SEUS Alliances 

The State of Georgia partners with other world regions to enhance trade, investment, and economic development opportunities. These relationships generate new opportunities for Georgia businesses.

SEUS/Japan
SEUS//CP (Canadian Provinces)

In 2008 Georgia was welcomed as the newest member of a strategic alliance of international regions provides a forum for the exchange of best practices in areas of mutual interest. Member regions include: Bavaria, Germany; Georgia, USA; Quebec, Canada; Shandong, China; Sao Paulo (state), Brazil; Upper Austria, Austria; and Western Cape, South Africa. These regions represent 170 million people in five continents with a GDP of more than 2,000 bn. US$. The alliance promotes cooperative multi-dimensional exchanges between the regions.

WHAT IS THE SOUTHEAST U.S./JAPAN ASSOCIATION
Created in 1976 by former Georgia Governor George Busbee, the Southeast U.S./Japan Association ("SEUS/Japan") was established to promote trade, investment, understanding and friendship between Japan and the southeastern United States.

Member states include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, and SEUS/Japan has a Japanese counterpart, the Japan-U.S. Southeast Association. Both memberships include top business leaders and government officials. An annual conference between the two associations is held on a rotational basis in Japan and the southeastern U.S.

Also on a rotational basis, each of the eight states serves as "Host and Co-Host State" for a two-year term and assumes leadership of SEUS/Japan during that period. Tennessee hosted the 2010 joint meeting and will serve as Co-Host through 2011.

The state of Georgia hosted the first annual joint meeting in Atlanta in 1976, once more in 1990, and most recently in 2004.

New! The SEUS-Japan 2012 conference will be held September 30-October 2, 2012 in Tokyo. Georgia, a charter member of the SEUS-Japan Alliance, is committed to this alliance as well as its relationships in Japan. Our economic development office located in Tokyo dates back to 1973 and is Georgia’s oldest international office. We are proud of the nearly 375 Japanese facilities located in our state. As we continue to celebrate Georgia’s ties with Japan, please make plans to join us for the 2012 conference.

THE 34TH ANNUAL JOINT MEETING
The 34th annual joint meeting was held in Nashville, Tennessee, over three days from Sunday, October 17, to Tuesday, October 19, 2010. The event was co-chaired by Mr. Hiromasa Yonekura, Chairman of Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., and Mr. Jack Bovender, Chairman of the Hospital Corporation of America. More on SEUS-Japan ▶

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MEMBER STATES OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S./JAPAN ORGANIZATION

	Alabama Hilda Lockhart Director, International Trade Division Alabama Development Office Tel: +1 (334) 242-0442 Hilda.lockhart@ado.alabama.gov
	Florida Dave Woodward Executive Director Florida Delegation, Southeast U.S./Japan Association, Inc. Tel: +1 (786) 235-8289 dwoodward@fl-seusjapan.org
	Georgia Kathe Falls Director, International Trade Georgia Department of Economic Development Tel: +1 (404) 962-4120 kfalls@georgia.org
	Mississippi Liz Cleveland Manager, International Trade Office Global Business Division, Mississippi Development Authority Tel: +1 (601) 359-3155 lcleveland@mississippi.org
	North Carolina Mr. David Rhoades Executive Director of Marketing North Carolina Department of Commerce Tel: +1 (919) 715-6556 drhoades@nccommerce.com
	South Carolina Clarke Thompson Director, Export Development & Foreign Relations South Carolina Department of Commerce Tel: +1 (803) 737-0438 cthompson@SCcommerce.com
	Tennessee Lori Odom Director of Asian Investment Department of Economic & Community Development Tel: +1 (615) 532-8895 lori.odom@state.tn.us
	Virginia Rick Richardson Director, Communications & Promotions Virginia Economic Development Partnership Tel: +1 (804) 545-5802 rrichardson@yesvirginia.org Mary Kay Land Office Manager Tel: +1 (804) 545-5800 mland@yesvirginia.org
	Japan/U.S. Southeast Association Tel: +81-03-5543-5090 info@seus-japan.org

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WHAT IS SEUS//CP?
In 2007 six Southeastern U.S. states (Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama) and seven Canadian provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba) formed an alliance to present the opportunity for businesses to enhance commercial ties, promote two-way investment, and encourage technological and scientific exchanges between and among the States and Provinces. The alliance brings focus to these relationships and expands opportunities in developing sectors and markets through new partnerships. While states and regions compete in attracting foreign direct investment, they collaborate in international trade; therefore, the Alliance focuses on establishing trade opportunities for businesses.

ANNUAL BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS CONFERENCE
Delegations from each jurisdiction of the Alliance convene annually for a business-to-business conference, alternating between host sites in the two countries. Delegations, led by state governors, provincial premiers or their designees, comprise business and industry leaders from a wide array of business sectors.

The 2011 SEUS//CP conference took place from in Fredericton, New Brunswick, in Canada. Targeted industries for the 2011 event included advanced manufacturing, clean tech, and information & communication technologies. Governor Nathan Deal led the Georgia Delegation to the Conference.

The inaugural SEUS//CP Conference was held in June 2008 in Savannah, Georgia. The second annual event was in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in 2009, and the latest SEUS//CP Conference took place in Biloxi, Mississippi, in April 2010.

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SEUS//CP 2012 CONFERENCE
NEW! Georgia businesses interested in expanding their exports to Canada have the opportunity to participate in the 5th annual SEUS-CP conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina held May 20-22, 2012. Details will be provided shortly.

WHY CANADA?
Canada remains Georgia’s top trading partner. In 2010, Georgia exports to Canada reached nearly $4.9 billion, which is a 18.6% increase from 2009. Main products exported include non-rail vehicles, machinery, electrical machinery, plastics, textile floor coverings, and aircraft/spacecraft.

The state of Georgia has had representation in Canada since 1981, and Atlanta is home both to a Canadian Consulate General and a Quebec Trade & Investment Office.

For more information about the SEUS//CP Annual Business-to-Business Conference, email Abby Turano or call +1-404-962-4073.

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