A publication of theOffice for Trade Promotion
Volume
2
Dr. Muhammad
Yunus2006 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient
Launches His New Bookstory on page 4
pg 14
pg 10
An Interview with Andrejs Pildegovics, Latvian Ambassador
The Wilson Center Says Goodbye to Lee Hamilton
WITA’s 2010 Annual Awards Dinner
pg 6
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A publication of the Office for Trade Promotion
Welcome
Autumn 2010 | 3
DepartmentsCULTURAL EXCHANGE 06 Interview with Latvian
Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics07 Business Opportunities in Latvia09 A Celebration of Kazakh Culture
COLLABORATION10 WITA’s Annual Awards Dinner11 U.S.-Polish Energy Roundtable
DIPLOMACY 13 Jordanian Envoy Promotes
Mideast Peace
EDUCATION12 Global Cybersecurity Policy
Conference
OUTREACH 15 Africa Growth Opportunity Forum
Features04 ON THE COVER 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Muhammad Yunus Kicks Off His Nationwide Book Tour
14 IMPACT & INITIATIVES Lee Hamilton Steps Down as
Wilson Center Director
Promoting Diplomacy Through Music: The 2010 Embassy Concert Series
18 THE BACK PAGE A Closer Look at the National
Export Initiative
In This Issue A Message from Andrew Gelfuso
Notes from the Editor
The Autumn 2010 issue of Tradewinds marks the unveiling of our redesign. Not only is this
enhanced format more visually engaging, but it also reflects the tenor of our more progressive
business model and improves the experience for those viewing our online version.
Whether you prefer reading a hard copy or flipping through the pages of our interactive
web-based publication, every edition of Tradewinds provides the latest information on all our
trade-related events and programs—and an inside look at the people and policies that drive
global commerce.
In this issue, we recognize our ever-expanding roster of special visitors, provide updates on key trade initiatives
and highlight select events from our full schedule, including:
• Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, founder of Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank, kicked off his book tour with a talk at
the RRB/ITC. Yunus’ latest book, “Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism that Serves Humanity’s Most
Pressing Needs” explains how socially responsible capitalism can offset social ills like poverty and hunger.
• The Tradewinds staff had a chance to sit down with Latvian Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics. During our interview, we
discussed Latvia’s future as a tourist destination and trade hub. As an added bonus, Ambassador Pildegovics tells us
where to find authentic Latvian beer in DC.
• Attendees to the U.S.-Polish Energy Roundtable discussed opportunities for collaboration on future energy-related
projects in Poland, including clean coal technology and alternative energy sources.
Also in this issue: The Embassy Series promotes cultural understanding through music; an update on the National Export
Initiative; a visit from Jordanian Ambassador Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein and much more.
It’s been an active and ambitious year, and the coming months are shaping up to be no exception. To find out more about
our rich calendar of events, visit www.itcdc.com.
Here’s to an equally event-full fall season!
Andrew GelfusoDirector, Office for Trade Promotion
The 2010-2011 season of the Embassy Concert Series kicks off at the Iraqi Cultural Center. Part world-class concert and part diplomatic reception, Embassy Series performances are unique cultural events that promote international understanding through music. (page 14)
The Center for Social Value Creation, a specialized program operated by the Robert H. Smith School of Business, offers students real-world field experience, cutting-edge coursework and extensive resources to prepare them to tackle today’s complex global issues and create innovative business solutions. (page 5)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers remarks to the President’s Forum with Young African Leaders.
Throughout this publication, the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center is referred to as the RRB/ITC
Cover Photo: Kurt xiaoyi Tang / The Bund Weekly
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A Project of the U.S. General Services Administration
Feature Article
Autumn 2010 | 5
Muhammad Yunus, 2006 Nobel Prize winner and founder of Bangladesh’s
Grameen Bank, visited the Ronald Reagan Building to kick off his
nationwide book tour.
he event was organized by Hooks Book
Events with support from the Social
Value Creation Program at the University
of Maryland’s Smith School of Business.
