Executive-Led Trade Mission to South Africa and Zambia, 31574-31577 [2012-12974]

Download as PDF 31574 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 29, 2012 / Notices Countervailing Duty Proceedings None. Suspension Agreements srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES None. During any administrative review covering all or part of a period falling between the first and second or third and fourth anniversary of the publication of an antidumping duty order under 19 CFR 351.211 or a determination under 19 CFR 351.218(f)(4) to continue an order or suspended investigation (after sunset review), the Secretary, if requested by a domestic interested party within 30 days of the date of publication of the notice of initiation of the review, will determine, consistent with FAG Italia v. United States, 291 F.3d 806 (Fed. Cir. 2002), as appropriate, whether antidumping duties have been absorbed by an exporter or producer subject to the review if the subject merchandise is sold in the United States through an importer that is affiliated with such exporter or producer. The request must include the name(s) of the exporter or producer for which the inquiry is requested. For the first administrative review of any order, there will be no assessment of antidumping or countervailing duties on entries of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption during the relevant provisional-measures ‘‘gap’’ period, of the order, if such a gap period is applicable to the period of review. Interested parties must submit applications for disclosure under administrative protective orders in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. On January 22, 2008, the Department 3 In the initiation notice that published on April 30, 2012 (77 FR 25401) the POR for the above referenced case was incorrect. The period listed above is the correct POR for this case. 4 If one of the above-named companies does not qualify for a separate rate, all other exporters of Certain Activated Carbon from the PRC who have not qualified for a separate rate are deemed to be covered by this review as part of the single PRC entity of which the named exporters are a part. 5 If one of the above-named companies does not qualify for a separate rate, all other exporters of Certain Steel Threaded Rods from the PRC who have not qualified for a separate rate are deemed to be covered by this review as part of the single PRC entity of which the named exporters are a part. 6 If the above-named company does not qualify for a separate rate, all other exporters of Frontseating Service Valves from the PRC who have not qualified for a separate rate are deemed to be covered by this review as part of the single PRC entity of which the named exporters are a part. 7If the above-named company does not qualify for a separate rate, all other exporters of Magnesium Metal from the PRC who have not qualified for a separate rate are deemed to be covered by this review as part of the single PRC entity of which the named exporters are a part. VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:12 May 25, 2012 Jkt 226001 published Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings: Documents Submission Procedures; APO Procedures, 73 FR 3634 (January 22, 2008). Those procedures apply to administrative reviews included in this notice of initiation. Parties wishing to participate in any of these administrative reviews should ensure that they meet the requirements of these procedures (e.g., the filing of separate letters of appearance as discussed at 19 CFR 351.103(d)). Any party submitting factual information in an antidumping duty or countervailing duty proceeding must certify to the accuracy and completeness of that information. See section 782(b) of the Act. Parties are hereby reminded that revised certification requirements are in effect for company/government officials as well as their representatives in all segments of any antidumping duty or countervailing duty proceedings initiated on or after March 14, 2011. See Certification of Factual Information to Import Administration During Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings: Interim Final Rule, 76 FR 7491 (February 10, 2011) (‘‘Interim Final Rule’’), amending 19 CFR 351.303(g)(1) and (2). The formats for the revised certifications are provided at the end of the Interim Final Rule. The Department intends to reject factual submissions in any proceeding segments initiated on or after March 14, 2011 if the submitting party does not comply with the revised certification requirements. These initiations and this notice are in accordance with section 751(a) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1675(a)) and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(1)(i). Dated: May 22, 2012. Christian Marsh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations. [FR Doc. 2012–12981 Filed 5–25–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P South Africa and Zambia November 26—November 30, 2012, to help U.S. firms find business partners and sell equipment and services in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, and Lusaka, Zambia. Targeted sectors are: • Electric Power and Energy Efficiency Technologies, Equipment and Services Æ Electrical generating equipment Æ Renewable energy technologies Æ Clean coal technology Æ Transmission and distribution equipment and services Æ Energy efficiency building technologies and services • Productivity Enhancing Agricultural Technologies and Equipment Æ Crop production equipment and machinery Æ Irrigation equipment and technology Æ Crop storage and handling Æ Precision farming technologies • Transportation Equipment and Infrastructure Æ New and refurbished locomotives Æ New bulk car and other dedicated rolling fleets Æ Smart Signaling and operations’ automation Æ Business model analysis Æ Strategic route design and network planning Æ Port Infrastructure • Mining Equipment and Technology Æ Software Æ Process automation Æ Mining beneficiation Æ Geo-information technologies Æ Bulk materials handling technology Although focused on the sectors above, the mission also will consider participation from companies in other appropriate sectors as space permits. This mission will be led by a senior Department of Commerce official and will include business-to-business matchmaking with local companies, market briefings, and meetings with key government officials. