On April 30, the IAUNRC, the Center for the Study of the Middle East, and the Central Eurasian Studies Department welcomed Khush Choksy to the IU campus to give a special lecture on U.S. economic cooperation and regional stabilization efforts in the Middle East and Central Asia. As Senior Vice President of the Middle East and Türkiye Department and International Member Relations in the US Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Choksy oversees bilateral business councils and programs. Under his leadership, the Middle East portfolio has expanded to become the U.S. Chamber’s largest international program, representing over 250 companies. Choksy also led the effort to integrate the U.S.-India Business Council into the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
As a privately funded, non-governmental organization founded 114 years ago at the request of then-President William Howard Taft, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to drive growth, create jobs, and enhance competitiveness by championing free enterprise, open markets, and transparent, predictable rules. To this end, the Chamber actively partners with U.S. business communities at home and abroad to grow economy through policy development and high-level convenings. As Mr. Choksy explained, the Chamber is composed of domestic and international affairs divisions, in which 130 constituent American Chambers in over 110 countries conduct advocacy, access, and analysis efforts across business sectors. With its six regional teams, 33 country programs, and 80 regional and policy experts, operations are highly coordinated across good business practice advocacy, regulatory engagement, executive dialogues, and trade missions to open markets. As noted by both Mr. Choksy and Dr. Feisal Amin al-Istrabadi, the Founding Director for the Center for the Study of the Middle East, due to the lack of standing U.S. ambassadors in key posts such as Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., Qatar, Egypt, Kuwait, and Iraq, the Chamber of Commerce’s efforts are crucial in maintaining positive relations and expanding mutual collaboration.
To maintain strong momentum in business relationships, the Chamber of Commerce is working to help international markets navigate what they see as U.S. economic isolationism recently fomented by tariff systems. Additionally, product registration for export of American products – such as pharmaceuticals for Türkiye’s growing health sector – must be fast-tracked to aid with pricing issues in export markets. Mr. Choksy explained that Türkiye, for example, is an enormous hub for providing US businesses access in the Middle East, the Balkans, Eastern Europe. He also commented on the last two decades of complementary economic integration initiatives between Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., Qatar, and Syria, expounding the Chamber of Commerce’s contribution not only to U.S. business interests, but also sound business practices and healthy regulation systems between all countries.
The lecture’s discussion and Q&A covered a range of topics including: the U.A.E.’s recent withdrawal from OPEC and its effect on global markets; green energy technology development; Chamber of Commerce regulatory activity’s effect on improving business practices; the critical minerals market in Central Asia; and U.S. strategies for increasing American business presence in economically competitive regions throughout Eurasia. Repealing the Jackson-Vanik Amendment of the Trade Act of 1974, for example, which restricts normal trade relations with non-market economies such as the former constituent republics of the Soviet Union, would strongly benefit markets for countries in Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
The IAUNRC was pleased to have welcomed Mr. Choksy and looks forward to future collaborations.