The US Secretary of Commerce has arrived in the Gulf, where she will tell officials from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar that closer economic cooperation with Washington is a bridge to building deeper security ties with the US.
Penny Pritzker told The Associated Press from the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi today that the US is open to investments from its oil-rich Arab allies. US exports to the three countries were some USD 50 billion last year.
Her visit precedes a planned trip this month by President Barack Obama to Saudi Arabia in an effort to patch over strained relations.
Pritzker is travelling with 21 American companies and is the first US Commerce Secretary to visit the Gulf region with a trade mission in 15 years.
