U.S. Department of State Special Representative for Business and Commercial Affairs Thilawa Syed traveled to Boise, Idaho, October 24-27 for Boise Entrepreneurs Week and met with Idaho business representatives and local government officials More contacts were made. The visit is part of a series of domestic activities underway by Special Representative Saeed to expand overseas opportunities for U.S. companies, including small and medium-sized businesses, in line with President Biden’s foreign policy targeting a middle-class agenda .
Special Representative Saeed discussed the upcoming Cities Summit and Cities Forward initiative with Boise Mayor Lauren McLean to connect state and municipal stakeholders across the Western Hemisphere to address challenges and opportunities together. He also joined her for a fireside chat at Boise Entrepreneurs Week on “Local Solutions to Global Challenges,” where he outlined how the State Department is integrating the U.S. private sector into foreign policy making and urged the audience to take advantage of trade facilitation Services provided by the Boise Export Assistance Center and the Idaho Department of Commerce.
Representatives from Micron shared with Special Representative Syed the benefits of CHIPS and the Science Act, which enables the company to add 15,000 local jobs in Idaho. In a meeting with small and medium businesses, Special Representative Saeed joined Amy Benson, director of the Boise Export Assistance Center, to discuss ways the U.S. government can help ease business challenges abroad. On the final day of the trip, Special Representative Saeed reached out to the Idaho Office of Refugees and spoke to Boise State students about the administration’s commitment to working with allies to promote values-based foreign policy.