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 A monthly partnership publication of
the Louisiana Department of Economic Development
the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center
and the World Trade Center of New Orleans		 Past Issues
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. NATIONAL DISTRICT EXPORT COUNCIL CONFERENCE

  2. FEES FOR EXPORT SERVICES REDUCED IN STORM AREAS

  3. QUEBEC CONSTRUCTION DELEGATION TO VISIT

  4. TRADE FINANCE SEMINAR INCLUDES FREE COUNSELING

  5. FMC CHAIRMAN TO SPEAK ON CHANGING MARITIME SCENE

  6. BRIEFING ON RUSSIAN OFFSHORE OIL & GAS SECTOR

  7. WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF NEW ORLEANS EVENTS

  8. OCTOBER 13 CODOFIL SOIRÉE TO HONOR JIMMY NEWMAN

  9. FRENCH AMERICAN CHAMBER EVENT ON OCTOBER 19

  10. PRESENTATION ON FRENCH LANGUAGE REACQUISITION

  11. AZUCAR BALL 2006 TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 11

  12. ANNE BODINE IS NEW TULANE DIPLOMAT IN RESIDENCE

  13. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURE IN MALI

  14. USTDA BRIEFING ON AFRICA WATER SECTOR

  15. MEETING OF AMERICAN CHAMBERS IN LATIN AMERICA

NATIONAL DISTRICT EXPORT COUNCIL CONFERENCE
The U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Louisiana District Export Council are hosting the annual 2006 National District Export Council Conference in New Orleans October 30 to November 1. This major conference is open to exporters who wish to sharpen their trading skills and network with hundreds of exporters from throughout the U.S., as well as meet important U.S. government trade officials. Attend and learn how to expand your exports to new markets. Among the topics to be covered are:
  • What Doesn’t Destroy You Makes You Stronger: Overcoming Adversity Through Trade
  • Innovations in Government Export Assistance
  • Finding Friendly Faces for Financing
  • The Golden Rule: Know Your Customer as Yourself
  • Avoid Shipping Pitfalls - Understanding Documentation
  • Successful Export Tax Strategies
  • Shipping It Out? Navigating Port & River Systems

The 2006 NDEC Conference is offering a reduced early bird registration. Register on-line at www.decconference.com on or before October 13 and the conference fee is $325, thereafter $425. A special conference rate of $169 has been reserved for attendees at the Intercontinental Hotel.

All sessions of the conference, including the November 1 luncheon featuring Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, will address the “GO ZONE Act” and federal tax legislation that provides incentives for companies located in hurricane impacted areas. The conference includes two receptions: a Welcoming Jazz Reception on October 30 and a Halloween Reception on October 31. A special tour of New Orleans will take place on October 30 to view the reconstruction of the 17th Street and London Avenue Canals, and to see how the Crescent City is recovering. At the conclusion of the conference, two port briefings and site visits have been arranged to the Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana on November 1.

 

FEES FOR EXPORT SERVICES REDUCED IN STORM AREAS
For U.S. exporters located in the U.S.-Declared Hurricane Major Disaster Areas, the U.S. Commercial Service policy of reduced costs for certain export programs has been extended into fiscal year 2007, which commenced October 1. This policy was set to encourage exporting and to help in economic recovery efforts.

“With 95 percent of the world’s consumers outside of the United States, we must ensure that businesses affected by recent major hurricane disasters can continue selling internationally,” said Israel Hernandez, Assistant Secretary for Trade Promotion and Director-General of the U.S. Commercial Service. “The Bush Administration is committed to giving these businesses all the tools needed to help them expand their export sales.”
Reduced fees will be provided until all USFCS funds reserved for the program are used. For U.S. companies that produce goods or services in U.S.-Declared Hurricane Major Disaster Areas, the International Partner Search, International Company Profile and Gold Key Service fees have been reduced by 50 percent. The partner search and company profile service are limited to one per company; however, companies may pursue up to three Gold Keys under the present policy.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has designated U.S.-Declared Hurricane Major Disaster Areas in parts of six states, including North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, and Louisiana. To see if your company is located in a FEMA designated area, visit www.fema.gov/library/drcys.shtm. For additional information call the U.S. Commercial Service New Orleans Export Assistance Center at (504) 589-6546.

 

QUEBEC CONSTRUCTION DELEGATION TO VISIT
A delegation of 23 construction -related companies and building material manufacturers from Quebec will be featured at a breakfast briefing at the World Trade Center's 29th floor Executive Offices from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 11. The Quebec Trade Office is coordinating the visit of the delegation of engineers, cabinetmakers, demolition and water purification companies, as well as manufacturers of control panels, electric and mechanical piping, recycling equipment, wood products, storm resistant lighting, floating dock systems, insulated load bearing walls, and machinery lubricants. Following the breakfast briefing, Louisiana business participants will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the company representatives from Quebec. For more information or to register, click here.

