Secretarial Energy Business Development Mission to West Africa, May 18-23, 2014, 4443-4447 [2014-01521]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 18 / Tuesday, January 28, 2014 / Notices initiate any new administrative reviews of this Order.6 International Trade Administration Notification to Interested Parties This notice serves as a reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of the APO is a sanctionable violation. Timken Notice ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES In its decision in Timken, 893 F.2d at 341, the Federal Circuit held that, pursuant to section 516A(c)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the Department must publish a notice of a court decision that is not ‘‘in harmony’’ with a Department determination and must suspend liquidation of entries pending a ‘‘conclusive’’ court decision. The CIT’s December 18, 2013, judgment in this case sustaining the Department’s Remand Redetermination constitutes a final decision of that court that is not in harmony with the Department’s Final Determination. This notice is published in fulfillment of the publication requirements of Timken. Accordingly, the Department intends to issue instructions to U.S. Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation of all unliquidated entries of subject merchandise from Taiwan which are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after December 30, 2013. The companyspecific cash deposit rate will be zero percent. Pursuant to Timken, Diamond Sawblades, and Hosiden Corporation v. United States, 861 F. Supp. 115 (Fed. Cir. 1994), the suspension of liquidation on all entries of PVA from Taiwan entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after December 30, 2013, that remain unliquidated will continue until there is a ‘‘final and conclusive’’ court decision. This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 516A(e)(l) of the Act. Dated: January 17, 2014. Christian Marsh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations. [FR Doc. 2014–01574 Filed 1–27–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P 6 Currently there are no unfinished or ongoing administrative reviews of this order. VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:45 Jan 27, 2014 Jkt 232001 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness: Notice of Public Meeting International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. AGENCY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed topics of discussion for a public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness (Committee). DATES: The meeting will be held on February 20, 2014, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST). ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Room 4830, Washington, DC 20230. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Boll, Office of Supply Chain, Professional & Business Services, International Trade Administration. (Phone: (202) 482–1135 or email: richard.boll@trade.gov) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The Committee was established under the discretionary authority of the Secretary of Commerce and in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2). It provides advice to the Secretary of Commerce on the necessary elements of a comprehensive policy approach to supply chain competitiveness designed to support U.S. export growth and national economic competitiveness, encourage innovation, facilitate the movement of goods, and improve the competitiveness of U.S. supply chains for goods and services in the domestic and global economy; and provides advice to the Secretary on regulatory policies and programs and investment priorities that affect the competitiveness of U.S. supply chains. For more information about the Committee visit: https://ita.doc.gov/td/sif/DSCT/ACSCC/. Matters To Be Considered: Committee members are expected to continue to discuss the major competitivenessrelated topics raised at the previous Committee meetings, including trade and competitiveness; freight movement and policy; information technology and data requirements; regulatory issues; and finance and infrastructure. The Committee’s subcommittees will report on the status of their work regarding these topics. The agenda may change to accommodate Committee business. The Office of Supply Chain, Professional & Business Services will post the final SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 4443 detailed agenda on its Web site, https:// ita.doc.gov/td/sif/DSCT/ACSCC/, at least one week prior to the meeting. The meeting will be open to the public and press on a first-come, firstserved basis. Space is limited. The public meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals requiring accommodations, such as sign language interpretation or other ancillary aids, are asked to notify Mr. Richard Boll, at (202) 482–1135 or richard.boll@trade.gov five (5) business days before the meeting. Interested parties are invited to submit written comments to the Committee at any time before and after the meeting. Parties wishing to submit written comments for consideration by the Committee in advance of this meeting must send them to the Office of Supply Chain, Professional & Business Services, 1401 Constitution Ave. NW., Room 11014, Washington, DC 20230, or email to supplychain@trade.gov. For consideration during the meeting, and to ensure transmission to the Committee prior to the meeting, comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. EST on February 10, 2014. Comments received after February 10, 2014, will be distributed to the Committee, but may not be considered at the meeting. The minutes of the meeting will be posted on the Committee Web site within 60 days of the meeting. Dated: January 22, 2014. David Long, Director, Office of Supply Chain, Professional & Business Services. [FR Doc. 2014–01603 Filed 1–27–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Secretarial Energy Business Development Mission to West Africa, May 18–23, 2014 International Trade Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Mission Description The United States Secretary of Commerce will lead an Energy Business Development Mission to West Africa with stops in Ghana and Nigeria from May 18–23, 2014. This business development mission will promote U.S. exports to Africa by helping U.S. companies launch or increase their business in the energy sector in West Africa. The mission will include E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1 ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 4444 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 18 / Tuesday, January 28, 2014 / Notices government and business-to-business meetings, market briefings, and networking events. In both countries, the governments and private sector are investing significant money in developing their energy and power sectors. As a result, the mission will focus on export-ready U.S. firms in the energy sector, including oil and gas, that can help the target countries develop and manage energy resources and systems, build out power generation and transmission, and distribution. Mission participants will range from fully integrated energy solutions companies to equipment, technology and ancillary services providers. The President approved the Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) on Sub-Saharan Africa on June 14, 2012, which became publicly known as the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa (‘‘Strategy’’). The Strategy recognizes that Africa holds the promise to be ‘‘the world’s next major economic success story.’’ This recognition of the significant development within SubSaharan African economies over the past several years also marks a call for the evolution of U.S. Government economic and commercial policy toward the region, doing more to focus on the two-way nature of trade and investment. This is the first time that promoting U.S. trade and investment has been a cornerstone of a PPD on SubSaharan Africa, and it is this objective that the Department of Commerce is working to institutionalize. During his trip to Africa in late June/early July, the President announced plans for Secretary Pritzker to lead a trade mission to subSaharan Africa in 2014. The delegation will be composed of 20–25 U.S. energy firms, representing the mission’s target sub-sectors. Representatives of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im) and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) will be invited to participate to provide information and counseling regarding their suite of programs and services in sub-Saharan Africa. This collaborative interagency approach highlights the Doing Business in Africa (DBIA) campaign, which aims to harness federal trade promotion and financing capabilities to help the U.S. private sector identify and seize upon trade and investment opportunities. Commercial Setting Overview of Energy Needs in Africa With over 600 million people in subSaharan Africa lacking access to electricity, the development challenge is VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:45 Jan 27, 2014 Jkt 232001 enormous. More than two-thirds of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is without electricity, including more than 85 percent of those living in rural areas. According to the International Energy Agency, sub-Saharan Africa needs more than $300 billion in investments to achieve universal electricity access by 2030—far beyond the capacity of any traditional development program. This mission is an opportunity to connect U.S. company products, services and expertise to support Africa’s enormous power potential, including new discoveries of vast reserves of oil and gas. Ghana This West Africa nation of 25 million people is often referred to as the ‘Ireland of Africa,’ a testament to the Ghanaian’s well-earned reputation for being friendly and welcoming to outsiders. It is expected that the country will lead the region as an example for stability, transparency and steady and diversified economic growth. Ghana also holds a special place in the colonial history of the continent, having been the first democratic Sub-Saharan African nation to gain independence when the Republic of Ghana was established on March 6, 1957. Ghana’s economy has been strengthened by a quarter century of relatively sound management, a competitive business environment, and sustained reductions in poverty levels. Per-capita GDP (PPP) in Ghana now stands at $3,500, significantly higher than most of Sub-Saharan Africa and built on a more sustainable and diversified economy. GDP growth has averaged 4% to 8% over the last decade, surging to 7.9% in 2012 (making Ghana the fastest growing economy that year) as new oil revenue came on line. Ghana continues to face challenges in infrastructure development and a worrying increase it its debt-to-GDP ratio has limited financing options. A recent credit downgrade by Fitch, rating Ghana’s sovereign debt at B-, will make future financing options even more limited. While services make up an increasingly important role in Ghana’s economy, natural resources and commodity prices still dominate domestic decision making. Ghana is the world’s second largest exporter of cocoa and one of the largest producers of gold. The nation’s resource base was diversified in 2007 when moderate amounts of oil and gas reserves were discovered offshore in the Gulf of Guinea—enough to spur strong economic growth but not enough to destabilize the economy. Offshore PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 exploration and production has been managed primarily by foreign firms, led by Tullow Oil, and continues to grow with new fields discovered in recent years. Manufacturing lags far behind, due to supply chain uncertainties, lack of a skilled workforce and inadequate infrastructure. Oil production at Ghana’s offshore Jubilee field began in mid-December, 2010 and has, as expected, boosted economic growth significantly. The field is currently producing 120,000 barrels a day, its expected peak level, with reserves estimated at 2 billion barrels. Additional fields are currently being explored and developed, with additional oil resources expected to come online in the next five years. Gas production from the fields continues to be a problem, primarily the result of delays in planning and development of required infrastructure developments. A Chinese-funded and developed gas processing facility originally scheduled for completion in 2012 is still months or years away from production. A worrying development, impacting particularly the oil and gas sector, is Ghana’s recent push for local content requirements. In November 2013, Parliament approved legislation that limits foreign investments in Ghana’s petroleum sector due to requirements that local partners of foreign investors maintain a significant share of any oil and gas projects and that corporate management be predominately local. With a petroleum industry that is only four years old, foreign investors will be challenged in finding qualified partners, managers and employees as Ghana’s local content regulations go into force. Without doubt one of Ghana’s greatest challenges is utilizing its petroleum reserves and putting local production to use in the power sector. Ghana currently produces 2,000 megawatts of power, half from hydropower plants on the Volta River. Ghana’s thermal power production has been hampered by adequate and reliable sources of gas. The primary supplier to Ghana’s gasfired power plants, the West Africa Gas Pipeline has been both an unreliable and costly solution. Plans to bring greater amounts of gas onshore from Jubilee have yet to materialize. The U.S. Government’s Power Africa initiative and the Millennium Challenge Corporation are putting together programs that will help this significant problem facing the country. Ghana will continue to be viewed as a success story for West Africa and, indeed, for all of Sub Saharan Africa. To truly reach its potential, however, decisive leadership making difficult decisions needs to lead the nation to the E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 18 / Tuesday, January 28, 2014 / Notices next level of development. It will be a difficult task. ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Nigeria Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, accounting for approximately one-fifth of the continent’s people and 2.4 percent of the world’s population. It is arguably one of the most culturally diverse societies in the world, with approximately 250 ethnic groups among its estimated 170 million people. In 1991, Nigeria’s capital was moved from Lagos to Abuja, tagged as the ‘‘Center of Unity.’’ A planned city, Abuja is now the political center, or seat of Nigeria’s Federal Government. International organizations such as the United Nations, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU), and Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have regional headquarters in Abuja. The ‘‘Commercial Hub,’’ Lagos is the most populous city in Nigeria and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Lagos State is estimated to have a population of more than 17 million and is modernizing itself to meet the criteria of a ‘‘mega city,’’ with major infrastructure projects including the construction of a metro/light railway. Nigeria’s annual growth rate averaged over seven percent during the past decade. As a result, the country is regarded as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. To sustain this annual growth rate, the Government of Nigeria (GON) is privatizing important sectors of Nigeria’s economy, promoting public-private partnerships, and encouraging strategic alliances with foreign firms, especially for infrastructure development and technology acquisition in critical sectors such as security, power generation, transportation, and healthcare. Nigeria is the chief driver of international trade in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which consists of 16 countries. Market analysts from the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) claim that Nigeria accounts for over 40 percent of imports in the sub-region