In his third book, “Building Social Business: The
New Kind of Capitalism that Serves Humanity’s
Most Pressing Needs,” Yunus explains the con-
cept of ‘social business’ and shares insights, ad-
vice and case studies from his over three decades
of involvement with social business in his native
Bangladesh. Reversing conventional banking wisdom,
Yunus focuses on women borrowers, providing them credit without
requiring collateral.
MuhammadYunus
Launches Book Tour at RRB/ITC
Nobel Prize-WinningEconomist and Banker
Discusses a ‘New Kindof Capitalism’
During his lecture, Yunus discussed his
own involvement with social business,
from the groundbreaking Grameen
Bank—started with a loan of $27 from
his own pocket—to later initiatives and
programs aimed at using creativity to
address pressing needs, and not to
maximize profits.
Fighting Poverty by Helping People Help Themselves
One of Yunus’ more recent programs
was an initiative to prevent malnourish-
ment-related night blindness in children.
According to Yunus, the conventional
response to this epidemic was to dis-
tribute vitamin capsules in Bangladesh’s
poorest districts. Yunus explained that,
while this strategy may have provided
a short-term solution to the vitamin
deficiency, it ultimately created a situa-
tion in which impoverished people were
forced to depend on a product that
they could not produce themselves—
and could not afford to purchase.
Yunus instead began a small business
that allowed people to buy affordably
priced vegetable seeds. This program
gave participants the power to create
their own supply of fresh, vitamin-rich
food and succeeded not only in mitigat-
ing malnutrition, but also in serving as
a model for the long-term benefits of
helping people help themselves.
Since founding Grameen Bank (which
translates to “Village Bank”) in the early
1980s, Yunus has expanded his social
business operations to include projects
in a variety of fields including energy,
software, telecommunications, textiles
and food production. While the proj-
ects are diverse, they all have the same
core goal: creating sustainable solu-
tions for the world’s most daunting so-
cial problems. All of Yunus’ programs
are designed to earn enough profit to
be self-sustaining; all surplus profits are
reinvested in the business.
About the Event
The Muhammad Yunus book launch
was organized by Hooks Book Events
and the Social Value Creation program
at the University of Maryland’s Smith
School of Business. It was hosted by
the RRB/ITC. Andrew Gelfuso, director
of the Office for Trade Promotion,
provided opening remarks. During
his introduction, Gelfuso emphasized
the wide scope of the ITC’s mission
and its unique position as a public-
private partnership.
To learn more about Hooks Book Events, visit hooksbookevents.com.
Muhammad Yunus at the 2010 Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit. © America.gov
Above: Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank with OTP Staff, Hooks Book Event Staff and G. “Anand” Anandalingam, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland
With the goal of developing leaders with a deep sense of individual responsibility and the knowledge to use business as a vehicle for social and environ-mental change, the Social Value Creation (SVC) Center at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business takes a four-pronged approach:
Experiential LearningThe flagship component of the center is experiential learning—the opportunity for students to engage in real-world field experiences, such as consult-ing with a nonprofit organization or traveling abroad to work on sustainable projects.
CourseworkAt Smith, Social Value Creation is not an “adjunct” to a student’s education. Because the center is not housed within a specific department, courses are offered across all disciplines—whether core, electives or selectives.
ResearchTo date, the center has awarded seven grants for faculty devel-oping original research topics relevant to social and environ-mental impact.
Career DevelopmentWorking closely with Smith’s Office of Career Services, the center hosts a number of net-working events, site visits, and maintains a robust collection of job search resources.
For more information visit: www.rhsmith.umd.edu/svc/
The Smith Center for Social Value Creation
T
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A publication of the Office for Trade Promotion
Cultural Exchange
Autumn 2010 | 7
A Discussion with LatvianAmbassador Andrejs Pildegovics
Please note: What follows is an abridged version of the
interview. For a complete transcript, please view our online
edition of Tradewinds at www.itcdc.com/about.
Q. Can you tell us a few of your mission’s goals while
you’re in Washington?
