Via National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce H.E. Madjid Bouguerra (center), Algeria's Ambassador to the United States, accepts the Ambassador of the Year award from David Hamod (left), NUSACC's President & CEO, and Nancy Ziuzin Schlegel (right), NUSACC Board Member and Vice President of International Government Affairs at Lockheed Martin, Lead Sponsor of the award luncheon.
Washington, D.C. -- The National U.S. - Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) this week named H.E. Madjid Bouguerra, Algeria's Ambassador to the United States, as the 2017 "Ambassador of the Year." One hundred business and government leaders participated in the awards ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, drawing VIPs from across the United States.
H.E. Madjid Bouguerra (center), Algeria's Ambassador to the United States, accepts the Ambassador of the Year award from David Hamod (left), NUSACC's President & CEO, and Nancy Ziuzin Schlegel (right), NUSACC Board Member and Vice President of International Government Affairs at Lockheed Martin, Lead Sponsor of the award luncheon. The annual award, which began in 2004, recognizes an Arab diplomat who has contributed significantly to U.S. - Arab commercial relations. Bouguerra is the first Algerian ambassador to receive this prestigious award. The veteran Algerian diplomat said, "It is indeed an immense honor for me personally, as well as for the entire team at the embassy, particularly when this recognition comes from such a distinguished institution as NUSACC. This recognition is, I believe, strong testimony to the high quality relations between Algeria and the United States, with both countries resolutely committed to a confident, dynamic, and promising partnership." The award luncheon was made possible through the generous financial support of the following sponsors: Platinum Sponsor: Lockheed Martin (Lead Sponsor) Gold Sponsors: Blumberg Grain, Orus Group, PhRMA, and Raytheon Silver Sponsors: Dow, General Electric To read the complete report, click HERE. For more information on NUSACC and its mission, please click HERE. The National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce, widely regarded as the voice of American business in the Arab world, is in touch with business communities across the United States and serves as the U.S. point of contact for the national chambers of commerce in the 22 Arab nations. On a daily basis, NUSACC works closely with leaders throughout the Arab world, as well as high-level decision makers in the U.S. business community, public policy research centers, multilateral institutions, nongovernmental organizations, media, and the U.S. Government. Asia Pacific Business Outlook April 16 - 17, 2018 ~ Los Angeles Special Discount for U.S. Commercial Service Clients, enter code: USCS-AP2018 Now in its 31st year, Asia/Pacific Business Outlook (APBO) is North America’s premier event for business leaders who want to expand their trade and investment in the Asia/Pacific region. The USC Marshall School of Business and the U.S. Department of Commerce have been working together on APBO since 1988 to help exporters take advantage of tremendous opportunities and overcome challenges in the constant changing economies of Asia. More than just a business conference, APBO is a comprehensive networking and learning experience designed to provide business leaders with the contacts and the latest, relevant and valuable information available–all focused, organized and distilled into two invaluable days. The conference attracts a nationwide group of about 300 American executives who operate throughout the Asia/Pacific region. The conference provides a unique mixture of over 50 leading academic, business and government experts to advise a diverse audience of American firms on how to become more competitive in the dynamic Asia/Pacific marketplace, including private one-on-one appointments with senior commercial officers from American embassies and consulates in 18 economies. Access 18 Markets in Two Days Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam Contacts for APBO: [email protected] or tel: 213.740.7130 www.apboconference.com U.S. Commercial Service Contacts Jason Sproule - U.S. Commercial Service, Los Angeles. Tel: 949-283-0690, [email protected] Erica Ramirez - U.S. Commercial Service, Irvine, Tel: 949-660-7105, [email protected] Highlights
The Asia Pacific region has many high potential growth markets for the Healthcare industry. According to Frost and Sullivan, Asia Pacific’s healthcare market is estimated to contribute close to 33% of the global healthcare market and estimated to be valued at $521 billion, with trends in the medical device industry in Asia mainly centered on imaging, cardiovascular, and healthcare IT. Including the aforementioned, the Asia Pacific Business Outlook Conference in 2018 will host 18 global markets from the Asia Pacific region and allows for direct access to industry and market experts. Learn More. Japan
ENIPE - ENERGY EFFICIENT INDUSTRY & PRODUCTS EXPO & SUMMIT 11-14 January 2018 ENIPE - Energy Efficient Industry and Products Expo and Summit will be held on January 11-14, 2018 at Istanbul Expo Center, under the organization of World Trade Center Istanbul, with the support of Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning of Turkey, and in partnership with Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and Istanbul Chamber of Industry. The summit will take place in conjunction with the exhibition, and it will be organized in partnership with MUSIAD (Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association). Titled "Energy Efficiency and Innovation in Buildings", the summit will bring domestic and international sector specialists together with buying delegations. We aim our exhibition to be a meeting point for the influencers in energy sector, as well as to raise awareness in public regarding energy efficient products.
