Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink will travel to Manila, the Philippines, May 20-21 to participate in the sixth Indo-Pacific Business Forum (IPBF), the premier U.S.-sponsored business event in the region.
The United States and the Philippines are excited to co-host IPBF, which connects government and business leaders from across the Indo-Pacific to exchange ideas, explore regional government and business partnerships, and discuss commercial opportunities. IPBF also showcases high-impact private sector investment and government efforts to support market competition, job growth, and high-standard development for greater prosperity and economic inclusion in the Indo-Pacific. IPBF will also feature a trilateral event between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines to advance the first Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment corridor in the region – the Luzon Economic Corridor – as announced by the three leaders at the April 11 trilateral leaders’ summit in Washington as part of the PGI IPEF Investment Accelerator.
In Manila, Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will deliver a keynote address that will underscore how the IPBF helps to advance a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific region. The Assistant Secretary will also highlight the United States’ role as a major economic partner in the region, as U.S. companies continue to be the top source of foreign direct investment nearing $1 trillion in U.S. investments, and as two-way trade exceeds $2 trillion annually.
Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will join other high-ranking U.S. officials, including U.S. Trade and Development Agency Director Enoh T. Ebong, Senior Advisor to the President for Energy and Investment Amos Hochstein, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Deputy Chief Executive Officer Nisha Biswal, Export-Import Bank of the United States First Vice President and Vice Chair Judith D. Pryor, U.S. Senior Official for APEC Ambassador Matt Murray, Special Coordinator of the Partnership for Infrastructure and Investment Helaina Matza, and Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific Sarah Ellerman.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is co-hosting IPBF on behalf of the U.S. Government, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State.
Official news published at https://www.state.gov/assistant-secretary-kritenbrinks-travel-to-the-philippines-for-the-indo-pacific-business-forum/