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Commercial Setting International Trade Administration South Africa is a country of 50 million people that is rich in diverse cultures, people and natural heritage. Enjoying remarkable macroeconomic stability and a largely pro-business environment, South Africa is a logical and attractive choice for U.S. companies to enter Sub-Sahara Africa. South Africa is the most advanced, broad-based industry and productive economy in Africa and in 2011 had a gross domestic product (GDP) of $42 billion, growing by 3.1 percent. In 2010 South Africa accounted for 31 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP. Executive-Led Trade Mission to South Africa and Zambia International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Mission Description The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, U.S. Commercial Service is organizing a Trade Mission to PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM 29MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 29, 2012 / Notices South Africa is April 2011 joined Brazil, Russia, India and China as the only African country in the leading emerging market group, BRICS. This step was seen as significant endorsement by its peers of the country’s macro-economic development since the establishment of democracy in 1994. Zambia is a politically stable, multiparty democracy, rich in natural resources. Zambia has a population of approximately 13 million with a growing middle class, particularly in urban areas. Its relatively open economy has averaged more than six percent real GDP growth over the past eight years and was ranked one of the fastest growing economies in the world in a recent report by The Economist magazine. In 2011, total U.S.-Zambia trade was $177 million, an 83 percent increase over 2010 levels and a more than 200 percent increase over 2009 levels. While relatively small in total, U.S.-Zambia trade has tremendous growth potential, and the Zambian government and private sector are keen to strengthen the commercial relationship between the United States and Zambia. Leading U.S. exports include machinery, transportation equipment, chemicals, and computers and electronic products. Best Prospects in Mission Targeted Sectors Energy srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES South Africa Electricity supply constraints are expected to remain a feature of South Africa’s social and economic landscape for several years to come, and the introduction of additional capacity will be required for at least the next 20 years. Energy Efficiency Building Technologies and Products South Africa presents potentially lucrative opportunities for U.S. firms involved in Green Building Technologies (GBT). By developedeconomy standards, South Africa continues to lag far behind in its adoption of green building practices. However, the notion of green building is gathering momentum in South Africa with an array of projects currently in the pipeline. Although no formal statistics are currently recorded for green building products in South Africa, the current building and construction materials market is estimated at about $11.88 billion per annum, with 60 percent sold direct to end-users and 40 percent via the distribution/merchant network. Of this total of $11.88 billion, $2.12 billion VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:12 May 25, 2012 Jkt 226001 (18 percent) of materials would be used in the additions, alterations and home improvement market (including unrecorded home improvement). South Africa’s State-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) plans to inject $1.68 billion into ‘green’ industries over the next five years as part of a larger $14 billion disbursement plan between 2010 and 2015. The IDC indicated that the ‘‘green economy’’ has emerged as a primary focus for the development finance institution (DFI), owing to its potential to create jobs and lower the carbon intensity of the South African economy. Zambia More than 45 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s water resources pass through Zambia, creating significant untapped hydropower potential to meet domestic demand and for export to Eastern and Southern African countries. Zambia is connected to the Southern African Power Pool and has plans to connect to the East African Power Pool. Domestic demand often exceeds domestic production due to maintenance and upgrades at major hydropower facilities and brown outs are relatively common. In the past two years, ZESCO has raised electricity rates substantially to meet long-term cost recovery, although a planned further 20 percent increase in rates in early 2012 was shelved due to public opposition. Specific opportunities for mission members include hydro generation, other renewable technologies, construction and engineering services in generation and transmission, and smart grid technologies. There is also a market for small-scale