LOC16:39
13:39 GMT
KUWAIT, Oct 23 (KUNA) -- American goods exports to Kuwait in 2017 reached a record USD 5.2 million, a senior commercial official at the US embassy in Kuwait said Tuesday.
In an embassy press conference promoting the sixth "Discover America Week", Senior Commercial Officer and Commercial Counselor Jeff Hamilton said that adding healthcare and educational services to the number, the total of American exports last year jumped to USD seven billion.
The US official attributed the increase to last year's sale of the Boeing 777 to the State of Kuwait, predicting that the record number of exports would decrease in 2018.
On Kuwaiti exports to the US, the senior commercial official said they reached USD three billion, in a decrease attributed to low oil prices and a diversion in Kuwait oil exports to Asian markets.
He indicated that the decrease was also attributed to American production cuts to meet the national energy needs in the United States.
Meanwhile, Hamilton said that the US protectionism, an economic policy shielding American domestic interest against foreign competitors, would not have any effect on commercial exchanges with countries in the Gulf and Middle East regions.
There are around 200 American companies operating in Kuwait with 75 trademarked restaurants, and some 4,000 food products sold in the country, said Hamilton who indicated that his country was eager to further expand commercial cooperation via organizing tours and attending various activities in the United States.
According to US embassy data, Kuwaitis visiting America in 2017 reached 87,000 people, including over 14,000 students.
The Discover America Week, from October 26 to November nine, includes various events promoting diverse American products. (end)
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