Georgia welcomes 20 nations of the Americas to Atlanta

ATLANTA, August 19, 2008 — Georgia's résumé of international connections grew even longer this week as the state hosted its second Americas Competitiveness Forum in Atlanta. The three-day event, which concludes today, has attracted the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, the Presidents of Colombia, Guatemala and El Salvador, the Vice Presidents of Nicaragua and El Salvador and more than 25 other senior level officials from 20 nations to discuss strategies for strengthening the Western Hemisphere's competitive edge in the global marketplace. Business ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small exporters are also participating in the conference. 'Georgia's deep experience in international competition has commanded more attention as the global economy expands,' said Governor Sonny Perdue, who will give the forum's keynote closing address. 'It reflects well on our state when Georgia is chosen to host a high-profile event like the Americas Competitiveness Forum for its first two years.' The 2008 forum was organized by the City of Atlanta and the United Nations training center, CIFAL Atlanta, and was convened by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez. The forum is a direct result of President Bush's recommendation following the 2005 Summit of the Americas to meet with all of the leaders from the Western Hemisphere to discuss improving the region's competitiveness. Aside from having attracted the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games and 2004's G8 Summit, Georgia is the only U.S. state invited to join the Regional Leaders partnership of regions in Germany, Canada, Brazil, China, Austria and South Africa. The state is the home of almost 1,600 internationally-owned facilities from 44 countries and more than 100 consulates or bi-national trade organizations operated by some 60-plus countries. Georgia operates 10 international offices, and last year welcomed 50 foreign delegations and sent missions to 23 nations. The benefits of a global economy extend well outside the metro Atlanta area, since three-quarters of Georgia's counties participate in international trade. The $4.1 million Global Georgia initiative, proposed by Governor Perdue and funded by the legislature, is a comprehensive integrated marketing campaign focused on bringing more internationally-generated jobs and investment to the state. 'Hosting this conference for the second consecutive year really adds to Georgia's profile as the gateway to the Americas. The relationships we build with the countries of the Western Hemisphere are critical to the state's economic viability,' said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Georgia's relationships in the Western Hemisphere help promote the goals of the Americas Competitiveness Forum. Four of the state's 10 international offices are located in the Americas, and more than 15 of its nations are currently represented in Georgia's consular and business corps. Georgia has hosted more than 200 Ministers, Secretaries, Senators, Congressmen, Vice Presidents and Prime Ministers from the region. More than 1,000 Latin American academic and business leaders visited the state to attend SUMAQ conferences, and more than 300 Western Hemisphere business leaders attended the first annual Business of the Americas Summit, also held in Georgia. In addition, the state has hosted the bi-lateral free trade negotiations between the U.S. and Chile and between the U.S. and Andean countries, on behalf of the U.S. Trade Representative. Governor Perdue led a state delegation to Montréal, Québec in 2007 for the chartering of the SEUS-Canadian Provinces Alliance. The inaugural SEUS-Canada conference was held in Savannah in June 2008. This year's Americas Competitiveness Forum focuses on four topics: trade logistics; travel and tourism; alliances in business and education; and renewable energy and sustainable resources. In line with the goals of the forum, a number of participating Georgia companies are meeting one-on-one with senior commercial officers from 13 countries during the event, for specific guidance on marketing their products in these countries. The Georgia Department of Economic Development, which focuses on these strategies for the state, is a sponsor of the forum, which concludes after today's sessions. Other Georgia-based sponsors include the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Coca-Cola, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, CNN en Español, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm. The agency attracts new business, encourages the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, and locates new markets for Georgia products. It also markets Georgia to tourists and promotes the state as a location for film, music and digital entertainment projects. For more information, visit www.Georgia.org.