You can visit ENIPE free of charge by visiting the following link: REGISTER The U.S. Trade and Development Agency and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute, LNG Allies, and the 27th World Gas Conference, along with other U.S. industry partners launched the U.S. Gas Infrastructure Exports Initiative, including a call for initial proposals from project sponsors in emerging markets or U.S. companies working with project sponsors in emerging markets. These entities are invited to submit an initial concept paper (not to exceed five pages) on gas infrastructure-related projects to USTDA no later than January 15, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time to be considered for funding.
The proposal should include a brief description of the project's size and status, including project location, economic fundamentals, equipment and technology requirements, legal and regulatory considerations, potential U.S. exports and the purpose and amount of USTDA funding requested. The proposal should also outline the sponsor's experience, potential options for financing the project, risks that the project faces, and estimated potential for U.S. content in the project's implementation. For reference, USTDA's full proposal guidelines along with Frequently Asked Questions are available here. USTDA projects are assessed for viability, including proven technologies, as well as their social and environmental impact, and potential for U.S. exports. USTDA funding is open to private and public beneficiaries on a 100 percent grant basis. The U.S. Gas Infrastructure Exports Initiative, launched on November 17, 2017, aims to connect U.S. expertise to priority infrastructure projects across the gas value chain in emerging economies. For over 25 years, USTDA has been facilitating new business partnerships between U.S. companies and overseas gas project sponsors, including 307 projects across 75 partner countries. Review of proposals is anticipated to take less than one month, depending on the volume received. We will request more thoroughly developed proposals (including terms of reference and budget) for those projects that are determined to be the most competitive for USTDA funding. We anticipate issuing additional calls for proposals in the future. For questions, please first refer to our Frequently Asked Questions section detailed within the proposal guidelines and submit proposals and other questions to [email protected]. by Joseph N. DiStefano, Philadelphia Inquirer The neighbors stopped by last week, and said it’s time we North Americans talk.
“We practically live together,” says Perrin Beatty, the industrialist who heads Canada’s Chamber of Commerce, and was the nation’s foreign minister when his Conservative Party was in power. Take that TD Bank down the road. The “T” is for Toronto, where it’s based. Suncor, Canada’s oil giant? Born in Philly, where it grew out of Sunoco. U.S.- and Canada-built cars are full of parts shipped across the Great Lakes and back. Canadians supply more stuff to U.S.-based Home Depot alone than they sell to France. And the United States sells more to Canada than it buys. “It’s an easy relationship,” said Phyllis Yaffe, the broadcast producer who runs Canada’s consulate in New York. Like Beatty, she has a sister who lives in the U.S. But that cozy relationship is in danger, the pair told me, stopping by Philly en route to Washington, for the latest round of talks renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement — which helped negotiate in the 1990s, and which President Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton blamed for U.S. unemployment in last year’s bitter election. In the ensuing talks, the Trump administration has introduced many “measures that are unacceptable to the U.S. business community, let alone the Canadian and Mexican business communities,” Beatty told me. Trump’s negotiators, he said, want to block cheaper imports in hope of reviving old-fashioned home industries and reopening long-gone factories — like King George III, whose similar attempts to favor his home producers stoked our War of Independence. Canadians don’t threaten war; they hope to bring us to our senses. Beatty says Trump wants to impose tariffs that would make imports expensive for American consumers. U.S. negotiators want a “sunset clause,” making rules temporary and discouraging cross-border investment. They want to strictly measure U.S. auto parts in cars, limiting Canadian and Mexican parts. Beatty called that “wholly unworkable,” given today’s “deeply integrated and highly efficient” supply chains. The administration also wants U.S. courts, not trade-partner panels, to rule on our trade complaints, and would end Canadian sales to U.S. government agencies, driving up costs for U.S. taxpayers. The Canadians see U.S. business as an ally. On his web site, U.S. Chamber president Thomas Donahue warns of a dystopian post-NAFTA