Our goal is to promote multifaceted exchanges on a
broad array of issues related to international security,
economic cooperation, energy and transportation. The
embassy also collaborates with universities, scientists
and artists. For example, in June, the internationally
renowned Riga Dom Cathedral Boys’ choir performed
in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. It was a
great honor that the boys were personally welcomed by
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama
at the White House.
Q. How do you feel relations between the U.S. and
Latvia might be improved? What bilateral/multilateral
challenges persist?
I believe that we could and should do more to strength-
en economic ties between the two states. The time is
ripe to raise them to a new level based on the following
three reasons:
First, over the last five years, Latvia has matured as
an EU member state. Second, Latvia has managed to
resolve imbalances in its economy and regain com-
petitiveness. Third, the recent “reset” policy between
Russia and the West has opened new opportunities for
economic exchanges.
Q. How does Latvian culture differ from that of its
Baltic neighbors?
We are very similar, and at the same time, very different.
All three nations are very proud of their national cultures,
where traditional singing and dancing, for example, play
an important part. However, history has left its marks on
the path of every nation. Estonians, due to their linguis-
tic closeness, have developed strong cultural ties with
Finland. Lithuanians share a rich heritage with Poland and
enjoy a strong Central European identity. Latvians, being
in the middle, have the capability of understanding and
identifying with both our northern and southern neighbors.
This summer, Andrew Gelfuso had the opportunity to chat with Latvian Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics. During the conversation, Ambassador Pildegovics shared his thoughts about the economy, U.S.-Latvian relations and the best place to enjoy a cold glass of authentic Latvian beer.
Q. What is the biggest misconception the average
American has about Latvia? Along somewhat similar
lines, what about your homeland don’t we know that
we should?
Latvia is still not very widely known in the United States.
I have observed during my visits outside Washington,
DC that Latvia is much better known in Minneapolis than
in Los Angeles. I joke that one of my core missions is to
help the country to become rich and famous.
We encourage Americans to travel more to Latvia and
our Baltic neighbors [Estonia and Lithuania]. Visitors will
be amazed at the rich history, beautiful architecture and
friendly people. As some say, Latvia is the best-kept
secret in Europe!
Q. What are Latvia’s biggest exports to the U.S.? What
goods and services are imported from the U.S.?
By far, Latvia’s biggest exports to the U.S. consist of food
products; particularly spirits and alcoholic drinks, which
make up more than a third of our exports. Mechanics,
machinery and electronics—mainly parts—account for
about 25 percent of exports. Furniture is becoming a
good export product as well.
The main goods imported from the U.S. are high-tech
and industrial production machinery, medical equipment,
chemical products and airplane parts.
Interview continued on page 8
Ambassador of Latvia Andrejs Pildegovics (right) congratulates
his Estonian counterpart Väino Reinart
The Latvian Chamber of Commerce
in the Americas and the Embassy of
the Republic of Latvia held a seminar
that highlighted the various investment
and business opportunities available
in Latvia.
The program was held in the Oceanic
Room at the Ronald Reagan Building
and International Trade Center (RRB/
ITC). Guest speakers included Ainars
Slesers, vice mayor of the City of Riga,
and Bertold Flick, president and CEO
of Air Baltic. Latvian Ambassador to
the United States Andrejs Pildegovics
was among the attendees.
In recent years, Latvia’s capital city of
Riga has experienced a large influx
of tourism from Eastern European
countries like Russia. The country’s
strategic location and well-developed
entertainment industry have made
Riga a popular tourist destination,
which has led to the expansion of
Latvia’s national airline, Baltic Airways.
In addition to its burgeoning tourism
industry, Latvia has become a hub
for the transportation of goods and
services to Russia and parts of
Central Asia.
During his speech, Slesers told
attendees that by leaning on its shared
eastern and western cultures, Riga
will help to link Europe with Asia; the
Middle East with India. Expansion
of Riga’s all-season seaport,
development of its international
airport and the construction of new
exhibition and entertainment facilities
will also help transform Riga into a true
‘destination city.’
Latvia, a member of the European Union, is located in the heart of the Baltic States, and has a population of approximately 2.2 mil-lion. For more information, visit the Latvian Chamber of Commerce in the Americas at www.latchamamericas.org.
