Deputy Premier Roger Cook will lead a delegation representing a broad range of sectors to the US to strengthen government relations and progress new trade and investment opportunities for Western Australia.
The Deputy Premier will visit Houston, Austin, Boston, New York and Washington DC where he will undertake extensive engagement with US companies across the critical minerals, METS, energy transition, health and medical life sciences, education and space sectors.
In Houston, the Deputy Premier will be hosted by the Asia Society, followed by a roundtable discussion with investors and business leaders from the energy and mining technology sectors. Site visits include meetings with space and life sciences companies in Houston.
Moving to Austin, the Deputy Premier will host an Invest and Trade WA Showcase Event with government and industry representatives to officially announce the establishment of the new Invest and Trade WA office in Austin, which will be operational from early 2024. The visit to Austin will also provide the opportunity to meet with investors and key officials.
In Boston, WA representatives will host an exhibit at the Biotechnology Innovation Organisation International Conference 2023 to promote the State’s biotechnology, medical and life sciences sectors.
The conference is the largest and most influential global event for the world’s biotechnology industry, attracting over 15,000 biotechnology and pharmaceutical representatives from around the world.
During the New York leg of the mission, the delegation will participate in a roundtable event with the American Australian Association to discuss global energy security.
In Washington DC, the Deputy Premier will meet with Kurt Campbell, White House Indo-Pacific Coordinator and Deputy Assistant to President Joe Biden, and His Excellency the Hon Kevin Rudd AC, Australian Ambassador to the US, as well as address the Battery Gigafactories USA 2023 Conference to discuss Western Australia’s key role in US supply chains, including critical minerals and energy.
WA’s newly appointed Investment and Trade Commissioner for the Americas region, Natasha Monks, will join the mission. Ms Monks is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Great Southern Development Commission and has previously served as Trade Commissioner for the Australian Government within the Americas and ASEAN regions.
Ms Monks has a deep knowledge of Western Australia’s investment and trade priorities and extensive experience in delivering economic development outcomes for regional Western Australia.
In line with the model for the State’s Invest and Trade WA network, announced by the Premier in September 2020, Ms Monks will commence her secondment into the Investment and Trade Commissioner role on 24 July 2023 and will be deployed to Austin early next year.
Comments attributed to Deputy Premier Roger Cook:
“The United States is Australia’s largest source of foreign direct investment, with $185 billion invested in 2022. Through this mission, the WA Government plans to build on this critical relationship.
“While in the US, our plan is to establish and strengthen ties with key partners and highlight the full breadth of trade and investment opportunities that are available here in Western Australia – the gateway to the Indian Ocean.
“Western Australia shares significant complementarity with US economic priorities and our strategic location among the fastest growing economies in the world makes us America’s trusted partner in the Indo-Pacific.
“The US mission will provide an important opportunity to introduce our new Investment and Trade Commissioner to industry and government stakeholders, ahead of the opening of the office in Austin, Texas.”
Source : Mediastatements