economy: “The U.S. unemployment rate is climbing. Crops in the heartland are rotting. Manufacturers are moving abroad. Consumer prices are rising.” If NAFTA goes down, the U.S. loses and China wins, Beatty said: “The North American industrial base is… facing burgeoning competition from Asia and elsewhere. We need to source affordable inputs from the U.S. and Mexico. That’s what keeps our employers in business. If you drive up the costs of production by reinstating tariffs, you will be less competitive. Trade creates economic growth. If we had to compete without you, it would drive companies out of business — ours and yours. “We wouldn’t all go away if NAFTA disappeared. But growth, and substantial numbers of jobs, would,” he said. “If you displace North American products, who fills the gaps? The Chinese.” What motivates Trump? “It’s more ideological than a case of any sector or industry lobbying,” Beatty responded. “The president ran against NAFTA. It was used as a symbol.” The real cause of change is capital investment in more efficient technology, Beatty said. That has removed many jobs in traditional sectors. “They are looking for someone to blame.” But hasn’t foreign trade wiped out many small industries? Beatty should know: His family used to manufacture farm equipment in a small town west of Toronto. Nearby towns made clothing, competing with makers in North Carolina and East Asia. Those factories are gone, but they were doomed even without a trade agreement, Beatty said, while his old Parliament district has prospered: “Small manufacturing has given way to an explosion of technology. Now those towns — Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph — they have information economies. [The firm that made the] BlackBerry is from Waterloo. The people who ran it have spawned new start-ups. They have become much more diversified and several times larger. The transition wasn’t easy for my family. But we are now doing what is sustainable, given the natural evolutions that have taken place. We are part of the future.” Kill NAFTA and you force the Canadians and Mexicans to sweeten trade deals with China, Beatty reiterated. “It’s seductive, to want to protect your native industries. But at the end of the day it is destructive to growth. You erect walls, and it makes it more difficult for businesses to serve each other. To invest. For people to be mobile — to work in each other’s countries for short periods, as you often do, in manufacturing and in collaboration. Unfortunately, when you get simple quick fixes, they are often wrong.” Original Article Via USTDA Beijing, China – This week, USTDA Deputy Director, Enoh T. Ebong, concluded a trip to China where she advanced cooperation with the Agency’s public-private partnerships in the aviation, energy, and healthcare sectors. Deputy Director Ebong signed two grants launching two new series of workshops in support of the U.S.-China Healthcare Cooperation Program (HCP). The goal of the workshops is to support China’s efforts to improve the quality of healthcare provided to citizens, while at the same time connecting U.S. businesses to new opportunities in the sector.
In the energy sector, Deputy Director Ebong, alongside Ambassador Terry Branstad, built on the momentum of the U.S. Gas Infrastructure Exports Initiative by announcing a grant for a gas workshop series under the U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program (ECP). The workshops will support the gas infrastructure goals of China’s National Energy Administration, while facilitating market access for U.S. LNG and gas-related equipment and service providers. Deputy Director Ebong also kicked off a new USTDA-funded Shanghai Airspace Capacity and Ground Optimization project that will introduce U.S. aviation technologies and best practices aimed at reducing flight delays. She participated in the Standing Committee Meeting with the U.S.-China Aviation Cooperation Program to continue mutually-beneficial cooperation between the U.S. and China in the aviation sector. “I appreciate the opportunity to advance our collaboration on a number of levels with USTDA’s public and private sector partners in China,” said Deputy Director Ebong. “The work under our public-private partnerships demonstrate USTDA’s win-win mission of connecting U.S. businesses to new opportunities overseas, while at the same time supporting our partners’ infrastructure development goals.” About USTDA The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries. MEDIA INQUIRIES: Allison Getty at (703) 875-4357 Original Article Via CNN Money Britain has lost 65,000 retail jobs since it voted to leave the European Union, a decline fueled by increased online competition and a Brexit-induced wage squeeze.Employment data published Wednesday show the number of jobs in the sector dipped below 5 million in September. Weak consumer spending suggests more pain to come over the holiday season.
