The Consul General of Egypt is very interested in establishing a sister city relationship between a city in Utah and one in his country.
“We are ready to do business,” said Hesham Elnakib, Consul General of Egypt to the western United States. “I believe that visiting Egypt will change the general opinion of how business is done in my country.”
The World Trade Center Utah and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development hosted His Excellency at a luncheon today at the Salt Lake Chamber. The meeting gave Utah businesses an opportunity to explore potential business in Egypt.
In his first ever visit to Utah, the Consul General was eager to get down to business.
“I’m honored to be here and very impressed by the people I have met,” said Elnakib. “I would extend not only a hand but a hug. I did not expect this response, or so many wonderful people.”
Merchandise exports from Utah to Egypt increased by 74 percent from 2007 to 2008. The majority of exported material (67.8 percent) was machinery or chemical manufactures. L-3 Communications is one company in Utah that has expanded its business with Egypt in the past year, supplying the technology equipment for the Arab Academy north of Cairo.
Oil shale technology has the potential to be a big benefit to Egypt and Utah companies that are developing that technology.
Hesham El Nakib