and ranks among Africa’s largest consumer markets. As a gateway to 15 smaller West African countries and a net importer of equipment, Nigeria can be a very rewarding market for U.S. companies that take the time and effort to understand its complex market conditions and opportunities, find the right partners and clients, and take a long-term approach to market development. VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:45 Jan 27, 2014 Jkt 232001 Nigeria ranks as Africa’s largest oil producer and the twelfth largest in the world, producing high-value, low-sulfur content crude oil. A five-year-long effort to reform Nigeria’s oil and gas legal framework has created uncertainty, delaying billions of dollars in potential investment in this sector. The Nigerian National Assembly is reviewing the most recent version of a Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which seeks to incorporate and update 16 different laws that regulate the sector. However, international oil companies operating in Nigeria have expressed concern that this latest version of the PIB would boost GON royalty and tax revenues to a level that makes new investment unprofitable. In contrast, the GON has argued that the PIB reflects current internationally-accepted industry contract standards. In April 2010, Nigeria signed into law the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, which we refer to as the local content law. Commerce in collaboration with the USG interagency has worked to encourage Nigeria to ensure that it is in compliance with their World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations. The law was designed to encourage Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry. The Government of Nigeria (GON) estimates that $8 billion is spent annually in the country’s petroleum industry and approximately five percent is retained in Nigeria. The local content law’s stated purpose is to include more Nigerians in this sector and increase significantly economic links to the Nigerian private sector. To accomplish this, the local content law includes provisions regarding Nigerian content (goods and services), operations and transactions in the petroleum industry and the functions of the Nigerian Content Division (NCD), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Over the next two to three years, U.S. exporters of power generation, transmission and distribution equipment, and services will have significant trade opportunities in Nigeria. The GON recently announced that Nigeria requires more than $3.5 billion to improve its power generation, transmission, and distribution capacity from less than 5000 MW to 20,000 MW by 2016. U.S. exporters of electrical components and parts have growth opportunities here as well. In 2013, the Nigerian government completed the privatization of 11 electricity distribution and six generation companies, with a total value of $2.6 billion. Investment in distribution assets will be required to PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 4445 address major issues facing the newlyprivatized utilities, including reducing technical, commercial, and collection losses from a current estimated of 40% down to 10–15%. Near-term opportunities in Nigeria’s distribution sector exist for providers of basic infrastructure equipment, services, and monitoring; metering, billing and collection software, systems, and solutions; and utility IT systems. Over the medium-term, the distribution utilities are also looking to deploy GIS and SCADA systems for the mapping, monitoring and control of their networks, as well smart grid technologies and applications like Distribution Automation, Demand Side Management, and Outage Management Systems. Nigeria is also one of the most promising export markets for ethanol. Nigeria has a policy of blending 10 percent ethanol with gasoline; it is not however a mandate. The Organization for Economic and Cooperation Development estimates that consumption of ethanol in Nigeria will increase about 25 percent from 2013 to 2015. As Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria is in good position logistically to export blended gasoline or even pure ethanol to other countries in Africa, many of whom have ethanol blending mandates. Trade data indicates that Nigeria exported $4.3 million in ethanol in 2012, including a large amount to Ghana. In recent years, Chinese investment in the Nigerian biofuels industry (ethanol and biodiesel) has soared. According to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), imports from Asia accounted for 41% of Nigeria’s imports in 2012, while imports from Europe and America accounted for 26.5% and 25.3% respectively. NBS reports that imports are dominated by machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods, and commodities. Domestic currency commercial lending interest rates remain very high (ranging from 20 to 35 percent), despite Government efforts to lower them. This is fueling demand for U.S. Ex-Im Bank’s financing and credit facilities by Nigerian importers. As of December 2012, Ex-Im Bank’s credit exposure in Nigeria exceeded $178 million. The official exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar currently fluctuates between 155 and 160 (2012 average exchange rate N156.8:$1). Mission Goals This mission will demonstrate the United States’ commitment to a sustained economic partnership in West Africa. The mission’s purpose is to E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1 4446 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 18 / Tuesday, January 28, 2014 / Notices support the business development goals of U.S. energy firms as they construct a firm foundation for future business in West Africa and specifically aims to: • Assist in identifying potential partners and strategies for U.S. companies to gain access to each market for energy and power generation products and services. • Confirm U.S. Government support for the activities of U.S. businesses in each market and to provide access to senior decision makers in the Ghanaian and Nigerian governments. • Listen to the needs, suggestions and experience of individual participants to help shape appropriate U.S. Government positions regarding U.S. business interests in the region. • Organize private and focused events with local business and association leaders capable of becoming partners and clients of U.S. firms as they develop their business in the region. • Assist development of competitive strategies and market access with high level information gathering from private and public-sector leaders. Mission Scenario The mission will stop in Accra, Ghana and Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria. In each country, participants will meet with pre-screened potential agents, distributors, and representatives, as well as other business partners and government officials. They will also attend market briefings by U.S. Embassy officials, as well as networking events offering further opportunities to speak with local business and industry decision-makers. Proposed Time Table Sunday, May 18 ............................... Accra, Ghana ................................... Business development mission Orientation. U.S. Government Trade Finance Briefing. Commercial Opportunity Overview. Country Team Briefing. Welcome Dinner. Monday, May 19 .............................. Accra, Ghana ................................... Industry Briefings/Roundtable Discussions. One-on-One Business Appointments. Public Speech. Networking Reception. Tuesday, May 20 ............................. Accra, Ghana ................................... Industry Briefings/Roundtable Discussions. One-on-One Business Appointments. Wednesday, May 21 ........................ Lagos, Nigeria ................................. Travel to Lagos, Nigeria. Commercial Opportunity Overview. Country Team Briefing. Government Meetings. One-on-One Business Appointments. Networking Reception. Thursday, May 22 ............................ Lagos, Nigeria ................................. Government Meetings. One-on-One Business Appointments. Public Speech. Travel to Abuja, Nigeria. Networking Reception. Abuja, Nigeria .................................. Friday, May 23 ................................. Abuja, Nigeria .................................. ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Participation Requirements All parties interested in participating in the Secretarial Energy Business Development Mission to West Africa must complete and submit an application package for consideration by the Department of Commerce. All applicants will be evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below. Approximately 20–25 companies will be selected to participate in the mission from the applicant pool. U.S. companies doing business in Ghana and Nigeria, as well as U.S. companies seeking to enter these markets for the first time may apply. Fees and Expenses After a company has been selected to participate on the mission, a payment to VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:45 Jan 27, 2014 Jkt 232001 Government Meetings. One-on-One Business Appointments. Public Speech. Wrap-up Discussion. Closing Dinner. the Department of Commerce in the form of a participation fee is required. The fee schedule for each mission is below: • $11,000 for large firms • $9,000 for a small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) 1 • $2,750 each additional firm representative (large firm or SME) Expenses for travel, lodging, most meals, and incidentals will be the 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/services/contracting opportunities/ sizestandardstopics/). 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 for additional information). PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 responsibility of each mission participant. Conditions of 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 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 E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 18 / Tuesday, January 28, 2014 / Notices ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 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% U.S. content. In cases where the U.S. content does not exceed 50%, especially where the applicant intends to pursue investment and major project opportunities, the following factors, may be considered in determining whether the applicant’s participation in the business development mission is in the U.S. national interest: Æ U.S. materials and equipment content; Æ U.S. labor content; Æ Repatriation of profits to the U.S. economy; Æ Potential for follow-on business that would benefit the U.S. economy; • Certify that the export of the products and services that it wishes to export through the mission would be in compliance with U.S. export controls and regulations; • Certify that it has identified to the Department of Commerce for its evaluation any business pending before the Department of Commerce that may present the appearance of a conflict of interest; • Certify that it has identified any pending litigation (including any administrative proceedings) to which it is a party that involves the Department of Commerce; and • Sign and submit an agreement that it and its affiliates (1) have not and will not engage in the bribery of foreign officials in connection with a company’s/participant’s involvement in this mission, and (2) maintain and enforce a policy that prohibits the bribery of foreign officials. Selection Criteria for Participation Selection will be based on the following criteria, listed in decreasing order of importance: • Suitability of a company’s products or services to the target markets and the likelihood of a participating company’s increased exports or business interests in the target markets as a result of this mission; • Consistency of company’s products or services with the scope and desired outcome of the mission’s goals; • Demonstrated export experience in the target markets and/or other foreign markets; • Current or pending major project participation; and • Rank/seniority of the designated company representative. Additional factors, such as diversity of company size, type, location, and demographics, may also be considered during the review process. Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:45 Jan 27, 2014 Jkt 232001 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 (https:// www.gpoaccess.gov/fr), posting on ITA’s business development mission calendar (https://export.gov/trademissions) 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 will begin immediately and conclude no later than March 14, 2014. Applications can be completed on-line at the Africa Energy Mission Web site at https://www.export.gov/ AfricaEnergyMission2014 or can be obtained by contacting the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Business Liaison (202–482–1360 or businessLiaison@doc.gov). The application deadline is Friday, March 14, 2014. Completed applications should be submitted to the Office of Business Liaison. Applications received after Friday, March 14, 2014, will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit. How To Apply Applications can be downloaded from the business development mission Web site (https://export.gov/ AfricaEnergyMission2014) or can be obtained by contacting the Office of Business Liaison (see below). Completed applications should be submitted to the Office of Business Liaison at (email: businessliaison@ doc.gov or fax: 202–482–4054). Contacts General Information and Applications: The Office of Business Liaison, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Room 5062, Washington, DC 20230, Tel: 202–482–1360, Fax: 202–482–4054, Email: BusinessLiaison@doc.gov. Elnora Moye, Trade Program Assistant. [FR Doc. 2014–01521 Filed 1–27–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 4447 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Trade Mission to the Caribbean Region in Conjunction With the Trade Americas—Opportunities in the Caribbean Region Conference, June 8– 12, 2014 International Trade Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Mission Description The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, is organizing a trade mission to the Caribbean region, in conjunction with the Department of Commerce’s Trade Americas— Opportunities in the Caribbean Region Conference in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Trade mission participants will arrive in Santo Domingo on June 8, and will attend the Trade Americas—Opportunities in the Caribbean Region Conference on June 9. Following the morning session of the conference, trade mission participants will participate in one-on-one consultations with U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (US&FCS) Commercial Officers and/or Economic/ Commercial Officers from the following U.S. Embassies in the Caribbean region: the Bahamas, Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. The following day, June 10, trade mission participants will engage in business-tobusiness appointments with Dominican companies. A limited number of trade mission participants will then travel to either the Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, or Trinidad and Tobago (choosing only one market) for optional additional business-to-business appointments, each of which will be with a pre-screened potential buyer, agent, distributor or joint-venture partner. The Department of Commerce’s Trade Americas—Opportunities in the Caribbean Region Conference will focus on regional and industry-specific sessions, market entry strategies, logistics and trade financing resources as well as pre-arranged one-one-one consultations with US&FCS Commercial Officers and/or Department of State Economic/Commercial Officers with expertise in commercial markets throughout the region. The mission is open to U.S. companies from a cross section of industries with growing potential in the Caribbean region, but is focused on U.S. companies in best prospects sectors E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4443-4447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01521]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