power generating equipment, such as micro-hydro power systems, mobile generation units, solar panels and diesel-powered generators for household or commercial use. Agricultural Equipment South Africa has by far the most modern, productive and diverse agricultural economy in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a net exporter of agricultural and food products and is self sufficient in food products. South Africa offers U.S. exporters of agricultural equipment and technology a wide range of opportunities. The country’s annual agricultural equipment market is estimated at approximately $919 million. Five percent of all new agriculture equipment is being produced locally, ninety five percent of all agriculture equipment and parts are being sourced from international markets, and at least twenty percent of new equipment and technologies are PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 31575 currently being sourced from the United States. Zambia has favorable climatic conditions, vast irrigation potential, good prospects for livestock production, and has one of the highest percentages of uncultivated arable land in Africa. Zambia exported approximately $500 million in agricultural products in 2010, and agriculture accounts for more than 20 percent of Zambia’s GDP. The sector provides employment for about 60 percent of the population, the majority being small-scale or subsistence farmers, with about 750 large scale commercial farms and more than 1,000 emergent farms (up to 150 acres). Transportation Equipment and Infrastructure South Africa’s government has announced and allocated initial funding for significant transportation infrastructure capital investments: The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) of the South African Department of Transport (SADOT) has announced a large rail improvement program. The 20-year procurement process will be split into two, with the first ten-year contract running from 2015 and the second from 2025. The formal tender process started in March 2012 and financial closure with the successful bidder is expected in June 2013. The first train is to be delivered in 2015. The South African Government will spend R21.3bn on infrastructure in the port of Durban over seven years, but this excludes more than R100bn that could be required to dig out the old Durban International Airport site and expand the harbor further. The sum of R21.3bn—a figure that may change as projects are reviewed or added over the next seven years—is part of the R300bn of transport and logistics projects that South African President Jacob Zuma mentioned in his state of the nation address in February 2012. Zambia is landlocked and sparsely populated. As such, transportation is a substantial cost to doing business in the country. Goods move primarily by road and rail. Most copper, Zambia’s primary export, is moved by truck. The Government has budgeted a record $890 million to road development and maintenance in 2012. The government has at various times signaled its intention to expand Zambia’s main international airports, and the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) funded an airports master plan that was completed in 2011 for international airports in Lusaka, Livingstone, Ndola, and Mfuwe. E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM 29MYN1 31576 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 29, 2012 / Notices Mining Equipment and Technology South Africa—2,200 miles of railway line, three new ports and a large amount of bulk handling infrastructure at other ports are high on the agenda for both the South African Government and mining consortia. Zambia is the largest copper producer in Africa and the eighth largest producer in the world. Zambia has more than 6 percent of known copper reserves, with about 42 percent of the country still unexplored for minerals. The sector has seen more than $5 billion in investment in the sector since the mines were privatized starting in 1998 and annual copper production is expected to top 1 million tons by 2015. The mining sector accounts for 6 percent of Zambia’s GDP, and copper exports generate about 75 percent of export earnings. The sector continues to be the second largest formal employer, after government. All mining companies are required by law to upgrade their mining equipment, particularly smelters, to conform Zambia’s mining sector to international regulations and United Kingdom and U.S. environmental standards by 2015. Zambia also has cobalt, gold, uranium, nickel, manganese, coal, and gemstones, and produces 20 percent of the world’s emeralds. Mission Goals The goal of the South Africa-Zambia Trade Mission is to provide U.S. participants with first-hand market information, and one-on-one meetings with business contacts, including potential agents, distributors and partners so they can position themselves to enter or expand their presence in the South African and Zambian markets. Mission Scenario The South Africa-Zambia Mission will visit Johannesburg, Cape Town and Lusaka, with an optional visit to Ndola in Zambia’s Copper Belt, allowing participants to access the largest markets and business centers in the two countries. In each city, participants will meet with potential business contacts. PROPOSED MISSION TIMETABLE Day of week Date Sunday .............. Monday .............. Nov 25 ..................................................... Nov. 26 Lusaka ....................................... Tuesday ............. Wednesday ........ Thursday ............ Friday ................. Activity Arrive in Lusaka. Mission Meetings Officially Start. Breakfast briefing with U.S. Embassy Staff. One-on-one business appointments. Evening business reception. Nov 27 Lusaka Optional flight to Ndola; In Lusaka one-on-one business appointments continue and for those companies (Copper Belt); Travel to Johannesburg. with mining, transport and other meetings in the northern Copper Belt, morning flight to Ndola for meetings. Evening flights (Lusaka and Ndola) to Johannesburg. Nov. 28 Johannesburg ............................ Briefing by U.S. Embassy Staff. One-on-one business meetings. Evening business reception. Nov. 29 Johannesburg and Travel to One-on-one meetings continue in Johannesburg. Cape Town. Briefing by Cape Town Consulate Staff. Networking reception in Cape Town. Nov 30 Cape Town ................................. One-on-one business appointments continue. Mission ends. * Note: The final schedule and potential site visits will depend on the availability of local government and business officials, specific goals of mission participants, and air travel schedules. srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Participation Requirements All applicants will be evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below. The mission is designed for a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20 to participate in the mission from the applicant pool. U.S. companies already doing business in the target markets as well as U.S. companies seeking to enter these markets for the first time are encouraged to apply. Fees and Expenses After a company has been selected to participate on the mission, a participation fee to the U.S. Department of Commerce is required. The participation fee for one representative is $4350 for a small or medium-sized VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:12 May 25, 2012 Jkt 226001 enterprise (SME) 1 and $4900 for large firms. The fee for each additional firm representative (SME or large) is $450. Expenses for travel, lodging, some meals, and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission participant. Conditions for Participation • An applicant must submit a completed and signed mission application and supplemental application materials, including adequate information on the company’s products and/or services, primary market objectives, and goals for participation. If the U.S. Department of 1 An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer employees or that otherwise qualifies as a small business under SBA regulations. See https:// www.sba.gov/contractingopportunities/owners/ basics/whatismallbusiness/. Parent companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries will be considered when determining business size. The dual pricing reflects the Commercial Service’s user fee schedule that became effective May 1, 2008. See https://www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/ initiatives.html. PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Commerce receives an incomplete application, the Department may reject the application, request additional information, or take the lack of information into account when evaluating the applications. • Each applicant must also certify that the products and services it seeks to export through the mission are either produced in the United States, or, if not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51 percent U.S. content of the value of the finished product or service. Selection Criteria for Participation • Suitability of the company’s products or services to the mission goals. • Applicant’s potential for business in South Africa and Zambia, including likelihood of exports resulting from the mission. • Consistency of the applicant’s goals and objectives with the stated scope of the mission. E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM 29MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 29, 2012 / Notices Diversity of company size, sector or subsector, and location may also be considered during the review process. Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing references to partisan political activities (including political contributions) will be removed from an applicant’s submission and not considered during the selection process. Timeframe for Recruitment and Applications Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce Department trade mission calendar—www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/ tmcal.html—and other Internet web sites, press releases to general and trade media, direct mail, broadcast fax, notices by industry trade associations and other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry meetings, symposia, conferences, and trade shows. Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately, and conclude October 5, 2012. The U.S. Department of Commerce will review applications and make selection decisions on a rolling basis beginning August 6, 2012, until the maximum of 20 participants is selected. Applications received after October 5, 2012, will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit. Contacts: Frank Spector, U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, Tel: 202–482– 2054, Fax: 202–482–9000, Frank.Spector@trade.gov. Larry Farris, Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Consulate, Johannesburg, South Africa, Tel: +55–11 290–3316, Fax: +55–11 884–0538, Email: larry.farris@trade.gov. Frank Spector, Senior International Trade Specialist, Global Trade Programs. [FR Doc. 2012–12974 Filed 5–25–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–FP–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES [A–570–875] Non-Malleable Cast Iron Pipe Fittings From the People’s Republic of China: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Changed Circumstances Review, and Revocation of Order, in Part Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. AGENCY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:12 May 25, 2012 Jkt 226001 DATES: Effective Date: April 1, 2011. SUMMARY: On April 16, 2012, the Department of Commerce (the ‘‘Department’’) published in the Federal Register a notice of initiation and preliminary results of the antidumping duty (‘‘AD’’) changed circumstances review with intent to revoke, in part, the AD order on non-malleable cast iron pipe fittings from the People’s Republic of China (‘‘PRC’’).1 Given that Anvil International and Ward Manufacturing (‘‘Petitioners’’) 2 are no longer interested in seeking antidumping relief from imports of a particular brake fluid tube connector (‘‘connector’’), we are revoking this AD order, in part, with regard to this particular connector. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Zev Primor or Robert Bolling, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone (202) 482–4114 and (202) 482–3434, respectively. Background On April 7, 2003, the Department published an AD order on nonmalleable cast iron pipe fittings from the PRC.3 On March 6, 2012, Ford Motor Company (‘‘Ford’’) requested revocation in part of the AD order pursuant to sections 751(b)(1) and 782(h) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the ‘‘Act’’), with respect to Ford’s connector. The domestic industry has affirmatively expressed a lack of interest in the continuation of the AD order with respect to this product. On April 16, 2012, the Department published the Initiation and Preliminary Results, excluding the connector from the scope of the AD order on non-malleable cast iron pipe fittings from the PRC. New Scope Language The following connector is excluded: A ‘‘joint block’’ for brake fluid tubes and is made of non-malleable cast iron to Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) automotive standard J431. The tubes have an inside diameter of 3.44 millimeters (0.1355 inches) and the inside diameters of the fluid flow channels of the connector are 3.2 millimeters (0.1260 inches) and 3.8 1 See Non-Malleable Cast Iron Pipe Fittings From the People’s Republic of China: Initiation and Preliminary Results of Changed Circumstances Review, and Intent to Revoke Order in Part, 77 FR 22562 (April 16, 2012) (‘‘Initiation and Preliminary Results’’). 2 Petitioners account for approximately 95 percent of the domestic production of the like product. 3 See Notice of Antidumping Duty Order: NonMalleable Cast Iron Pipe Fittings From the People’s Republic of China, 68 FR 16765 (April 7, 2003). PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 31577 millimeters (0.1496 inches). The end of the tube is forced by pressure over the end of a flared opening in the connector also known as ‘‘flared joint.’’ The flared joint, once made fast, permits brake fluid to flow through channels that never exceed 3.8 millimeters (0.1496 inches) in diameter. Scope of the Amended Order The products covered by the order are finished and unfinished non-malleable cast iron pipe fittings with an inside diameter ranging from 1⁄4 inch to 6 inches, whether threaded or unthreaded, regardless of industry or proprietary specifications. The subject fittings include elbows, ells, tees, crosses, and reducers as well as flanged fittings. These pipe fittings are also known as ‘‘cast iron pipe fittings’’ or ‘‘gray iron pipe fittings.’’ These cast iron pipe fittings are normally produced to ASTM A–126 and ASME B.16.4 specifications and are threaded to ASME B1.20.1 specifications. Most building codes require that these products are Underwriters Laboratories (UL) certified. The scope does not include cast iron soil pipe fittings or grooved fittings or grooved couplings. Fittings that are made out of ductile iron that have the same physical characteristics as the gray or cast iron fittings subject to the scope above or which have the same physical characteristics and are produced to ASME B.16.3, ASME B.16.4, or ASTM A–395 specifications, threaded to ASME B1.20.1 specifications and UL certified, regardless of metallurgical differences between gray and ductile iron, are also included in the scope of the order. These ductile fittings do not include grooved fittings or grooved couplings. Ductile cast iron fittings with mechanical joint ends (MJ), or push on ends (PO), or flanged ends and produced to the American Water Works Association (AWWA) specifications AWWA C110 or AWWA C153 are not included. Additionally, certain brake fluid tube connectors are excluded from the scope of this order.4 Imports of subject merchandise are currently classifiable in the Harmonized 4 To be excluded, the connector must meet the following description: The connector is a ‘‘joint block’’ for brake fluid tubes and is made of nonmalleable cast iron to Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) automotive standard J431. The tubes have an inside diameter of 3.44 millimeters (0.1355 inches) and the inside diameters of the fluid flow channels of the connector are 3.2 millimeters (0.1260 inches) and 3.8 millimeters (0.1496 inches). The end of the tube is forced by pressure over the end of a flared opening in the connector also known as ‘‘flared joint.’’ The flared joint, once made fast, permits brake fluid to flow through channels that never exceed 3.8 millimeters (0.1496 inches) in diameter. E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM 29MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31574-31577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12974]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Executive-Led Trade Mission to South Africa and Zambia