 

TRADE FINANCE SEMINAR INCLUDES FREE COUNSELING
The World Trade Center will hold an interactive one-day seminar on Wednesday, October 18 at the WTC on “The Secrets of Successful Trade Financing.” Richard “Chip” Thomas, a global trade and banking expert and President of the American Export Training Institute (AETI), will lead the seminar. The seminar will provide valuable tools, techniques, and practical knowledge for export financing. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how to use financing tools such as letters of credit and government resources; how to offer competitive terms and yet receive payment upon shipment; how to protect balance sheets from the risks of international trade; and how to identify creditworthy prospects.

The October 18 seminar is for anyone responsible for international trade financing, including CEO’s, CFO’s, International Sales and Marketing Executives, Export Managers, Controllers, Accountants, Finance Officers and Credit Managers. Attendees are encouraged to bring copies of transactions to the workshop for a one-on-one review with Mr. Thomas and/or to share with the group. Anyone using Letters of Credit and interested in learning about pending changes to the UCP 500 will find this program informative. As an added bonus, the attendees at the workshop can make an appointment with Chip Thomas for the following day, October 19, for a one-on-one free consultation at the WTC for up to one hour. For additional information and registration, click here.

 

FMC CHAIRMAN TO SPEAK ON CHANGING MARITIME SCENE
On Friday, October 27 the World Trade Center and other organizations will sponsor a luncheon program at 12:00 noon in the Plimsoll Club of the WTC on “Scanning the Horizon: Some Observations on the Changing Maritime Scene” featuring Steven R. Blust, Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. For more information or to register, click here.

 

BRIEFING ON RUSSIAN OFFSHORE OIL & GAS SECTOR
The World Trade Center, Louisiana Economic Development, the Tulane Energy Institute, and other organizations are holding a luncheon program at the WTC’s Plimsoll Club on Thursday, October 26 at 12:00 noon on “The Outlook on Russia’s Offshore Oil & Gas Industry.” The speaker will be Daniel Satinsky, Director of North American Business Development for RPI, Inc., a Moscow-based, international energy consulting firm specializing in the energy industry of Russia, the Caspian region, Eastern and Central Europe (www.rpi-inc.com). Mr. Satinsky previously served as the Executive Editor of Russian Petroleum Investor and Caspian Investor, analytic, subscription-only journals specializing in the energy sector in the former Soviet Union. He also serves as President of the U.S.-Russia Chamber of Commerce of New England. For more information or to register, for the October 26 luncheon, click here.

 

WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF NEW ORLEANS EVENTS
October 10 - “Heroin Highways: The Taliban Resurgence in Afghanistan,” Dr. William Rowe, LSU Department of Geography, Howe-Russell Hall E130 at LSU, 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Free. Co-sponsored with the LSU International Studies Program.

October 11 - Great Decisions: The Energy Policy Conundrum, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at Urban Cup Cafe, 4861 Magazine Street. Facilitator: Bob Shaw, Entergy Corporation

October 15 - Dining Internationally at La Provence, 25020 HWY 190, East Big Branch, LA (between Mandeville and Lacombe). Visit www.laprovencerestaurant.com or call (985) 626-7662.

For additional information, visit the World Affairs Council website at www.wacno.org. or call (504) 523-2001.

 

OCTOBER 13 CODOFIL SOIRÉE TO HONOR JIMMY NEWMAN
Les Amis du CODOFIL, West Bank is celebrating its 27th Anniversary with a Soirée en Ville on Friday, October 13 at the St. Charles Condominiums, 625 St. Charles Avenue, 4th floor Ballroom, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Grand Ole Opry performer Jimmy C. Newman will be presented with the Prix de Louisiane award for fifty years of promoting Cajun culture. To order tickets, contact Faustine Hillard at (337) 262-5810 or at codofil@bellsouth.net. In 1968 the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, CODOFIL, was created by the Louisiana Legislature to develop and preserve the French language for the cultural, economic and touristic benefit of the state.

 

FRENCH AMERICAN CHAMBER EVENT ON OCTOBER 19
On Thursday, October 19 the French American Chamber of Commerce/Louisiana Chapter is holding “Cocktails & Conversation” at the Bridge Lounge at 1201 Magazine Street in New Orleans from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. The event will feature a cash bar and is open to the public. For further information, call Nathalie Bastin at (504) 561-0070.

 

PRESENTATION ON FRENCH LANGUAGE REACQUISITION
French Immersion in Acadiana schools has become immensely popular with local communities determined to carry on the oral tradition of their Cajun and Creole ancestors. But what about the “lost generation” of Louisianans who had to abandon their French mother tongue in exchange for a future in English only? As part of Acadian Heritage Week, Louisiane ˆ la carte will sponsor an informational session on how to become a French speaker again. “French Language Reacquisition” will be presented by noted linguist, Julia Schulz, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 10 at the Acadiana Open Channel Conference Room, 704 Lee Avenue, Lafayette. Louisiane ˆ la carte is a non-profit organization concerned with preserving Louisiana’s French heritage and language through community and media development. For additional information about the October 11 event or to schedule an interview with Julia Schulz, call (337) 233-5616.

