amcham azerbaijan annual report 2008-2009

AmCham International RelationsExecutive Director of AmCham Ms. Nargiz Nasrullayeva-Muduroglu attended the annualmeeting of the European Council of American Chambers of Commerce (ECACC) in WashingtonD.C. from 3rd to 10th June, 2009. Ms. Nasrullayeva met with Thomas J. Donahue, Presidentand CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who has built the Chamber into a lobbying andpolitical force with expanded influence across the globe. Also of note is the meeting betweenMs. Nasrullayeva and Senator Charles Grassley, Ranking Member of the Senate FinanceCommittee. Senator Grassley spoke on tax deferral issues at the conference.Ms. Nasrullayeva also had the privilege of meeting US Secretary of Commerce Gary Lockeand participating in a Roundtable discussion with him. Locke is charged with implementingPresident Obama’s ambitious agenda to turn the economy around and put people backto work. She raised the very pertinent issue of the importance of a Foreign CommercialOffice to serve the interests of American companies operating in Azerbaijan. AmChamAzerbaijan together with the U.S. Embassy have been lobbying for the reopening of a FCO,and although this was announced late 2009 year, the expected FCO has not yet opened.Following the ECACC events, Ms. Nasrullayeva held a country focus meeting aboutAzerbaijan with the US Department of Commerce and a meeting with United States ExportImport Bank. (US EXIM).This conference was a valuable opportunity to network with 40 directors of AmericanChambers of Commerce based in Europe, share information, keep abreast of “hot topics” onthe Hill, identify proposals impacting on Chambers of Commerce, and explore challengesand opportunities in the leadership and function of AmChams around the world.40