US Appoints new Ambassador to Libya

Nov. 28, 2008 - PRLog -- The U.S. Senate approved the nomination of a new U.S. ambassador to Libya late Thursday, making it the first time in 36 years that the United States will have an ambassador in the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Putting a U.S. ambassador in Libya marks the culmination of a long road towards diplomatic normalcy between the two nations.

Ambassador Cretz is an experienced diplomat who will ensure that the United States’ interests are well represented in Libya during a very important period in the history of our bi-lateral relationship.

Ambassador-designate Cretz was confirmed by the United States Senate on Thursday, November 20 and will be officially sworn into his position on Wednesday, December 17.

Ambassador-designate Cretz is a senior career diplomat.

He has served in posts throughout the Middle East and Asia. His most recent assignment with the Department of State was as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. He has also served in Tel Aviv, Damascus, Cairo, Islamabad, New Delhi, and Beijing.

The Libyan economy is driven by the oil and gas sector accounting for 95% of the country’s export revenues.  Economic reform is a top priority for the Libyan government, despite the complexities of Libya policy-makers.

Opportunities for US Companies in a wide range of sectors in Libya include

Information Technology
Education and Training
Manufacturing
Tourism
Consulting
Medical Technology and Training
Agriculture
Safety and Security Equipment including Fire Safety
Oil and Gas Services
Refining
Transport
Engineering Services
Construction - Housing – 70,000 units per year.
Road and Bridge construction, including 1400 miles of road upgrades.
Seaports Modernization
Construction of schools and hospitals
Tourism – growth in hotel construction is forecast to increase the number of beds to 10,000 by 2010 as part of a US$7 billion tourist development plan.
Airports Construction – a new terminal at Tripoli International Airport and the construction of a new airport in Benghazi are a priority
Power and electricity – the power sector is set to double in terms of output from 4,700MW to 9,700MW within the next five years at a projected cost of US$7.5 billion
Desalination and Water Treatment –
Water and sewerage projects – US$6 billion has been allocated to waste water systems and management.

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The US Export Council provides assistance to American firms seeking access to international export markets in the Middle East and Africa. http://www.usexportcouncil