 

AZUCAR BALL 2006 TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 11
On Saturday, November 11, the New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation will host its 16th annual fundraiser, “The Azúcar Ball.” This year the theme of the event will be “Nueva Orleans Renace” or “ New Orleans Rises.” It will be a magic night of remembrance of times past, dancing, fun and the celebration of being back in this magical city. The black tie affair will take place at the InterContinental New Orleans Hotel with non-stop music from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. by Julio y Cesar and Ashe_Son. There will also be a silent auction for those wanting to take home some fantastic and interesting items. As always, there will be fabulous food! The proceeds from the “Azúcar Ball” will provide much needed monies for the Foundation’s scholarship fund. For the last 16 years, the Foundation Scholarship Fund has provided outstanding Hispanic students with scholarships to attend some of the most prestigious high schools in the city. For ticket information on the “Azucar Ball event, call Rosa Rodriguez at (504) 523-2600, ext. 139.

 

ANNE BODINE IS NEW TULANE DIPLOMAT IN RESIDENCE
In September Anne C. Bodine assumed the position as the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomat in Residence at Tulane University, succeeding Amb. Joseph Sullivan, who served in the position for the past two years. Ms. Bodine leads the State Department’s recruiting efforts in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Western Tennessee and supports recruiting efforts of the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) in the region. She also will teach at Tulane University in the spring semester of 2007. As part of her duties, Ms. Bodine engages civic groups and universities to promote awareness of foreign affairs and national security policymaking.

Ms. Bodine is a career Foreign Service Officer. Her most recent tours include:

  • A 10-month assignment as the Media Development Advisor to the Public Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq;
     
  • 8 months as the Principal Officer at the U.S. Regional Embassy Office in Kirkuk, Iraq;
     
  • One year as the Department of State and USAID representative to the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Herat, Afghanistan.

Prior to Afghanistan, Ms. Bodine’s assignments in her 20-year career included serving as head of the Political/Economic section of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, and postings or training in Washington and at U.S. missions abroad in Bahrain, Germany, Tunisia, and Syria. Since 1992, Ms. Bodine’s assignments have centered on the Arab-Israeli peace process, the political economy of the Middle East, and post-conflict stabilization efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ms. Bodine holds Master’s degrees from the U.S. Naval War College and the London School of Economics and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.

 

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURE IN MALI
The International Conference on Agriculture (SIAGRI 2006) will be held in Bamako, Mali November 17-23. The event is organized by the Permanent Assembly of the Chambers of Agriculture of Mali (APCAM). The primary objective of the conference is to promote agricultural products, food-processing, and agro-industrial products by initiating exchange between different producers, national and international entrepreneurs, and other interested business parties. The theme of this event is “Produce more to sell more.”

Mali is a peaceful and stable country with great productivity potential unmatched on the African continent. Its government welcomes foreign technology, services, and trade, mainly agricultural, agronomy, aquaculture, waterworks and fisheries, as well as international business development. Anyone interested in the conference who needs guidance with travel arrangements, embassy contacts, or other information should contact Nancy Marinovic, Honorary Consul of Mali in New Orleans at (504) 454-6536 or at nancyenplanar@cox.net.

 

USTDA BRIEFING ON AFRICA WATER SECTOR
On Tuesday, October 24 the U.S. Trade and Development Agency in cooperation with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is sponsoring a business briefing on “Sub-Saharan Regional Water Sector Opportunities for U.S. Companies” at the Dallas Convention Center from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The briefing will highlight the latest information on new developments in the water and wastewater sectors in Botswana, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Senegal. The briefing and one-on-one meetings are part of the WEF’s Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC), which will take place at the Dallas Convention Center from October 21-25. There is no cost to attend the briefing. For information on the briefing, e-mail mak@kealtd.com or call (202) 429-5245. For more information on the WEFTEC, visit www.weftec.org.

 

MEETING OF AMERICAN CHAMBERS IN LATIN AMERICA
On October 16-17 the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America (AACCLA) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will host AACCLA’s 39th Annual Meeting on “Forecast On Latin America And The Caribbean” at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. Confirmed speakers include: Michael Chertoff, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security; Jorge H. Botero, Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism of Colombia; David Malpass, Chief Economist at Bear Stearns and Company, Inc.; Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the Inter-American Development Bank; and MoisŽs Na’m, Editor of Foreign Policy, among others. Representing 23 American Chambers of Commerce in 21 Latin American and Caribbean nations, AACCLA’s 20,000 member companies manage over 80 percent of all U.S. investment in the region. For details about the conference and registration, visit www.AACCLA.org or contact Maria Medrano at mmedrano@aaccla.org or (202) 463-5384.

 

The Louisiana International Trade Bulletin is a monthly partnership publication of the:
Louisiana Department of Economic Development
New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center
World Trade Center of New Orleans

Information in the Bulletin is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the completeness and accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed.

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