Seminar at RRB/ITC Focuses on
Business Opportunities in Latvia
LATVIARIGA
RUSSIA
RUSSIA(Kaliningrad
Oblast)
BELARUS
LITHUANIA
ESTONIA
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A Project of the U.S. General Services Administration
Cultural Exchange
Autumn 2010 | 9
instruments, such as the two-stringed
fiddle (qobyz), long-necked lute (dom-
bra), zither (jetygen), end-blown flute
(sybyzghy), mouth harp (shan-qobyz)
and Kazakh ocarina (saz-syrnay).
increased emphasis on manufacturing and a slight shift
away from services that dominated in the previous years.
One of our main challenges is to preserve social stability
with a balanced social budget.
Q. What impact has the recent slide of the euro had on
the trading relationship between Latvia and the U.S.?
Global recovery is progressing better than previously an-
ticipated, albeit at different speeds. Trade is central to any
framework for strong, sustainable and balanced growth.
Latvia has established a positive export-import balance
with a surplus of $36 million—mainly because exports fell
only by 15 percent during the crisis and recovery stages
of the weakened euro, while U.S. imports fell by 47 per-
cent in 2009.
Q. Do you have a favorite Latvian restaurant in the DC
area you might recommend for those of us in search of
an authentic meal?
A Latvian restaurant in the DC area is still to come, but
we do serve Latvian food and drinks at our embassy
events—and so does the Latvian Community Center in
Rockville. For now, I would recommend you to stop by
the Latvian Embassy during one of
our events to enjoy a glass of
cold Latvian beer and authentic
Riga’s Balsam.
Q. I’ve read that Latvia is fast becoming a major hub
for transportation, nestled between the East and West.
Are there any government initiatives you feel will be
integral to your country realizing its full potential in
this capacity?
The reinvention of the
‘modern silk road,’ if you
will. This is the hottest topic
at the moment for Latvia. It
started here in Washington
when, just over a year ago,
the U.S. started sending its
military cargo through Riga
to Afghanistan. The so-
called ‘Northern Distribution
Network’—or ‘NDN’— immediately surprised everyone by
its success! It’s amazing. In just 10 days, a container can
travel from the Riga port to Hairaton in Afghanistan via rail
through Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
NDN has tremendous potential and is a total win-win
situation for everyone involved, especially Afghanistan,
which sees Latvian transit as a key to creating a
stable economy.
Q. Your country’s economy was hit particularly hard
during the recent economic downturn. What are
Latvia’s largest economic challenges moving forward?
Latvia experienced tremendous economic growth after
joining the EU in 2004—our economy grew by 12 to 15
percent. Then the bubble burst during the global financial
crisis, and our economy fell for more than a year, at times
by close to 20 percent.
Now the worst is behind us. Latvia already shows signs
of economic stabilization: For the first time since
early 2008, we saw seasonally adjusted GDP
growth in the first quarter of this year. There has
been further growth in exports resulting from a
successful reconstruction of our economy, an
Interview with Latvian Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics continued from page 7
The Embassy of Kazakhstan
recently launched its 2010
Washington Kazakhstan Festival
celebrating and sharing Kazakh
culture with the American public.
“We are thrilled for this opportu-
nity to provide a glimpse of our
culture through public perfor-
mances and exhibitions,” said
H.E. Erlan Idrissov, Kazakhstan’s
ambassador to the United States.
“No doubt we will see stron-
ger relations between our two
countries develop as a result.”
The Presidential Folk Orchestra of
the Republic of Kazakhstan par-
ticipated in official launch week
activities with a performance at
the Ronald Reagan Building. This
unique concert celebrated the
musical heritage of the Kazakhs
and featured melodies of the
nomads of the Kazakh Steppes.
Virtuoso performances by master
musicians featured traditional folk
A Celebration of Kazakh Culture
Latvia is the best-kept
secret in Europe!
Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics
The 2010 Washington Kazakhstan Festival showcases Kazakhstan’s rich heritage of music, science, art, and international influence. Events and exhibitions continue throughout the year.
RRBITCP1_TrdewndsVol2_2010.indd 8-9 9/27/10 11:23:26 AM
A publication of the Office for Trade Promotion
Collaboration
Autumn 2010 | 11
Senator Max Bauchus and Ambassador John Huntsman Honored at WITA Awards Dinner
he Washington International Trade Association
(WITA) and the Washington International Trade
Foundation (WITF) celebrated the achievements
of Senator Max Bauchus (D-MT) and Ambassador John
Huntsman at the 2010 WITA/
WITF Annual Awards Dinner.
Hundreds of attendees—
including policymakers, trade
professionals and business
leaders—attended the din-
ner, which is one of the D.C.
area’s premier trade events.
The dinner took place in
the Atrium Ballroom of the
Ronald Reagan Building and
International Trade Center
(RRB/ITC). Andrew Gelfuso,
director of the Office for
Trade Promotion, welcomed event attendees. In his opening
remarks, Gelfuso shared some of the highlights of the RRB/
ITC’s rich calendar of events.
“This year, we have held over 200 trade events open to the
public in addition to hosting numerous important public
figures,” Gelfuso said. “Just this morning, President Obama
and Vice President Biden signed the new financial reform bill,
right here in the Amphitheater.”
Senator Max Bauchus: A Lifetime of Trade Leadership
The first award of the evening, the WITA/WITF Lifetime
Achievement Award, was given to Sen. Max Bauchus.
Bauchus, who has represented his home state of Montana
since 1978, currently serves as the chairman of the Senate
Finance Committee. Some of the highlights of his contribu-
tions to international trade include support for Free Trade
Agreements with Oman, Peru, Singapore and Chile; support
for the establishment of the World Trade Organization; and
trade missions to Cuba and parts of Asia and Australia. In
recent years, Sen. Bauchus has turned his attention to trade
relations between the U.S. and China.
During his acceptance speech, Sen. Bauchus stressed the
importance of sustained, positive international trade relations.
“In 1978, the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan ac-
counted for nearly 70 percent of the world economy. Today,
their share is just over 50 percent,” he said.
“Our trade with Asia has also grown dramatically,” he
added. “China was our 43rd-largest trading partner. Today, it
is second.”
Sen. Bauchus said the U.S. needs a strong, rules-based
trading system to ensure that high-quality products reach
consumers around the world. He also stressed the impor-
tance of enforcing existing trade agreements—especially
those related to intellectual property.
The Lifetime Achievement Award, which is the organization’s
top honor, is given to individuals who have demonstrated life-
long leadership in international trade policy. Past recipients
include Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) and Congressman
Robert Matsui (D-CA).
Ambassador John Huntsman Earns Distinguished Service Award
John Huntsman, the U.S. ambassador to China, earned the
WITA/WITF Distinguished Service Award for his multiple con-
tributions to international trade. During his time as Deputy
U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Huntsman played a
leading role in dozens of trade and investment agreements
with China, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia and India; as well as
several other parts of Africa and Asia. Ambassador Hunts-
man was also a key player in the launch of the current round
of World Trade Organization negotiations in Doha.
In addition to his current role as U.S. Ambassador to China,
Ambassador Huntsman served as a U.S. Ambassador to Sin-
gapore in 1992 and 1993. He served as governor of his home
state of Utah from 2005 to 2009.
Past recipients of the award include U.S. Trade Representative
Susan C. Schwab and Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY).
About WITA and WITF
WITA is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that provides a
neutral forum for the open discussion of international trade is-
sues. It is widely considered to be DC’s premier trade forum.
WITF is the 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports the
educational activities of WITA.
For more information on either organization, including in-depth coverage of the awards dinner, visit www.wita.org
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., Received the WITA/WITFLifetime Achievement Award
Representatives from Poland and the
U.S. gathered in the Pavilion at the
RRB/ITC for the U.S.-Polish Energy
Roundtable. The event, co-organized
by the Trade & Investment Section of
the Polish Embassy in Washington,
the U.S. Energy Association, and
the Department of Commerce,
provided an opportunity for over
100 representatives
from U.S. and Polish
government agencies,
research institutions and
private businesses to share
expertise and collaborate
on potential energy-related
investment opportunities
in Poland.