Secretarial Energy Business Development Mission to West Africa,
May 18-23, 2014

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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Mission Description

The United States Secretary of Commerce will lead an Energy
Business Development Mission to West Africa with stops in Ghana and
Nigeria from May 18-23, 2014. This business development mission will
promote U.S. exports to Africa by helping U.S. companies launch or
increase their business in the energy sector in West Africa. The
mission will include

[[Page 4444]]

government and business-to-business meetings, market briefings, and
networking events. In both countries, the governments and private
sector are investing significant money in developing their energy and
power sectors. As a result, the mission will focus on export-ready U.S.
firms in the energy sector, including oil and gas, that can help the
target countries develop and manage energy resources and systems, build
out power generation and transmission, and distribution. Mission
participants will range from fully integrated energy solutions
companies to equipment, technology and ancillary services providers.
The President approved the Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) on
Sub-Saharan Africa on June 14, 2012, which became publicly known as the
U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa (``Strategy''). The Strategy
recognizes that Africa holds the promise to be ``the world's next major
economic success story.'' This recognition of the significant
development within Sub-Saharan African economies over the past several
years also marks a call for the evolution of U.S. Government economic
and commercial policy toward the region, doing more to focus on the
two-way nature of trade and investment. This is the first time that
promoting U.S. trade and investment has been a cornerstone of a PPD on
Sub-Saharan Africa, and it is this objective that the Department of
Commerce is working to institutionalize. During his trip to Africa in
late June/early July, the President announced plans for Secretary
Pritzker to lead a trade mission to sub-Saharan Africa in 2014.
The delegation will be composed of 20-25 U.S. energy firms,
representing the mission's target sub-sectors. Representatives of the
U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the Export-Import Bank of
the United States (Ex-Im) and the Overseas Private Investment
Corporation (OPIC) will be invited to participate to provide
information and counseling regarding their suite of programs and
services in sub-Saharan Africa. This collaborative interagency approach
highlights the Doing Business in Africa (DBIA) campaign, which aims to
harness federal trade promotion and financing capabilities to help the
U.S. private sector identify and seize upon trade and investment
opportunities.

Commercial Setting

Overview of Energy Needs in Africa

With over 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lacking access
to electricity, the development challenge is enormous. More than two-
thirds of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is without electricity,
including more than 85 percent of those living in rural areas.
According to the International Energy Agency, sub-Saharan Africa needs
more than $300 billion in investments to achieve universal electricity
access by 2030--far beyond the capacity of any traditional development
program.
This mission is an opportunity to connect U.S. company products,
services and expertise to support Africa's enormous power potential,
including new discoveries of vast reserves of oil and gas.

