Nov 14 - AmCham Gibraltar Formally Accredited in Washington
After a hugely successful launch of the Gibraltar branch of the American Chamber of Commerce the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister supported the formal accreditation of AmCham Gibraltar in Washington this week.
Welcoming Gibraltar as the 117th member of AMCHAM, Mr Rob Schroder, Vice President of the Chamber's International Strategy and Operations department noted that If the enthusiasm they have seen in putting this agreement in place is reflected in the business that's done, they are in for a very successful time.
At a reception that followed the accreditation ceremony, Fransisco Sanchez, former Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade in the Obama administration, said, "In Gibraltar you have an amazing leader in Mr Picardo. You have done more in the last 7 months than some other national AMCHAMs have ever done in their entire history!" Mr Sanchez also pointed out that AMCHAM's European headquarters is in Brussels where HM Government of Gibraltar has recently opened its own office.
In his reply, the Chief Minister said that he had originally wondered what little Gibraltar could offer to the United States but he stressed that, 'We are very welcoming. We have always welcomed members of the American Armed Forces to the Rock and will welcome your businesses in the same way.' He also stressed that Gibraltar was an excellent entry point for American companies to do business in the European Union and that, by being so small, Gubraltar was able to be flexible and it could adapt quickly to changing circumstances.
James Lasry, the President of AMCHAM Gibraltar went on to explain that the idea had been launched in May 2014, a US trade mission had visited in May 2014 and now a Gibraltar trade mission was in the USA to make the most of potential business opportunities. 'We believe in the economic future of Gibraltar - a future which is now enhanced by collaboration with this great country.
Led by Gemma Vasquez of the GFSB, representatives of eleven Gibraltarian businesses attended the reception and now move on to New York for meetings with around 40 American counterparts.
Mr Picardo, accompanied by the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Joseph Garcia, will spend much of Thursday in back-to-back political and other meetings before flying back to London later in the day.
