Lapid and Lew to meet in Jerusalem
US treasury secretary, on his first visit to Israel since taking office, to discuss US-Israeli cooperation
US Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew is scheduled to meet with Finance Minister Yair Lapid in Jerusalem this week in order to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting will take place in the framework of the US-Israeli Joint Economic Development Group, which will gather next Tuesday and Wednesday in the capital.
It will be Lew’s first visit to Israel since taking office in February 2013.
JEDG is an annual forum that looks at ways to improve economic ties between Israel and the US, as well as between Israel and the global economy. The Finance Ministry said in a statement on Monday that this year the forum will focus on perking up the joint business environment as well as promoting innovation and R&D, developing the natural gas market, and renewable energy.
Along with officials from the US State Department and Israel’s Finance Ministry, US Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro and Bank of Israel Governor Karnit Flug are also expected to take part in the forum.
During the 2012 JDEG, which was held in Washington, then-Treasury secretary Tim Geithner and Israeli Finance Ministry director-general Doron Cohen inked an agreement in which the United States extended its loan guarantee program to Israel for another four years by signing a $3.8 billion memorandum of understanding.