Mr. Dennis Grech, charge d’affaires a.i. at the Embassy of Malta in Washington DC, and Mr. John Mizzi, Regional Leader USA and Senior Commercial Attache`, Malta Enterprise, held a number of meetings on 12 April to promote business cooperation between Malta and the United States.

The first meeting was held with Mr. Charles Dittrich, Executive Director of the US-Libya Business Association. The two Maltese officials provided Mr. Dittrich with an overview of Malta’s business credentials, especially with regards to the Libyan market. The US-Libya Business Association is planning to organise a trade mission to Libya and the two sides discussed the possibility of the participating companies meeting Maltese firms and Malta Enterprise officials during their stay in Tripoli. During the talks, reference was also made to possible future cooperation between Malta Enterprise and the US-Libya Business Association.

Mr Grech and Mr Mizzi later on met Mr James Forlenza who is coordinating US participation in the Oil/Gas and Infrastructure Trade Show being held in Tripoli later on this month. During the meeting, which took place at the Embassy of Malta, the two sides discussed the possibility of Maltese companies establishing contact with those US firms exhibiting at the US Stand.

Mr Grech and Mr Mizzi then proceeded to the State Department where they met Ms. Lorraine Hariton, Special Representative, Commercial and Business Affairs, Ms. Natasha Basley, Senior Advisor, Office of Commercial and Business Affairs, and Ms Mariju Bofill, Desk Officer for France, Malta and Monaco.  The two sides discussed Special Representative Hariton’s forthcoming visit to Malta and how US business organisations can benefit from Malta’s location and the services it offers to establish a presence in the region.