April 21, 2006
Contact: Robin Winchell (202) 225-4031
Melancon Initiative' Economic Partnership, Katrina
Devastation Top Agenda
At the invitation of U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, Kazakhstan's Ambassador to the U.S. Kanat
Saudabayev will be in South Louisiana later
this week. The Ambassador's visit is intended to strengthen economic ties
with Louisiana's oil and gas industries, as
well as express Kazakhstan's
commitment to seeing the Gulf
Coast rebuild after two
devastating hurricanes.
Last year, Congressman Melancon traveled to Kazakhstan on a
trade mission. The result of his trip was The Melancon Initiative, a
framework agreement for increased economic and educational partnerships with Louisiana. The
Melancon Initiative focuses on opening the door for Louisiana
oil and gas companies to help develop Kazakhstan's energy infrastructure
and fully realize its potential as a major supplier of oil to the world. Kazakhstan has an estimated 92 billion barrels
in untapped oil reserves located in conditions very similar to those off the
coast of Louisiana.
"I'm honored by the Ambassador's visit," said
Melancon. "Not just for his nation's strong support as we face the
challenges left by Katrina and Rita, but also for the economic partnership that
will benefit both Louisiana and Kazakhstan for
decades to come."
"The Kazakhs have a saying, ‘there is no such thing as
somebody else's disaster,' and what happened to Louisianans caused a painful
echo in the hearts of the people of Kazakhstan," said Ambassador
Saudabayev. "President Nursultan Nazarbayev and our nation will continue
to assist Louisiana
through charitable donations as well as this new economic partnership"
"Local companies in Louisiana
can and should participate in global markets," added Melancon. "Who is
better experienced in the oil and gas industry than our homegrown companies
that have been doing it for years? The Ambassador's visit is recognition
by the government of Kazakhstan
that we can do the job for them and reap the benefits for our industries here
at home."
Ambassador Saudabayev and Congressman Melancon will present
the Melancon Initiative to a roundtable summit of industry leaders on Sunday at
Nicholls State
University in Thibodaux. The event is hosted by the
South Louisiana Economic Council who, as part of the agreement brokered by
Melancon, will open an office in Kazakhstan to incubate new
Kazakh-Louisiana business partnerships.
Afterwards, the Ambassador and the Congressman will tour the
offshore service facilities at Port Fourchon and visit an example of a local
service company that could benefit from the new agreement.
On Monday the Ambassador will present Governor Blanco with
$50,000 in donations from his government to Ursuline Academy of New Orleans and
the St. Bernard Unified School before addressing the State House of Representatives
on the growing ties between Kazakhstan
and Louisiana.
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