US President hosts entrepreneur summit aimed at forging links with Muslim world
US President Barack Obama will get a unique opportunity to further his foreign development policy next week when he hosts the Presidential Summit on Entrepre-neurship.
The event, aimed especially at Muslim majority countries around the world, will take place from 26-27 April at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, DC.
The White House said the summit would highlight the importance of entrepreneurship, job creation and community development.
The President will be joined by 250 delegates from over 50 nations on five continents, as well as and senior US government officials and American business leaders. Millions more are expected to view the conference proceedings online.
Announcing the summit during his visit to Egypt last year, President Obama emphasised on the significance of entrepreneurship to the Muslim world.
“It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed,” he said.
Sadly, Irish Muslims will not be represented at the conference. However, representatives will be special guests at an event on Monday organised by the US Embassy in Dublin to key into the Washington summit.
A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Dublin told Metro Éireann that everyone is welcome to join the conference.
“I encourage you to log on to co-nx.state.gov starting from 2:30pm Irish time and join in the web chat from your office or home,” said the embassy official.