Ghana

This West Africa nation of 25 million people is often referred to
as the `Ireland of Africa,' a testament to the Ghanaian's well-earned
reputation for being friendly and welcoming to outsiders. It is
expected that the country will lead the region as an example for
stability, transparency and steady and diversified economic growth.
Ghana also holds a special place in the colonial history of the
continent, having been the first democratic Sub-Saharan African nation
to gain independence when the Republic of Ghana was established on
March 6, 1957.
Ghana's economy has been strengthened by a quarter century of
relatively sound management, a competitive business environment, and
sustained reductions in poverty levels. Per-capita GDP (PPP) in Ghana
now stands at $3,500, significantly higher than most of Sub-Saharan
Africa and built on a more sustainable and diversified economy. GDP
growth has averaged 4% to 8% over the last decade, surging to 7.9% in
2012 (making Ghana the fastest growing economy that year) as new oil
revenue came on line. Ghana continues to face challenges in
infrastructure development and a worrying increase it its debt-to-GDP
ratio has limited financing options. A recent credit downgrade by
Fitch, rating Ghana's sovereign debt at B-, will make future financing
options even more limited.
While services make up an increasingly important role in Ghana's
economy, natural resources and commodity prices still dominate domestic
decision making. Ghana is the world's second largest exporter of cocoa
and one of the largest producers of gold. The nation's resource base
was diversified in 2007 when moderate amounts of oil and gas reserves
were discovered offshore in the Gulf of Guinea--enough to spur strong
economic growth but not enough to destabilize the economy. Offshore
exploration and production has been managed primarily by foreign firms,
led by Tullow Oil, and continues to grow with new fields discovered in
recent years. Manufacturing lags far behind, due to supply chain
uncertainties, lack of a skilled workforce and inadequate
infrastructure.
Oil production at Ghana's offshore Jubilee field began in mid-
December, 2010 and has, as expected, boosted economic growth
significantly. The field is currently producing 120,000 barrels a day,
its expected peak level, with reserves estimated at 2 billion barrels.
Additional fields are currently being explored and developed, with
additional oil resources expected to come online in the next five
years. Gas production from the fields continues to be a problem,
primarily the result of delays in planning and development of required
infrastructure developments. A Chinese-funded and developed gas
processing facility originally scheduled for completion in 2012 is
still months or years away from production.
A worrying development, impacting particularly the oil and gas
sector, is Ghana's recent push for local content requirements. In
November 2013, Parliament approved legislation that limits foreign
investments in Ghana's petroleum sector due to requirements that local
partners of foreign investors maintain a significant share of any oil
and gas projects and that corporate management be predominately local.
With a petroleum industry that is only four years old, foreign
investors will be challenged in finding qualified partners, managers
and employees as Ghana's local content regulations go into force.
Without doubt one of Ghana's greatest challenges is utilizing its
petroleum reserves and putting local production to use in the power
sector. Ghana currently produces 2,000 megawatts of power, half from
hydropower plants on the Volta River. Ghana's thermal power production
has been hampered by adequate and reliable sources of gas. The primary
supplier to Ghana's gas-fired power plants, the West Africa Gas
Pipeline has been both an unreliable and costly solution. Plans to
bring greater amounts of gas onshore from Jubilee have yet to
materialize. The U.S. Government's Power Africa initiative and the
Millennium Challenge Corporation are putting together programs that
will help this significant problem facing the country.
Ghana will continue to be viewed as a success story for West Africa
and, indeed, for all of Sub Saharan Africa. To truly reach its
potential, however, decisive leadership making difficult decisions
needs to lead the nation to the

[[Page 4445]]

next level of development. It will be a difficult task.

