UK Minister for Trade & Investment Visits the Palestinian Territories
PNN - The British Consulate General in Jerusalem said in a press release that the UK Minister of State for Trade & Investment, Lord Stephen Green visited Thursday 14th March, the Palestinian territories. He met with Prime Minister Dr. Salam Fayyad to learn about the areas of development of the Palestinian economy, and how British businesses can benefit while contributing to the Palestinian Authority's development plans.
Lord Green also met with Dr. Mohammed Mustafa, the CEO of the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) and the Economic Adviser of President Mahmoud Abbas to explore the fund's achievements, and the potential contribution of British businesses in its projects.
Lord Green met with prominent business figures in order to reactivate the Palestine Britain Business Council; attract British retails to open shops in Palestinian shopping and commercial centres and to stimulate further trade and investment links.
He welcomed strong Palestinian business interest in closer ties with Britain and said: "I am delighted to have met such a wide range of Palestinian business people keen to develop new relationships with counterparts in Britain, in particular, I welcome the re-launch today of the Palestine Britain Business Council under the co-chair of Mr. Antoine Mattar (CCC) and Mr. Mazen Sinokrot (SGG). I am confident that the skills and commitment of leading Palestinian and British business people will generate much-needed opportunities and jobs both here and in Britain, in key sectors such as ICT, Tourism, Food & Agriculture and Financial Services.
"I was honoured to meet Prime Minister Dr. Salam Fayyad, and to assure him of Britain's strong support for his government's work to create the institutions of a Palestinian State. We agreed on the importance of business-to-business contacts, and especially the priority to enable Palestinian small & medium sized businesses to grow and creating jobs.
"I shall continue to work closely with Baroness Morris, the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to the Palestinian Territories, who also visited Ramallah and Rawabi last month, and will ensure that UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) engages with the Palestine Britain Business Council as it takes forward its 2013's Business Plan."
The Minister also visited the new town of Rawabi to learn more about this innovative project and to share the vision of its founder and developer, Mr. Bashar Masri. The two sides explored means of cooperation where British businesses could contribute by providing advanced goods and services to the development
of Rawabi. Lord Green invited Mr. Masri and his senior management team to London to promote Rawabi with UK Trade & Investment help.
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