Under Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs Robert Hormats and Assistant Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez met September 26 with senior economic officials from Algeria, Tunisia, and representatives from the Moroccan and Mauritanian Embassies on the margins of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund meeting, under the auspices of the U.S. – North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity. They were joined by representatives from the State Department and other U.S. Government agencies including USAID, the Middle East Partnership Initiative, Department of Commerce, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation to highlight U.S. economic engagement in North Africa.

The meeting focused on economic issues of mutual interest between the United States and North Africa, including creating policy environments for job creation and increased economic opportunity for youth, promoting public-private partnerships, and identifying possible areas for U.S. – North Africa regional economic cooperation.

One of the main objectives of the U.S. - North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity is to create a powerful public-private network to encourage American private sector companies and organizations to increase their involvement in the region.