Nigeria

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, accounting for
approximately one-fifth of the continent's people and 2.4 percent of
the world's population. It is arguably one of the most culturally
diverse societies in the world, with approximately 250 ethnic groups
among its estimated 170 million people. In 1991, Nigeria's capital was
moved from Lagos to Abuja, tagged as the ``Center of Unity.'' A planned
city, Abuja is now the political center, or seat of Nigeria's Federal
Government. International organizations such as the United Nations, the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU),
and Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have regional
headquarters in Abuja. The ``Commercial Hub,'' Lagos is the most
populous city in Nigeria and one of the fastest growing cities in the
world. Lagos State is estimated to have a population of more than 17
million and is modernizing itself to meet the criteria of a ``mega
city,'' with major infrastructure projects including the construction
of a metro/light railway.
Nigeria's annual growth rate averaged over seven percent during the
past decade. As a result, the country is regarded as one of the
fastest-growing economies in the world. To sustain this annual growth
rate, the Government of Nigeria (GON) is privatizing important sectors
of Nigeria's economy, promoting public-private partnerships, and
encouraging strategic alliances with foreign firms, especially for
infrastructure development and technology acquisition in critical
sectors such as security, power generation, transportation, and
healthcare.
Nigeria is the chief driver of international trade in the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which consists of 16
countries. Market analysts from the National Association of Chambers of
Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) claim that Nigeria
accounts for over 40 percent of imports in the sub-region and ranks
among Africa's largest consumer markets. As a gateway to 15 smaller
West African countries and a net importer of equipment, Nigeria can be
a very rewarding market for U.S. companies that take the time and
effort to understand its complex market conditions and opportunities,
find the right partners and clients, and take a long-term approach to
market development.
Nigeria ranks as Africa's largest oil producer and the twelfth
largest in the world, producing high-value, low-sulfur content crude
oil. A five-year-long effort to reform Nigeria's oil and gas legal
framework has created uncertainty, delaying billions of dollars in
potential investment in this sector. The Nigerian National Assembly is
reviewing the most recent version of a Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB),
which seeks to incorporate and update 16 different laws that regulate
the sector. However, international oil companies operating in Nigeria
have expressed concern that this latest version of the PIB would boost
GON royalty and tax revenues to a level that makes new investment
unprofitable. In contrast, the GON has argued that the PIB reflects
current internationally-accepted industry contract standards.
In April 2010, Nigeria signed into law the Nigerian Oil and Gas
Industry Content Development Act, which we refer to as the local
content law. Commerce in collaboration with the USG interagency has
worked to encourage Nigeria to ensure that it is in compliance with
their World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations. The law was designed
to encourage Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry. The
Government of Nigeria (GON) estimates that $8 billion is spent annually
in the country's petroleum industry and approximately five percent is
retained in Nigeria. The local content law's stated purpose is to
include more Nigerians in this sector and increase significantly
economic links to the Nigerian private sector. To accomplish this, the
local content law includes provisions regarding Nigerian content (goods
and services), operations and transactions in the petroleum industry
and the functions of the Nigerian Content Division (NCD), and the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Over the next two to three years, U.S. exporters of power
generation, transmission and distribution equipment, and services will
have significant trade opportunities in Nigeria. The GON recently
announced that Nigeria requires more than $3.5 billion to improve its
power generation, transmission, and distribution capacity from less
than 5000 MW to 20,000 MW by 2016. U.S. exporters of electrical
components and parts have growth opportunities here as well.
In 2013, the Nigerian government completed the privatization of 11
electricity distribution and six generation companies, with a total
value of $2.6 billion. Investment in distribution assets will be
required to address major issues facing the newly-privatized utilities,
including reducing technical, commercial, and collection losses from a
current estimated of 40% down to 10-15%. Near-term opportunities in
Nigeria's distribution sector exist for providers of basic
infrastructure equipment, services, and monitoring; metering, billing
and collection software, systems, and solutions; and utility IT
systems. Over the medium-term, the distribution utilities are also
looking to deploy GIS and SCADA systems for the mapping, monitoring and
control of their networks, as well smart grid technologies and
applications like Distribution Automation, Demand Side Management, and
Outage Management Systems.
Nigeria is also one of the most promising export markets for
ethanol. Nigeria has a policy of blending 10 percent ethanol with
gasoline; it is not however a mandate. The Organization for Economic
and Cooperation Development estimates that consumption of ethanol in
Nigeria will increase about 25 percent from 2013 to 2015. As Africa's
largest oil producer, Nigeria is in good position logistically to
export blended gasoline or even pure ethanol to other countries in
Africa, many of whom have ethanol blending mandates. Trade data
indicates that Nigeria exported $4.3 million in ethanol in 2012,
including a large amount to Ghana. In recent years, Chinese investment
in the Nigerian biofuels industry (ethanol and biodiesel) has soared.
According to Nigeria's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), imports
from Asia accounted for 41% of Nigeria's imports in 2012, while imports
from Europe and America accounted for 26.5% and 25.3% respectively. NBS
reports that imports are dominated by machinery, transport equipment,
manufactured goods, and commodities.
Domestic currency commercial lending interest rates remain very
high (ranging from 20 to 35 percent), despite Government efforts to
lower them. This is fueling demand for U.S. Ex-Im Bank's financing and
credit facilities by Nigerian importers. As of December 2012, Ex-Im
Bank's credit exposure in Nigeria exceeded $178 million.
The official exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar currently
fluctuates between 155 and 160 (2012 average exchange rate N156.8:$1).

Mission Goals

This mission will demonstrate the United States' commitment to a
sustained economic partnership in West Africa. The mission's purpose is
to

[[Page 4446]]

support the business development goals of U.S. energy firms as they
construct a firm foundation for future business in West Africa and
specifically aims to:
Assist in identifying potential partners and strategies
for U.S. companies to gain access to each market for energy and power
generation products and services.
Confirm U.S. Government support for the activities of U.S.
businesses in each market and to provide access to senior decision
makers in the Ghanaian and Nigerian governments.
Listen to the needs, suggestions and experience of
individual participants to help shape appropriate U.S. Government
positions regarding U.S. business interests in the region.
Organize private and focused events with local business
and association leaders capable of becoming partners and clients of
U.S. firms as they develop their business in the region.
Assist development of competitive strategies and market
access with high level information gathering from private and public-
sector leaders.