Marcin Korolec, undersecretary of
state for Poland’s Ministry of Econ-
omy, co-chaired the event with his
counterpart Juan Verde, deputy assis-
tant secretary at the U.S. Department
of Commerce. The roundtable served
as a valuable forum for representa-
tives from Poland and the United
States to focus on the benefits of
working collaboratively.
Discussions identified several poten-
tial areas for joint enterprise, includ-
ing clean coal technologies (CCT);
carbon capture and storage (CCS);
renewable energy; ‘conventional’ fuel
sources (oil and gas); energy efficien-
cy and nuclear energy. In addition,
participants discussed financing
options for energy-related projects in
Poland and in the U.S.
For more details about this event please visit www.usea.org/Publications/Documents/US-Poland_Energy_Roundtable _Agenda
From Left: Juan Verde, Jay Burgess, Marcin Korolec, Tomasz Ostaszewicz
TCelebrating Leadership and Vision
in the Advancement
of Trade Policy
RRB/ITC Hosts U.S.-Polish Energy Roundtable
RRBITCP1_TrdewndsVol2_2010.indd 10-11 9/27/10 11:23:30 AM
Education
Jordanian Envoy Promotes Mideast PeacePrince Zeid Discusses U.S.-Jordan Relations
he Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade
Center hosted a talk by Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid
Al-Hussein, Jordanian ambassador to the U.S.
During the event—which was co-sponsored by the National
Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and Bridges of Understand-
ing—Prince Zeid discussed the turmoil in the Middle East.
“Our collective will has not brought us to a defining point,”
he said. He remarked that the nations of the Middle East
need to engage in the conversation on sustainable growth
and development, a dialogue that, he said, has been ne-
glected for far too long.
On the international front, Prince Zeid discussed the impact
of numerous missed opportunities for peace since the
1960s. Although the scope and complexity of problems
in the Middle East seem immense, Prince Zeid was able
to highlight several bright spots including the recent elec-
tions in Lebanon and Iraq, and the steadfast commitment
of the peace initiatives during the recent Arab Summit in
Libya. With regard to domestic issues, Prince Zeid noted
noted that under King Abdullah II, Jordan has embarked
on programs to curb religious fanaticism, training mosque
preachers for instance, while boosting economic develop-
ment to wean the country from its dependence on petro-
leum imports.
Other speakers included Cardinal Theodore McCarrick,
who opened the event with an interfaith prayer. Following
the invocation, Andrew Gelfuso, director of the Office for
Trade Promotion at the International Trade Center, gave
welcoming remarks. The event was moderated by Dr.
John Duke Anthony, president and CEO of the
National Council on U.S.-Arab
Relations, as well as Kathryn Hubbard from the Bridges of
Understanding Foundation.
For video coverage of the event, visit www.c-spanvideo.org/program/292806-1
About the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations
The National Council on U.S.-Arab relations is a nonprofit,
non-partisan organization that promotes peace, understand-
ing and acceptance between the United States and the Arab
world. For additional information, visit www.ncusar.org.
About Bridges of Understanding
Bridges of Understanding is a nonprofit, nonpolitical
organization that fosters understanding between Americans
and the Arab world. To learn more,
visit www.bridgesofuderstanding.org.
The Stevens Institute of Technology held its first-ever Global Cybersecurity Policy Conference at its new campus in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
The two-day event included several
keynote sessions that provided fresh
perspectives on this timely subject.
Melissa Hathaway, who led President
Obama’s 60-day cybersecurity policy
review, emphasized the importance of
public-private partnerships in secur-
ing critical national infrastructure
systems. Ed Amoroso, senior vice
president and chief security officer for
AT&T, explained new ways of thinking
about cybersecurity at the enter-
prise level as an enabler for greater
institutional effectiveness. And in his
keynote remarks, Major General Dale
Meyerrose (USAF, ret.), vice president
of the Harris Corporation, provided a
practical perspective on cybersecurity
that integrated his experiences both
as a military officer and the first chief
information officer of the U.S. intel-
ligence community.
