Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Promotes WETEX 2015 in the US

A delegation from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has visited the United States of America to promote the 17th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2015). The delegation included Saeed Bel Jafla, Acting Senior Manager of VIP Relations, Abdul Syed Abdul Hameed, Senior Manager of Contracts, and Nourma Almasri, Administration Services Manager. The roadshow included major US cities such as New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, and Austin. DEWA staff met over 300 business leaders and executives representing leading companies in infrastructure, energy, technology, and other relevant fields. The invitation to participate in WETEX 2015 was welcomed by American companies and business people. The team from DEWA highlighted key aspects of WETEX 2015, which is organised under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance, and President of DEWA. WETEX will be held from 21-23 April at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. DEWA representatives presented WETEX and its benefits to a large number of American decision makers. They highlighted the opportunities the exhibition provides in enhancing businesses and partnerships, and the chance for investors, companies, and trade agents to showcase the latest technologies in water, energy, the environment, oil and gas, and related industries. The week-long visit was supported by the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce, the US-UAE Business Council, the US Commercial Service, and local industry partners in each city. The roadshow covered key markets across the United States and helped DEWA build stronger ties with strategic partners and boost its engagement with technology, energy, and infrastructure sectors in those states. The delegation started the roadshow at the New York Institute of Technology, where they were received by Danny Sebright, President of the US-UAE Business Council, and Amin Salam, Vice President of Business Development & Strategy at the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce. The meeting was attended by a number of leading companies and business leaders from New York. The delegation then went to San Francisco, where business leaders from California met at the offices of Akin Gump. The meeting discussed investment opportunities in energy and water projects in Dubai. In Los Angeles, the delegation met with officials from the water and energy sector. Then, they went to Houston where they met a number of leading business people. The last stop in the roadshow was in Austin, Texas. DEWA also promoted WETEX 2015 at the Water Environment Federation’s Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2014), which was held in New Orleans, USA. WEFTEC is the largest platform of its kind for Water and Wastewater issues in the United States. DEWA staff highlighted the impressive growth of WETEX over the last 16 years as a global platform for energy, water, conservation, green building, fossil fuels, and sustainability, to delegations from 10 countries from Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine. The delegations praised the UAE’s efforts and commitment to green development. The DEWA delegation met with a large number of decision-makers who expressed their interest in WETEX and its growing role, which in many ways revolves around environmental sustainability. Among the bodies contacted during the three-day WEFTEC by DEWA delegation were public organisations including American Water Works Association, the US-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Confederation of Indian Industry, District Export Council of Southern California, the International Boundary & Water Commission, the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, the US-Saudi Arabian Business Council, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and other organisations. The DEWA delegation also participated in the plenary organised by the US-Arab Chamber of Commerce at the Global Center WEF Plaza, where it focused on state of the water sector in the Middle East and North Africa. WEFTEC 2015, which is organised by the World Economic Forum, will be held from 26-30 September 2015 at McCormick Place in Chicago.