White House expected to announce projects at business summit

The White House is expected to announced several projects during a business summit next week designed to improve trade and job creation between the United States and Muslim countries. 

The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, which runs Monday and Tuesday in Washington, D.C., is expected to provide a forum to address barriers and look at avenues to building business partnerships to create jobs here and abroad, senior Obama administration officials said in a conference call with reporters Friday. 

"In every country, every region, the issues are unique," an official said. "There are societal, cultural and political issues and each country is in a different stage of economic development."

President Barack Obama, State Department Secretary Hillary Clinton, Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang, Larry Summers, head of the White House National Economic Council, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Karen Mills, head of the Small Business Administration will speak during the two-day meeting. 

Job creation and improving trade between the United States and Muslim countries are a couple of goals of a White House summit and the projects on the agenda are expected to outline the federal government's role.

Trade between the U.S. and Muslim countries stands at $360 billion and is growing, an official said. 

"We're forging tangible partnerships in critical areas," an official said. 

The focus will of the summit will be on science, education, women in business and technology. About 250 participants from more than 50 countries are expected to attend. 

"This summit is not just what our government is doing but the kind of action to galvanize the private sector, foundations and other governments," and official said. "We need greater momentum."

In June 2009, President Barack Obama announced the summit and shortly thereafter, U.S. embassies around the world began holding roundtable discussions with communities to determine topics.