Continuing to highlight President Obama’s National Export Initiative, Ambassador Kirk started off his second day in Arkansas by hosting a business roundtable. He spoke with local small business owners on how increasing American exports can help to create and sustain jobs in the state. Arkansas’ exports were up 103 percent in 2009 from 2000, with nearly 40 percent of its total global goods exported to countries with which the United States of America has trade agreements. The Little Rock metropolitan area accounted for 29 percent of Arkansas’ total goods exports in 2008.
In the afternoon Ambassador Kirk visited the University of Arkansas - Pine Bluff. After meeting with the faculty and students, he gave a speech at the University of Arkansas, Clinton School of Public Service. Emphasizing that trade can be a job-creating pillar of economic recovery in the United States, he discussed the how increased exports can help grow jobs in Arkansas and strengthen the middle class across America.
