SelectUSA Summit Pre-Departure Briefing
Remarks by
Ambassador Victoria Reggie Kennedy
SelectUSA Summit Pre-Departure Briefing
June 14, 2022
I am so delighted to formally welcome you all to the Austrian delegation of the 2022 SelectUSA Investment Summit. It’s great to see you here and virtually.
It gives me great pleasure to host Ambassador Weiss at our Embassy. Thank you, Ambassador, for joining us and being part of the 2022 SelectUSA Investment Summit! A special welcome also to WKO (VE-Kay-O) Vice President Amelie Gross.
I am proud to announce that our 35- member Austrian delegation to the Summit is not only our biggest ever, but Austria also ranks among the largest delegations world-wide.
Austrian investment is capturing strong and positive attention in the United States as the 2nd fasting growing source country for foreign direct investment.
I applaud your initiative in joining us at the Summit. Clearly, you prioritize the importance of the U.S. market for your business growth.
Our delegation reflects the business and geographic diversity of the Austrian economy: you represent some of Austria’s greatest multinationals, robust mid-sized companies, and dynamic tech start-ups. It’s great to see delegates from nearly every Austrian province.
Many of your companies offer globally proven expertise in sectors central to the Biden Administration’s infrastructure investment priorities, including advanced manufacturing, transportation, intelligent logistics, and smart mobility.
Many of you provide cutting edge technologies and clean, sustainable solutions that are so critical to our U.S. and global future.
Our Transatlantic and U.S.-Austria relationship is stronger than ever. Our economies are tied closely through business. I am proud that the U.S. is a leading market for Austrian exports and investment.
We are excited to support those of you already operating U.S. subsidiaries, as well as others in our delegation looking to the U.S. for new global expansion.
Both of our economies and workforces benefit from our strong business relationship. Our new, bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Apprenticeships and Workforce Development creates a framework to propel even more growth opportunities for Austrian companies in the United States by building diverse, high-skilled workforces.
Our workforce partnership and Austrian investment in the United States will be highlighted at the highest levels during the Summit.
You are here because you clearly recognize that the U.S. offers one of the world’s largest markets to the best-in-class product and services solutions. For the 10th year, the U.S. ranks globally as the top destination for foreign direct investment.
As you will see throughout the Summit, the U.S. is open for your business with our entire U.S. government committed to supporting your U.S. business growth.
Our Summit host, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Raimondo will be joined by key Cabinet Secretaries: Agriculture, Energy, Labor, Treasury and the Director of the White House National Economic Council.
Together with several U.S. governors they will discuss key elements of the Biden-Harris Administration’s vast economic and infrastructure investment plans underway.
All 50 U.S. states will be at the Summit to share with you the industry trends and pathway strategies that can aid in your U.S. business expansion.
I greatly appreciate Ambassador Weiss’ tremendous collaboration on the Summit and look forward to his official Austrian delegation reception in Washington.
I am also excited to let you know that we have secured a private meeting for our Austrian delegation with the Secretary of Commerce at the Summit.
Again, I whole heartedly welcome you to the Austrian delegation to the SelectUSA Summit. I look forward to hearing from each you about your companies and U.S. business plans and getting to know you during the Summit.
Before doing so, I am very pleased to now invite Ambassador Weiss to provide his opening message.