A high-profile U.S. official said the U.S. is keen to expand trading with Egypt to support the democratic change process. Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Saberu met up with Egypt's Minister of Trade and Industry Mahmoud Eissa on Monday October 24. The U.S appreciates its economic relations with Egypt as a main strategic partner. "The meeting with Eissa aims to push our common efforts forward to overcome obstacles impeding investment and trade to achieve regional economic integration," Saberu said. She added the Egyptian minister will visit the U.S. in November to have more discussion in this regard. Bilateral trade between Egypt and the U.S. rose by 30 percent in 2010, reaching $9.1 billion while U.S. investments increased by 28.4 percent. In 2011, the trade between both countries reached U.S. $6 million despite the demonstrations and protests in the Egyptian January 25 Revolution that led to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's resignation. U.S. President Barrack Obama announced a new initiative to support trade and create investing partnership to cope with the change the Arab region witnessed. Saberu said the initiative will include the Middle East and North Africa, especially with Egypt and Tunisia since he said, "Libya also plays an important role in the initiative after achieving stability there." Arabic here