North Africa: "Trade and Investment Engagement with the Middle East and North Africa"

"Thank you, Rick. Let me start by thanking the U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Coalition, the National Foreign Trade Council and WITA for providing this opportunity to discuss an important aspect of the Obama Administration's approach to the dramatic changes we have witnessed this year in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Today, I would like to focus on the general framework for greater trade and investment in the region we are working to establish.