Mission Scenario

The mission will stop in Accra, Ghana and Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria.
In each country, participants will meet with pre-screened potential
agents, distributors, and representatives, as well as other business
partners and government officials. They will also attend market
briefings by U.S. Embassy officials, as well as networking events
offering further opportunities to speak with local business and
industry decision-makers.

Proposed Time Table

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, May 18.......................... Accra, Ghana............... Business development mission Orientation.
U.S. Government Trade Finance Briefing.
Commercial Opportunity Overview.
Country Team Briefing.
Welcome Dinner.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, May 19.......................... Accra, Ghana............... Industry Briefings/Roundtable
Discussions.
One-on-One Business Appointments.
Public Speech.
Networking Reception.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, May 20......................... Accra, Ghana............... Industry Briefings/Roundtable
Discussions.
One-on-One Business Appointments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, May 21....................... Lagos, Nigeria............. Travel to Lagos, Nigeria.
Commercial Opportunity Overview.
Country Team Briefing.
Government Meetings.
One-on-One Business Appointments.
Networking Reception.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, May 22........................ Lagos, Nigeria............. Government Meetings.
One-on-One Business Appointments.
Public Speech.
Abuja, Nigeria............. Travel to Abuja, Nigeria.
Networking Reception.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, May 23.......................... Abuja, Nigeria............. Government Meetings.
One-on-One Business Appointments.
Public Speech.
Wrap-up Discussion.
Closing Dinner.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Participation Requirements

All parties interested in participating in the Secretarial Energy
Business Development Mission to West Africa must complete and submit an
application package for consideration by the Department of Commerce.
All applicants will be evaluated on their ability to meet certain
conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below.
Approximately 20-25 companies will be selected to participate in the
mission from the applicant pool. U.S. companies doing business in Ghana
and Nigeria, as well as U.S. companies seeking to enter these markets
for the first time may apply.

Fees and Expenses

After a company has been selected to participate on the mission, a
payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of a participation
fee is required. The fee schedule for each mission is below:
$11,000 for large firms
$9,000 for a small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\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/services/contracting opportunities/
sizestandardstopics/). 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 for additional information).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

$2,750 each additional firm representative (large firm or
SME)
Expenses for travel, lodging, most meals, and incidentals will be
the responsibility of each mission participant.

Conditions of 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 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

[[Page 4447]]

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% U.S. content. In
cases where the U.S. content does not exceed 50%, especially where the
applicant intends to pursue investment and major project opportunities,
the following factors, may be considered in determining whether the
applicant's participation in the business development mission is in the
U.S. national interest:
[cir] U.S. materials and equipment content;
[cir] U.S. labor content;
[cir] Repatriation of profits to the U.S. economy;
[cir] Potential for follow-on business that would benefit the U.S.
economy;
Certify that the export of the products and services that
it wishes to export through the mission would be in compliance with
U.S. export controls and regulations;
Certify that it has identified to the Department of
Commerce for its evaluation any business pending before the Department
of Commerce that may present the appearance of a conflict of interest;
Certify that it has identified any pending litigation
(including any administrative proceedings) to which it is a party that
involves the Department of Commerce; and
Sign and submit an agreement that it and its affiliates
(1) have not and will not engage in the bribery of foreign officials in
connection with a company's/participant's involvement in this mission,
and (2) maintain and enforce a policy that prohibits the bribery of
foreign officials.

Selection Criteria for Participation

Selection will be based on the following criteria, listed in
decreasing order of importance:
Suitability of a company's products or services to the
target markets and the likelihood of a participating company's
increased exports or business interests in the target markets as a
result of this mission;
Consistency of company's products or services with the
scope and desired outcome of the mission's goals;
Demonstrated export experience in the target markets and/
or other foreign markets;
Current or pending major project participation; and
Rank/seniority of the designated company representative.
Additional factors, such as diversity of company size, type,
location, and demographics, 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 (https://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr), posting on ITA's business development mission
calendar (https://export.gov/trademissions) 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 will begin immediately and conclude no later than March
14, 2014. Applications can be completed on-line at the Africa Energy
Mission Web site at https://www.export.gov/AfricaEnergyMission2014 or
can be obtained by contacting the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of
Business Liaison (202-482-1360 or businessLiaison@doc.gov).
The application deadline is Friday, March 14, 2014. Completed
applications should be submitted to the Office of Business Liaison.
Applications received after Friday, March 14, 2014, will be considered
only if space and scheduling constraints permit.

How To Apply

Applications can be downloaded from the business development
mission Web site (https://export.gov/AfricaEnergyMission2014) or can be
obtained by contacting the Office of Business Liaison (see below).
Completed applications should be submitted to the Office of Business
Liaison at (email: businessliaison@doc.gov or fax: 202-482-4054).

Contacts

General Information and Applications: The Office of Business
Liaison, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Room 5062, Washington, DC 20230,
Tel: 202-482-1360, Fax: 202-482-4054, Email: BusinessLiaison@doc.gov.

Elnora Moye,
Trade Program Assistant.
[FR Doc. 2014-01521 Filed 1-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P

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