Ten panel discussions, drawing
upon the expertise of 50 technical
specialists, addressed the impact of
cybersecurity across all sectors of
society, including energy; law enforce-
ment; civil rights and personal liberties;
telecommunications; finance; medical;
emergent technologies, innovation
and business growth; military; aviation
and corporations.
The event chair, the Honorable Michael
W. Wynne, 21st secretary of the Air
Force, provided closing remarks.
Over 200 speakers and participants
attended the conference. C-SPAN
covered the event and has several
webcasts available on its site,
including Amoroso’s and Hathaway’s
presentations: www.c-spanvideo.org.
About the Stevens Institute of Technology
The Stevens Institute of Technology
is a private institution that focuses on
research and entrepreneurship. At its
RRB/ITC campus, The Stevens Institute
offers master’s degree programs in
systems engineering and cybersecurity.
For more information, visit
www.stevens.edu.
Global Cybersecurity Conference T
Right: HE Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, Ambassador of Jordan
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Impact & Initiatives AGOA 2010 ForumOpens with Pledges to Improve Trade
Impact & Initiatives
A Project of the U.S. General Services Administration Autumn 2010 | 15
12 Years of Leadership:
Lee Hamilton Steps Down as Wilson Center Director In 1999, around the
time the Woodrow
Wilson International
Center for Schol-
ars moved into the
Ronald Reagan
Building, former
Congressman Lee
Hamilton came on
board as the Cen-
ter’s new director.
This fall, after
nearly 12 years
of esteemed
leadership,
Hamilton will step
down as president and director and move
back to Indiana with his wife Nancy.
Under Hamilton’s leadership, the Wilson Center has ex-
panded dramatically: the number of staff, program offices
and scholars in residence has grown substantially. A focus
on communications efforts has extended the reach of the
Center. In addition, the Wilson Center reversed its fundrais-
ing ratio so that the federal appropriation no longer accounts
for the majority of the Center’s operating budget. The Center
now receives nearly two-thirds of its funding from private
sources and roughly one-third from Congress.
The Wilson Center’s staff and scholars attribute the Center’s
growth and success in large part to Hamilton’s leadership
style. He came with a reputation for bipartisanship and
has led the Center with integrity. Staff and scholars always
admired his open-door policy; he remained accessible to
everyone, from senior scholar to intern.
“Lee is an honest, decent, thoughtful human being in a city
where these qualities are all too rare,” said colleague Blair
Ruble, director of the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute.
The Embassy Series:Uniting Cultures through Musical Diplomacy
Everyone says it. One of the special things about living
in Washington is the presence of 175 embassies and
the diverse cultures they represent. But how many
Washingtonians actually take advantage of this presence?
Thanks to Jerome Barry, an American baritone who speaks
nine languages, everyone who loves good music can enjoy
first-class concerts and lively receptions in dozens of em-
bassies throughout the city.
“It’s not just entertainment,” says Barry, who founded the
concert series nine years ago. “Through their national music
and cultural displays, participating embassies promote pub-
lic awareness and acceptance.”
As one cultural attaché said, neatly summing up the senti-
ments of Washington’s diplomatic corps, “Culture is the
bearer of the most important information about a country.
This is how we can really make ourselves understood.”
For more information and topurchase tickets, visit www.embassyseries.org
In October, the Embassy of
Australia presents Graham Ashton, Trumpet;
Donna Balson, Soprano (pictured);
John Lettieri, Piano.
he annual U.S.–Sub-Saharan
Africa Trade and Economic
Cooperation Forum—better
known as the AGOA Forum—opened
in August at the Ronald Reagan
Building with U.S. and African officials
pledging to make the U.S. trade pref-
erence program work even better to
stimulate economic growth and devel-
opment on both sides of the Atlantic.