"It reflects the pressure on the [retail] sector," said Howard Archer, an economic adviser to EY. "Consumer spending has been softer for most of this year and retail sales have been lower." Data compiled by IHS for Visa (V) show that spending in U.K. brick-and-mortar stores dropped 3.5% over the previous year in November. It was the seventh consecutive monthly decline, and one of the biggest drops since 2012. Meanwhile, online spending was 2.4% higher in November. Visa said it expects total consumer spending to decline this holiday season for the first time since 2012. Experts say the trend is one consequence of Brexit. The value of the pound dropped sharply after the vote in June 2016, causing the price of imported goods to shoot up. At the same time, wage increases haven't kept pace with inflation, which stood at 3.1% in November. Many borrowers have also been squeezed by the Bank of England, which hiked interest rates in October. Andrew Wishart, U.K. economist at Capital Economics, said retailers are still trying to hire workers, but weak pay growth has made the jobs less attractive. Related: 17 years without a raise? Welcome to Brexit Britain Overall, British unemployment is still at just 4.3%, its lowest level in decades. There have been big gains for jobs in construction and hospitality. But weakness in the retail industry underscores worries that there may be harder times ahead. Wednesday's data show the number of people in work dropped by 56,000 in the three months ended October. "The fact there [are] fewer people in work is bad news ... it shows we are not making full use of our resources," said Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG in the U.K. Original Article As I thought of a message for December, looking back at this year and ahead to the next, I decided to focus on our member companies. It makes sense. Our members are at the heart of what we do as a world trade center - providing the international know-how and global connections to help our companies better their bottom line by going global. We consider ourselves as trusted partners in their success. We are proud that companies we assisted reported generating over $147M in new export sales in 2017, and we understand how much this means to these companies, their employees and families, and the communities in which they play such a strong role.
But this is only half of the story. As much as we support their success, our member companies help all of us. Last week I attended a meeting of our China Club, whose members gather to be briefed on major issues and topics concerning China trade, but most importantly, to learn from one another. The two hour meeting passed quickly, with three companies from diverse industries and with different business models, sharing their stories - what worked, what didn’t, what to do and what to avoid. The conversation was candid, honest, and provided invaluable insight, gained from direct experience, to the veterans and the newcomers in the audience. I came away thinking of the generosity of our members and the wealth of information they are ready to share with their fellow members. Nationally, Commerce Department statistics indicate that over 304,000 American companies export, with 97%, or 297,343 classified as small business. The same percentages hold true in our region. It is also true that most of these small businesses lack or are unaware of the services available to help them grow exports. For this reason, we launched the Greater Philadelphia Export Plan with City and Regional leaders to increase exports in the Region, part of a national Brookings/JP Morgan Chase Global Cities Initiative. Supported by an important grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, in 2018, we will be looking for those small and medium-sized businesses who are ready and eager to grow and increase their profitability in promising markets around the world. We will be seeking out established companies, but also the next great global entrepreneurs, minority and woman-owned enterprises. And, we will invite them to become part of our special learning community, where the newcomers connect with, and often partner with, veteran exporting companies. And who knows, you may become our next China Club Member! As you start the New Year, give thought to joining us. Because we believe so much in the value of the work we do and our desire to help more companies, we are offering a special introductory membership rate of $900 (normally $1,000) I encourage you to reach out to us for a complimentary meeting with our trade specialists here. On behalf of our entire WTCGP team, I want to extend to all of our members, future members, and partners my best wishes for the holiday and a healthy and prosperous New Year, Linda Conlin The Honourable Perrin Beatty President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce was interviewed by Ram Mudambi, Frank M. Speakman Professor of Strategy, Fox School of Business, Temple University at the “Modernization of NAFTA ” discussion and luncheon at Duane Morris on Monday, December 11th. Photo Album Click here to see the presentation.
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