October 23, 2015
Walking Hallowed Chambers: The Underdogs of International Advocacy and Diplomacy
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest advocacy and lobbying firm. It is a non-governmental organisation that is concerned with ensuring the welfare of American businesses of all sizes. With over 500 hundred employees, and several locations abroad, the U.S. Chamber is located opposite the White House in Washington, D.C., and is securely nestled at the crossroads of domestic American policy, and international affairs. Interestingly, within the U.S. Chamber, the International Division has witnessed tremendous growth in the past decade, to become the Chamber's fastest growing division in the past decade.
Although this growth is a testament to the rapid economic and political globalization that our world continues to witness, the road to expanding abroad is often long and arduous. This, precisely, is the gap that the U.S. Chamber's International Division seeks to fill. With businesses looking to expand overseas, and several governments excited about foreign direct investment, the U.S. Chamber serves as a one stop shop for like minded business people across both private and governmental parastatals.
This summer, as the African Affairs intern at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, I explored these crossroads and further understood the impact of the decisions of the U.S. as the world's hegemony, on other countries. I witnessed the desire of several multinationals to invest and operate business bases across the world- especially in developing regions, having discovered the huge, and often unexplored market opportunities. I also learned about how governments of developing countries work to improve their local economic conditions, mitigate risks and create the most attractive business climates to attract foreign direct investment. This presentation will discuss the exciting opportunities that abound the world over, and how both private and government firms are seizing them!
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