Hosted by the Department of State,
the AGOA Forum was attended by
more than 600 participants, including
senior U.S. and African officials, as
well as U.S. and African members of
the private sector and civil society.
Supporting this year’s theme, “AGOA
at 10: New Strategies for a Changing
World,” forum sessions focused on
the links between private investment
and economic growth in Africa.
In her keynote address, Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton recounted her
recent trip to Africa and the progress
she saw sweeping the continent. “In
small villages and sprawling cities
poverty, conflict and corruption are
giving way to opportunity, stability
and democracy,” she said.
U.S. Trade Representative
Ron Kirk and Kenya’s Minister
of Trade Amos Muhinga
Kimunya addressed the
opening session. Also on the
dais were Assistant Secretary
of State for African Affairs Johnnie
Carson and Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for African Affairs
William Fitzgerald.
Referring to the forum’s ten-year
anniversary, Kirk said, “The United
States remains committed to
partnering with Africa to address
the challenges of poverty, health,
education, conflict, governance and
economic development.”
AGOA represents a progressive U.S.
trade and investment policy toward
the continent that is reducing bar-
riers to trade, increasing diversified
exports, creating jobs and expanding
opportunities for Africans.
Specifically, AGOA provides
trade preferences to des-
ignated countries that are
making progress in eco-
nomic and political reforms.
There are currently 38 sub-Saharan
African countries that can take ad-
vantage of the trade benefits.
During the first five months of 2010,
U. S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa
increased seven percent to $6.4 bil-
lion, and U.S. imports increased 78
percent to $26.6 billion. AGOA was
enacted in its original form in May
2000 to expand U.S.-sub-Saharan
trade and investment, stimulate
economic growth and help integrate
sub-Saharan Africa into the greater
global economy.”“The United
States remains committed to
partnering with Africa...
Above: U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk © WTO Photo: Jay Louvion, Studio CasagrandeBelow: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressing AGOA
T
Photographer: Luke Delalio
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The Back Page
President Obama says the U.S. has made significant export-related progress since the launch of the National Export Initiative (NEI) earlier this year. The NEI, which is an unprec-edented, government-wide export program, has helped increase U.S. exports and create new opportunities for U.S. businesses.
During his September speech at a meeting of the President’s Export Council, President Obama acknowledged that some of the NEI’s goals—doubling American exports, increasing trade missions, and creating thousands of much-needed jobs—will take time. But he noted that just six months into the program, there has been significant progress.
“Despite some strong economic headwinds this year, we’ve already seen some progress . . . we’re very pleased to see that [exports] are up 18 percent to where they were a year ago,” he said. “And manufacturing exports are up 20 percent. And that’s helping put a lot of our people back to work.”
President Obama said exports are critical to helping American businesses grow and prosper in the next five years—and he’s continuing to look for ways to step up U.S. export activities.
“America is going to bat as a stronger partner and a better advocate for our businesses abroad,” he said. “We’re removing barriers to help businesses get a foothold in new markets. We’re increasing export financing for small and medium-sized businesses.”
President Obama first announced plans for the NEI during his State of the Union Address on January 27. To learn more about the NEI or to view President Obama’s entire speech, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/09/16/remarks-president-meeting-with-presidents-export-council
To learn more about the NEI or view a transcript of the entire speech, visit www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office
Taking a Closer Look:A National Export Initiative Progress Report
Brenda Klein8494 Bonita Isle DriveLake Worth, FL 33467
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW | Washington, DC 20004
Tradewinds highlights trade events and activities at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. It is a copyrighted publication of the Office for Trade Promotion (OTP), the programming arm of the International Trade Center. Please address comments and suggestions to the editor at [email protected].
PublisherJeremy Downs, director of the International Trade Center for the GSA
EditorAndrew Gelfuso, director of the Office for Trade Promotion
ContributorsHosai Rashid and Ryan Bodge, OTP staff
For a listing of upcoming trade events, visit www.itcdc.com/trade.
The International Trade Center is operated by Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA).
“Even as we’re working
to get our economy
moving today, we are also laying a
new foundation for growth
tomorrow.”
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