Officials of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) met with the Office of the United States Trade
Representative (USTR) recently during private sector engagements held in Doha. The meetings, organised by the American Chamber of Commerce–Qatar (AmCham Qatar), Qatar Chamber, and the US-Qatar Business Council (USQBC), also saw the participation of the USTR at a US-GCC Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) conference held here. Daniel Mullaney, assistant to the us trade representative, led the delegation with Jason Buntin, director for Western Europe and Middle East Affairs at USTR. Officials from the US departments of State, Commerce and Agriculture; US Food and Drug Administration, and the US Federal Trade Commission were also part of the delegation. Prior to the US-GCC TIFA meetings, the delegation also focused on the US-Qatari bilateral relationship, including consumer protection, Information and Communication Technology services, customs,
intellectual property rights, and food safety. In addition, the delegation listened to a presentation on how American tax laws on US citizens abroad are impacting international business. Qatar Chamber, supported by the MEC and USQBC, hosted the eight-member delegation in a programme that invited US and Qatari private sector leaders to discuss important topics, including opportunities and recommendations that impact bilateral business interests between the two nations. The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) plans to invest an estimated $35bn in the US over the next five years.