[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 115 (Tuesday, June 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32856-32857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16127]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Secretary Daley's Commercial Development Mission to Africa

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Secretary Daley's Commercial Development Mission to Africa.

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SUMMARY: This notice serves to inform the public of a Secretarial 
Commercial Development Mission to Africa, September 12-20, 1998, and of 
the opportunity to apply for participation in the mission; sets forth 
objectives, procedures, and participation criteria for the mission; and 
requests applications.

DATES: Applications should be submitted to Lucie Naphin by July 15, 
1998, in order to ensure sufficient time to obtain in-country 
appointments for applicants selected to participate in the mission. 
Applications received after that date will be considered only if space 
and scheduling constraints permit. The mission is scheduled to travel 
to South Africa, Kenya and Cote d'Ivoire, with other possible stops in 
the region.

ADDRESSES: Request for and submission of applications--Applications are 
available from Lucie Naphin, Director of the Office of Business 
Liaison, at (202) 482-1360 or via facsimile at (202) 482-4054. Numbers 
listed in this notice are not toll-free. An original and two copies of 
the required application materials should be sent to Ms. Naphin. 
Applications sent by facsimile must be immediately followed by 
submission of the original application to Ms. Naphin at the following 
address: Office of Business Liaison, Room 5062, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 
20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lucie Naphin at (202) 482-1360. 
Information is also available via the International Trade 
Administration's (ITA) Internet home page at ``<a href="http://
www.ita.doc.gov">http://
www.ita.doc.gov</a>''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Trade Mission Description

    Secretary of Commerce William M. Daley will lead a Commercial 
Development Mission to Africa with program stops in several countries, 
including: South Africa, Kenya, and Cote d'Ivoire. The mission will 
build on the momentum of President Clinton's March 1998 visit to Africa 
in which Secretary Daley participated, strengthening commercial ties 
and expanding the dialogue between the public and private sectors of 
Africa and the United States.
    The U.S. business delegation members on this mission will include 
U.S. companies whose interests are compatible with the developmental 
aspirations of the host countries, as well as those for whom advocacy 
will assist their efforts to win contract awards. The delegation will 
include business executives primarily representing companies in sectors 
which have been recommended by U.S. Embassies as having strong growth 
potential in the region, including: telecommunications, information 
technology, computers and software, agribusiness, power generation, 
health care, financial services, environmental technologies and general 
infrastructure.
    The mission is scheduled to depart Washington, DC on Saturday, 
September 12, 1998 and return on Sunday, September 20. The precise 
schedule will depend on the availability of African government and 
private sector officials, the specific goals and interests of mission 
participants, and specific recommendations of the U.S. Embassies in the 
region.
    The program for the mission will include: embassy briefings on the 
commercial/economic environment; meetings with potential buyers, 
agents/distributors and strategic alliance partners; meetings with 
African government ministers and business leaders; meetings with 
American business executives based in Africa; and legal seminars 
featuring African and U.S. government speakers as well as participation 
from the local private sector in each region.
    The goals for the mission will include:
    <bullet> Integrating Africa more fully into the global economy;
    <bullet> Renewing African determination to build prosperity through 
free enterprise;
    <bullet> Encouraging regional economic integration and cooperation;

[[Page 32857]]

    <bullet> Working with African nations to transform the African-U.S. 
relationship from one of aid dependency to one of commercial 
partnership for mutual advantage;
    <bullet> Achieving a more level playing field for U.S. firms in 
African markets;
    <bullet> Increasing trade between Africa and the United States.
    A full description of the mission is set forth in the Mission 
Statement, which is available from Lucie Naphin, Director of the Office 
of Business Liaison, at the address listed above or at the web site 
listed above.

Trade Mission Participation Criteria

    The recruitment and selection of private sector participants in 
this mission will be conducted according to the Statement of Policy 
Governing Department of Commerce Overseas Trade Missions announced by 
Secretary Daley on March 3, 1997. Individuals must be at a level of 
executive seniority appropriate to the goals of the mission. Company 
participation will be determined on the basis of:
    <bullet> Consistency of the company's goals with the scope and 
desired outcome of the mission as described herein;
    <bullet> Relevance of a company's business line to the plan for the 
mission;
    <bullet> Past, present and prospective business activity in Africa; 
and
    <bullet> Diversity of company size, type, location, demographics 
and traditional under-representation in business.
    An applicant's partisan political activities (including political 
contributions) are irrelevant to the selection process. An interested 
party must fill out an application to be considered for participation 
in the mission.

Endorsements/Referrals

    Third parties may nominate or endorse potential applicants, but 
companies that are nominated or endorsed must themselves submit an 
application to be eligible for consideration. Referrals from political 
organizations will not be considered.

Costs

    The fees to participate in the mission have not yet been determined 
and will be based on the number of participants. The fees will not 
cover travel or lodging expenses.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1512.

    Dated: June 12, 1998.
Robert Marro,
Regional Director, Office of Africa, Near East and South Asia, 
International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 98-16127 Filed 6-15-98; 8:45 am]
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