SEGURA Consulting LLC @ 2010

USAID launched the Regional Business Initiative in September 2010, a two-year program consisting of a series of events held through September 2012 that gather businesses and government officials from Jordan, Iraq and the West Bank to discuss potential exchanges, and to help solve main obstacles to trade and joint business activities.  The program is funded by USAID’s Office of Middle East Programs and implemented by SEGURA Partners LLC, in cooperation with the American Chamber of Commerce of Jordan (AMCHAM/Jordan), USAID Missions in Iraq, West Bank/Gaza and Jordan, and the Missions’ respective Economic Growth programs and implementing partners.

Two types of methodologies will be followed over the life of the program:

1. •B2B MEETINGS
   

2. These are two-to-three day events where businesses in all three regions are invited to submit an application together with detailed information that allows targeted matchmaking between businesses.  Companies interested in meeting with their potential counterparts pay a participation fee that  give them access to the events including participation in all plenary sessions, business to business meetings, social gatherings and access to relevant information of all companies attending the event. Participants also have discounted rates for hotels, airfare, and other services. All participant companies are included in the network of activities carried out during the year.
   

3. 
   

4. •TASK FORCE MEETINGS
   

5. As a second component of the program, government officials at key decision-making levels participate in meetings to review obstacles to regional trade identified in the B2B meetings. The meetings follow methodologies of problem resolution, where parties discuss alternative solutions and proceed to advance key decisions to be taken in a defined timeline. 
   

METAC

With additional funding, the Regional Business Initiative collaborates with the Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center (METAC) on the organization/facilitation of a series of workshops for regional officials on macroeconomic and public financial management-related topics to be held in USAID-presence countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Additional information will be posted on the Program website at www.rbiproject.com

Michael Reilly

Program Officer

USAID/Office of Middle East Programs (OMEP)

Cairo, Egypt

Email: mreilly@usaid.gov

Tel. +(20) 2-2522-6849

From U.S.: 202-216-6219 ext. 6848

OMEP Website: www.usaid.gov/omep

Jack Rabah

AMCHAM/Jordan

Tel. +9626 565 1860 jackrabah@amcham.jo