Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Marge Searing will lead a senior-level business development Matchmaker trade mission focusing on women-owned and women-managed businesses to the countries of Egypt, Kenya and South Africa. This Business Development Mission is being organized to coincide with the Global Summit of Women 2000: Africa being held in Johannesburg, South Africa on October 5-7. While the trade mission and summit focus on women-owned and/or managed companies, participation is not limited to such businesses and all interested U.S. companies are encouraged to apply.

The mission will visit Cairo, Egypt; Nairobi, Kenya; and Johannesburg, South Africa with an optional stop to Cape Town, South Africa. The overall focus of the trip will be commercial opportunities for U.S. companies, including joint ventures, presented by the continuing market liberalization and privatization happening in these countries. In each country, briefings and matchmaking business appointments will be made for members of the business delegation. In Johannesburg, the delegation will attend the Global Summit of Women 2000: Africa (October 5-7). The delegation will be able to participate in all sessions being offered in the conference. A participation fee for the trade mission will be approximately $1800 per company. Options exist that would allow companies to select some but not all stops and the fee will vary accordingly.

EGYPT: Egypt is not only a land of great historical significance, but also a strategic player in the future of the Middle East/North Africa region, and a growing market for U.S. exports. Recipient of $2 billion a year in economic and military aid since the Camp David Accords, Egypt is now moving from a posture of "aid to trade". Much has been accomplished under the vibrant Gore-Mubarak Partnership for Economic Growth and Development. The government has instituted a number of reforms, which have reduced inflation, liberalized the trade regime and increased economic growth to 5-6% annually. But there is still much to be done in this nation of 65 million, particularly in the area of infrastructure development, and this represents opportunities for American firms.

The best sectors offering opportunities for American firms include environmental services and equipment, telecommunications, construction materials and project management, the power sector (through build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) projects), oil and gas development, hotel and restaurant equipment, medical and computer equipment, software, information technology and a variety of services. Also, as Egypt expands its production capability across the industrial spectrum, albeit on a gradual basis, this will represent an opportunity for the export of manufactured goods throughout the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

While the United States holds the single largest share of Egypt's import market, there is healthy competition from the Europeans. The $3 billion in products which the U.S. exported in 1999 is only 18% of the total $17 billion annual import market. Even with a $2.4 billion trade surplus with Egypt, there is room for U.S. export growth.

 KENYA: Kenya offers attractive, targeted opportunities for U.S. exporters. Kenya in recent years has undertaken economic reform measures-- such as the dismantling of most foreign exchange controls, the elimination of domestic marketing and price controls, and the removal of import licensing requirements. Kenya is also well positioned as a strategic hub within East and Central Africa. Many companies in Kenya service East Africa from their Nairobi headquarters. Kenya boosts a highly educated work force, world class tourism facilities, and an unusually pleasant climate.

Kenyans are intensely interested in American products and many U.S. companies have succeeded and thrived here. U.S. firms with direct investments in Kenya at present number over 70. Through mid-year 1999, Kenya was the fifth largest market for U.S. export ($110 million) in Sub-Saharan Africa. There are export opportunities in telecommunications, medical and computer equipment, food processing, horticulture, energy, health care, textiles, cosmetics, fashion and jewelry.

SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa's pivotal, post-apartheid economic transformation remains sharply focussed and widely respected internationally. South Africa will help pull the rest the continent along with it. Globalization is bringing with it new opportunities for expanded trade and investment. With a GDP of over $120 million, three times larger than its nearest competitor in Africa, South Africa is well positioned to continuing being the economic leader in Africa.

Best sectors for exports to South Africa include telecommunications/information technology, transportation, energy and power generation, airport infrastructure, air pollution and waste management, security and safety equipment, and cosmetics/ hair care products.

In addition to the matchmaking opportunities in South Africa, trade mission participants may also attend the Global Summit of Women 2000: Africa. The Summit will provide a forum for women leaders to exchange strategies and solutions developed by women to address common issues. It will focus on women's economic empowerment with a special emphasis on promoting women's pro-active participation in the global market. The program highlights include a session on business opportunities in Africa and a session on E-commerce.

The mission will further both U.S. commercial policy objectives and advance specific business interests. It is aimed at:

IV. SCENARIO FOR THE MISSION

Briefings and matchmaking business appointments will be made for members of the business delegation in Cairo, Egypt; Nairobi, Kenya; and Johannesburg, South Africa. In each country, the business of the mission will consist of:

The Commerce Department's U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service will provide logistical support for these activities at each stop.

The trip itinerary will be as follows:

September 28 (Thursday) or September 29 (Friday) Depart for Egypt

September 30 (Saturday) Arrive Egypt

October 1 (Sunday) Meetings with Government Officials, Matchmaker Meetings, Reception, Depart for Nairobi at 11:15pm

October 2 (Monday) Arrive Nairobi, Meetings with Government Officials, Matchmaker meetings, Reception

October 3 (Tuesday) Matchmaker Meetings Continue

October 4 (Wednesday) Depart Nairobi for Johannesburg, South Africa, Visit Trade Show, Reception

October 5 (Thursday) Meetings with Government Officials, Matchmaker Meetings, Reception for Global Summit

October 6 (Friday) Global Summit of Women 2000:Africa

October 7 (Saturday) Global Summit of Women Continues, Depart for United States

Recruitment of mission members will be conducted in an open and public manner utilizing Commercial Service Export Assistance Centers and industry teams, and Trade Development personnel. Promotion will include publication of the event in the Federal Register, direct mailing, broadcast fax, press release to appropriate media, posting on the Internet, promotion at domestic exhibitions and conferences, and publicized announcements through a network of women's business organizations. Companies will be selected according to the criteria set out below. Approximately 10-15 companies will be selected.

Participating companies must be incorporated in the United States. A company is eligible to participate only if the products and/or services that it will promote on the mission (a) are manufactured or produced in the United States; or (b) if manufactured or produced outside the United States, are marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have U.S. content representing at least 51 percent of the value of the finished good or service.

Selection Criteria

Company participation will be determined on the basis of:

An applicant's partisan political activities (including political contributions) are irrelevant to the selection process.

Applications for the trade mission to Egypt, Kenya and South Africa will be made available beginning on or about May 15. The fees to participate in the mission will be approximately $1800 and will not cover travel or lodging expenses. For additional information on the trade mission or to obtain an application, businesspersons should be referred to Grace Wiggins, of the Office of Domestic Operations at 202-482-6482. Applications should be submitted to Grace Wiggins by August 4, 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 name, telephone number, and address for the contact person for the trade mission follows:

Grace Wiggins

202-482-6482

Address: USDOC/ODO
3810 HCH Building
Washington DC 20230