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Mission Description

    The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Commercial Service is organizing a Trade Mission 
to South Africa and Zambia November 26--November 30, 2012, to help U.S. 
firms find business partners and sell equipment and services in 
Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, and Lusaka, Zambia.
    Targeted sectors are:

 Electric Power and Energy Efficiency Technologies, Equipment 
and Services
    [cir] Electrical generating equipment
    [cir] Renewable energy technologies
    [cir] Clean coal technology
    [cir] Transmission and distribution equipment and services
    [cir] Energy efficiency building technologies and services
 Productivity Enhancing Agricultural Technologies and Equipment
    [cir] Crop production equipment and machinery
    [cir] Irrigation equipment and technology
    [cir] Crop storage and handling
    [cir] Precision farming technologies
 Transportation Equipment and Infrastructure
    [cir] New and refurbished locomotives
    [cir] New bulk car and other dedicated rolling fleets
    [cir] Smart Signaling and operations' automation
    [cir] Business model analysis
    [cir] Strategic route design and network planning
    [cir] Port Infrastructure
 Mining Equipment and Technology
    [cir] Software
    [cir] Process automation
    [cir] Mining beneficiation
    [cir] Geo-information technologies
    [cir] Bulk materials handling technology

Although focused on the sectors above, the mission also will consider 
participation from companies in other appropriate sectors as space 
permits.
    This mission will be led by a senior Department of Commerce 
official and will include business-to-business matchmaking with local 
companies, market briefings, and meetings with key government 
officials.

Commercial Setting

    South Africa is a country of 50 million people that is rich in 
diverse cultures, people and natural heritage. Enjoying remarkable 
macroeconomic stability and a largely pro-business environment, South 
Africa is a logical and attractive choice for U.S. companies to enter 
Sub-Sahara Africa.
    South Africa is the most advanced, broad-based industry and 
productive economy in Africa and in 2011 had a gross domestic product 
(GDP) of $42 billion, growing by 3.1 percent. In 2010 South Africa 
accounted for 31 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa's GDP.

[[Page 31575]]

    South Africa is April 2011 joined Brazil, Russia, India and China 
as the only African country in the leading emerging market group, 
BRICS. This step was seen as significant endorsement by its peers of 
the country's macro-economic development since the establishment of 
democracy in 1994.
    Zambia is a politically stable, multi-party democracy, rich in 
natural resources. Zambia has a population of approximately 13 million 
with a growing middle class, particularly in urban areas. Its 
relatively open economy has averaged more than six percent real GDP 
growth over the past eight years and was ranked one of the fastest 
growing economies in the world in a recent report by The Economist 
magazine.
    In 2011, total U.S.-Zambia trade was $177 million, an 83 percent 
increase over 2010 levels and a more than 200 percent increase over 
2009 levels. While relatively small in total, U.S.-Zambia trade has 
tremendous growth potential, and the Zambian government and private 
sector are keen to strengthen the commercial relationship between the 
United States and Zambia. Leading U.S. exports include machinery, 
transportation equipment, chemicals, and computers and electronic 
products.

Best Prospects in Mission Targeted Sectors

Energy

South Africa
    Electricity supply constraints are expected to remain a feature of 
South Africa's social and economic landscape for several years to come, 
and the introduction of additional capacity will be required for at 
least the next 20 years.
Energy Efficiency Building Technologies and Products
    South Africa presents potentially lucrative opportunities for U.S. 
firms involved in Green Building Technologies (GBT). By developed-
economy standards, South Africa continues to lag far behind in its 
adoption of green building practices. However, the notion of green 
building is gathering momentum in South Africa with an array of 
projects currently in the pipeline.
    Although no formal statistics are currently recorded for green 
building products in South Africa, the current building and 
construction materials market is estimated at about $11.88 billion per 
annum, with 60 percent sold direct to end-users and 40 percent via the 
distribution/merchant network. Of this total of $11.88 billion, $2.12 
billion (18 percent) of materials would be used in the additions, 
alterations and home improvement market (including unrecorded home 
improvement).
    South Africa's State-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) 
plans to inject $1.68 billion into `green' industries over the next 
five years as part of a larger $14 billion disbursement plan between 
2010 and 2015. The IDC indicated that the ``green economy'' has emerged 
as a primary focus for the development finance institution (DFI), owing 
to its potential to create jobs and lower the carbon intensity of the 
South African economy.
Zambia
    More than 45 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa's water resources pass 
through Zambia, creating significant untapped hydropower potential to 
meet domestic demand and for export to Eastern and Southern African 
countries. Zambia is connected to the Southern African Power Pool and 
has plans to connect to the East African Power Pool. Domestic demand 
often exceeds domestic production due to maintenance and upgrades at 
major hydropower facilities and brown outs are relatively common. In 
the past two years, ZESCO has raised electricity rates substantially to 
meet long-term cost recovery, although a planned further 20 percent 
increase in rates in early 2012 was shelved due to public opposition.
    Specific opportunities for mission members include hydro 
generation, other renewable technologies, construction and engineering 
services in generation and transmission, and smart grid technologies. 
There is also a market for small-scale power generating equipment, such 
as micro-hydro power systems, mobile generation units, solar panels and 
diesel-powered generators for household or commercial use.

