Commerce's Carribean Trade Mission Yields Positive Results for U.S. Firms
Dominican Republic and Jamaica offer small- and medium-sized companies opportunity
Wrapping up the administration’s first trade mission to the Caribbean, Commerce Department senior adviser and Deputy Chief of Staff Rick Wade stressed that geographical proximity and shared historical and cultural ties make the Dominican Republic and Jamaica prime destinations for U.S. goods and services. Wade led a 10-company U.S. trade mission to the region to promote export opportunities June 13-19.
“In today’s global marketplace, it is critical for companies to establish alliances with partners in other markets in order to be competitive,” Wade said. “Because of its close proximity and a favorable trading relationship over time, the Caribbean is a natural area for U.S. firms to explore new export opportunities that will result in more jobs for American workers.”
The United States is the primary trading partner for both countries. In 2009, U.S. exports to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica totaled $5.27 billion and $1.45 billion, respectively. Read more Upcoming trade missions
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke visited the Precision
Auto Care international corporate headquarters training facility in Leesburg,
Va., to discuss President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI) and how it
can help U.S. companies of all sizes sell more of their goods and services
overseas and support the creation of American jobs. Locke was joined by U.S.
Rep. Frank Wolf. The NEI aims to double U.S. exports over the next five years
while supporting two million American jobs.
