development. Ensuring that American companies in Somalia hire Somalis and Somali-American businesses are allocated a percentage of US-funded contractual work is one of our key objectives.
Keynote Speaker: H.E. Hassan Ali Khaire, Former Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia
In 2017, His Excellency Hassan Ali Khaire was appointed as the Prime Minister of Somalia by former President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. Serving as Prime Minister from 2017 to 2020, former Prime Minister Khaire worked to improve the
security situation in Somalia and oversaw the implementation of economic reforms aimed at attracting foreign investment. During his tenure, former Prime Minister Khaire also launched initiatives to improve access to education and healthcare for Somalis and to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country.
Born in Somalia in 1967, former Prime Minister Khaire spent most of his early life in his home country before fleeing to Norway during the civil war. He earned a degree in political science from the University of Oslo and later worked in the oil industry. He then served as a director for the Norwegian Refugee Council and later worked as an executive for the British oil company Soma Oil and Gas.
Moderator: Ambassador Eric Schultz, Former United States Ambassador to the Republic of Zambia
Ambassador Eric Schultz, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service class of Minister-Counselor, took the oath of office in October 2014 as the U.S. Ambassador to Zambia. Before this posting, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, from 2010 to 2013. From 2007 to 2009, he served as the Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. From 2004-2007, he was the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe. From 2002-2004, he was Deputy Director of the State Department’s Office of European Security and Political Affairs, responsible for U.S. relations with NATO and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Ambassador Schultz has received numerous Department awards, including five individual Superior Honor Awards and three individual Meritorious Honor Awards.
Panel: Hon. Mursal M. Khaliff, Ph.D., Member of the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Somalia, serving on the Defense Committee, and former Minister of Planning and International Cooperation
Mursal M. Khaliif is a member of Somalia’s federal parliament, serving on the parliamentary national defense committee. He is the former Minister of Planning & International Cooperation, and former Minister of Health for Jubaland State of Somalia.
The Federal Parliament of Somalia is the national parliament of Somalia. Formed in August 2012, it is based in the capital Mogadishu and is bicameral, consisting of an Upper House (Senate) and a Lower House (House of the People).
Panel: Hon. Dan Burton, Former Member of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs
Congressman Dan Burton served 15 terms as a United States Representative (1983 – 2013). When Congressman Burton assumed the Chairmanship of the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight in the 105th Congress, he became the first Hoosier Republican to Chair a full House Committee in more than sixty years.
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the main investigative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction to investigate any federal program and any matter with federal policy implications.
Congressman Burton also served as Chairman or Ranking Republican Member on all Foreign Affairs Subcommittees and recently served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia. The Committee on Foreign Affairs has jurisdiction over the relations of the United States with foreign nations generally. The committee deals with export controls, including nonproliferation of nuclear technology and nuclear hardware, international conferences and congresses, international education, intervention abroad, and declarations of war. The committee also handles measures to foster commercial intercourse with foreign nations and to safeguard American businesses abroad. Dan Burton also held multiple caucus memberships within the United States Congress.
Panel: H.E Ali Ifiye Ali. Deputy Minister, The Federal Republic of Somalia, Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy
H.E Ali Ifiye Ali serves as the Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy for the Federal Republic of Somalia Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy. The Ministry of Fisheries Marine Resources was established with the aim of enhancing fisheries and marine resources sector, visibility streamlining decision-making so that it is more responsive and proactive in facilitating the suitable development of the fisheries. The Ministry is mandated to create an enabling environment for sustainable development of the coastal fishing economy and food security while conserving the fishing ecosystem along the Somalia coastline and territorial waters and protecting the coastal communities.
The Ministry develops policies and regulations governing the development of the Fisheries development in FGS, Marine economy development, Develop Artisan fishermen training programs for FGS Conservation of coastal fisheries ecosystem, Undertaking fisheries research to guide sustainable harvesting of fish in Somalia’s territorial waters. Developing coastal communities Licensing international boats involved in Somalia’s territorial waters. Developing budgets and work plans to guide fisheries development activities in FGS. Creating international markets for the Somalia fishing industry. Fisheries industry development in Somalia for value addition. Recruiting and management of professionals in fisheries sector development. Stakeholder management framework development and implementation.
Panel: Hon. Todd Tiahrt, Former Member of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations
The Hon. William Todd Tiahrt served as the U.S. representative for Kansas's 4th congressional district from 1995 to 2011. Hon. Tiahrt was born in Vermillion, South Dakota. He attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, where he played football as a running back. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree from Evangel College in 1975 and received an M.B.A. from Southwest Missouri State University in 1989.
Tiahrt was elected to the Kansas State Senate in 1992. After only one term, in 1994, he won the Republican nomination for the 4th Congressional District and was elected in an upset over 18-year Democratic incumbent Dan Glickman. Tiahrt is the author of the Tiahrt Amendment which prohibits the National Tracing Center of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from releasing information from its firearms trace database to anyone other than a law enforcement agency or prosecutor in connection with a criminal investigation