Agricultural Equipment

    South Africa has by far the most modern, productive and diverse 
agricultural economy in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a net exporter of 
agricultural and food products and is self sufficient in food products. 
South Africa offers U.S. exporters of agricultural equipment and 
technology a wide range of opportunities. The country's annual 
agricultural equipment market is estimated at approximately $919 
million. Five percent of all new agriculture equipment is being 
produced locally, ninety five percent of all agriculture equipment and 
parts are being sourced from international markets, and at least twenty 
percent of new equipment and technologies are currently being sourced 
from the United States.
    Zambia has favorable climatic conditions, vast irrigation 
potential, good prospects for livestock production, and has one of the 
highest percentages of uncultivated arable land in Africa. Zambia 
exported approximately $500 million in agricultural products in 2010, 
and agriculture accounts for more than 20 percent of Zambia's GDP. The 
sector provides employment for about 60 percent of the population, the 
majority being small-scale or subsistence farmers, with about 750 large 
scale commercial farms and more than 1,000 emergent farms (up to 150 
acres).

Transportation Equipment and Infrastructure

    South Africa's government has announced and allocated initial 
funding for significant transportation infrastructure capital 
investments:
    The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) of the South 
African Department of Transport (SADOT) has announced a large rail 
improvement program. The 20-year procurement process will be split into 
two, with the first ten-year contract running from 2015 and the second 
from 2025. The formal tender process started in March 2012 and 
financial closure with the successful bidder is expected in June 2013. 
The first train is to be delivered in 2015.
    The South African Government will spend R21.3bn on infrastructure 
in the port of Durban over seven years, but this excludes more than 
R100bn that could be required to dig out the old Durban International 
Airport site and expand the harbor further. The sum of R21.3bn--a 
figure that may change as projects are reviewed or added over the next 
seven years--is part of the R300bn of transport and logistics projects 
that South African President Jacob Zuma mentioned in his state of the 
nation address in February 2012.
    Zambia is landlocked and sparsely populated. As such, 
transportation is a substantial cost to doing business in the country. 
Goods move primarily by road and rail. Most copper, Zambia's primary 
export, is moved by truck. The Government has budgeted a record $890 
million to road development and maintenance in 2012.
    The government has at various times signaled its intention to 
expand Zambia's main international airports, and the United States 
Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) funded an airports master plan 
that was completed in 2011 for international airports in Lusaka, 
Livingstone, Ndola, and Mfuwe.

[[Page 31576]]

Mining Equipment and Technology

    South Africa--2,200 miles of railway line, three new ports and a 
large amount of bulk handling infrastructure at other ports are high on 
the agenda for both the South African Government and mining consortia.
    Zambia is the largest copper producer in Africa and the eighth 
largest producer in the world. Zambia has more than 6 percent of known 
copper reserves, with about 42 percent of the country still unexplored 
for minerals. The sector has seen more than $5 billion in investment in 
the sector since the mines were privatized starting in 1998 and annual 
copper production is expected to top 1 million tons by 2015. The mining 
sector accounts for 6 percent of Zambia's GDP, and copper exports 
generate about 75 percent of export earnings. The sector continues to 
be the second largest formal employer, after government.
    All mining companies are required by law to upgrade their mining 
equipment, particularly smelters, to conform Zambia's mining sector to 
international regulations and United Kingdom and U.S. environmental 
standards by 2015.
    Zambia also has cobalt, gold, uranium, nickel, manganese, coal, and 
gemstones, and produces 20 percent of the world's emeralds.

Mission Goals

    The goal of the South Africa-Zambia Trade Mission is to provide 
U.S. participants with first-hand market information, and one-on-one 
meetings with business contacts, including potential agents, 
distributors and partners so they can position themselves to enter or 
expand their presence in the South African and Zambian markets.

Mission Scenario

    The South Africa-Zambia Mission will visit Johannesburg, Cape Town 
and Lusaka, with an optional visit to Ndola in Zambia's Copper Belt, 
allowing participants to access the largest markets and business 
centers in the two countries. In each city, participants will meet with 
potential business contacts.

                       Proposed Mission Timetable
------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Day of week                 Date                 Activity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday...................  Nov 25.............  Arrive in Lusaka.
Monday...................  Nov. 26 Lusaka.....  Mission Meetings
                                                 Officially Start.
                                                Breakfast briefing with
                                                 U.S. Embassy Staff.
                                                One-on-one business
                                                 appointments.
                                                Evening business
                                                 reception.
Tuesday..................  Nov 27 Lusaka        In Lusaka one-on-one
                            Optional flight to   business appointments
                            Ndola; (Copper       continue and for those
                            Belt); Travel to     companies with mining,
                            Johannesburg.        transport and other
                                                 meetings in the
                                                 northern Copper Belt,
                                                 morning flight to Ndola
                                                 for meetings. Evening
                                                 flights (Lusaka and
                                                 Ndola) to Johannesburg.
Wednesday................  Nov. 28              Briefing by U.S. Embassy
                            Johannesburg.        Staff.
                                                One-on-one business
                                                 meetings.
                                                Evening business
                                                 reception.
Thursday.................  Nov. 29              One-on-one meetings
                            Johannesburg and     continue in
                            Travel to Cape       Johannesburg.
                            Town.
                                                Briefing by Cape Town
                                                 Consulate Staff.
                                                Networking reception in
                                                 Cape Town.
Friday...................  Nov 30 Cape Town...  One-on-one business
                                                 appointments continue.
                                                Mission ends.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    * Note: The final schedule and potential site visits will depend on 
the availability of local government and business officials, specific 
goals of mission participants, and air travel schedules.

Participation Requirements

    All applicants will be evaluated on their ability to meet certain 
conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below. 
The mission is designed for a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20 to 
participate in the mission from the applicant pool. U.S. companies 
already doing business in the target markets as well as U.S. companies 
seeking to enter these markets for the first time are encouraged to 
apply.

Fees and Expenses

    After a company has been selected to participate on the mission, a 
participation fee to the U.S. Department of Commerce is required. The 
participation fee for one representative is $4350 for a small or 
medium-sized enterprise (SME) \1\ and $4900 for large firms. The fee 
for each additional firm representative (SME or large) is $450. 
Expenses for travel, lodging, some meals, and incidentals will be the 
responsibility of each mission participant.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer employees or 
that otherwise qualifies as a small business under SBA regulations. 
See https://www.sba.gov/contractingopportunities/owners/basics/whatismallbusiness/. Parent companies, affiliates, and 
subsidiaries will be considered when determining business size. The 
dual pricing reflects the Commercial Service's user fee schedule 
that became effective May 1, 2008. See https://www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/initiatives.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conditions for Participation

     An applicant must submit a completed and signed mission 
application and supplemental application materials, including adequate 
information on the company's products and/or services, primary market 
objectives, and goals for participation. If the U.S. Department of 
Commerce receives an incomplete application, the Department may reject 
the application, request additional information, or take the lack of 
information into account when evaluating the applications.
     Each applicant must also certify that the products and 
services it seeks to export through the mission are either produced in 
the United States, or, if not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm 
and have at least 51 percent U.S. content of the value of the finished 
product or service.

Selection Criteria for Participation

     Suitability of the company's products or services to the 
mission goals.
     Applicant's potential for business in South Africa and 
Zambia, including likelihood of exports resulting from the mission.
     Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with 
the stated scope of the mission.

[[Page 31577]]

    Diversity of company size, sector or subsector, and location may 
also be considered during the review process.
    Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing 
references to partisan political activities (including political 
contributions) will be removed from an applicant's submission and not 
considered during the selection process.

Timeframe for Recruitment and Applications

    Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, 
including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce 
Department trade mission calendar--www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html--
and other Internet web sites, press releases to general and trade 
media, direct mail, broadcast fax, notices by industry trade 
associations and other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry 
meetings, symposia, conferences, and trade shows.
    Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately, and conclude 
October 5, 2012. The U.S. Department of Commerce will review 
applications and make selection decisions on a rolling basis beginning 
August 6, 2012, until the maximum of 20 participants is selected. 
Applications received after October 5, 2012, will be considered only if 
space and scheduling constraints permit.
    Contacts:
    Frank Spector, U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, Tel: 202-482-2054, Fax: 202-482-9000, 
Frank.Spector@trade.gov.
    Larry Farris, Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Consulate, 
Johannesburg, South Africa, Tel: +55-11 290-3316, Fax: +55-11 884-0538, 
Email: larry.farris@trade.gov.

Frank Spector,
Senior International Trade Specialist, Global Trade Programs.
[FR Doc. 2012-12974 Filed 5-25-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P
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