Exporting Nebraska

[Coyote]

Nebraska to put on best face at international conference

Nebraska's first international diplomatic conference is intended to showcase the state Wednesday for a slate of 42 dignitaries representing 31 countries.

"We can shatter a lot of stereotypes if we can bring (foreign officials) to Nebraska," said Secretary of State John Gale, who planned the trade event in his role as the state's chief protocol officer. "We are a very progressive, a very dynamic, a very cutting edge state in many ways."

Ambassadors of the Republic of Belarus, the Ukraine, Ghana, Indonesia and Vietnam will be the highest ranking of the visitors.

The first secretary of China's embassy - "a high-ranking representative for the People's Republic" - will attend, Gale said.

"International relations start with personal relationships. And personal relationships start with one-on-one," he said.

Gov. Mike Johanns, who has visited Japan, will start the day off as the breakfast speaker at the invitation-only event. About 160 people are expected overall.

Potential is strong for beginning or broadening trade relationships, Gale said.

The Vietnamese ambassador, for example, has requested three more days of meetings after the conference. With the ambassador will be that country's economic and trade consuls.

"Vietnam is one of those newly emerging countries with tremendous potential for trade with Nebraska," Gale said. "The same is true of Indonesia. It's one of the largest countries in the world, and it just had a democratic election. . . . We see great potential in Indonesia."

The eastern European countries of Belarus and the Ukraine also hold potential as they seek to establish international trade, he said.

This will be the second time Ghana has sent a representative to visit Nebraska, and the country holds promise, Gale said, "as a stable, democratic country in Africa, with solid economic growth."

The conference also will help solidify relationships with such major trade partners as Canada, South Korea, Mexico, Japan, China, Taiwan and the Netherlands, he said.

Concrete results could grow from Wednesday's event because ambassadors and other high-ranking dignitaries will attend, another state official said.

"This is attracting the decision makers," said Merlyn Carlson, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.

Consul generals as well as consuls, deputy consuls, cultural attachés and representatives with similar titles are expected from 16 more countries.

The remaining 10 countries will be represented by honorary consuls, who are American citizens designated by countries to represent their interests in states where they don't have an official presence. Some countries are represented by more than one official.

Presenters will be officials from ConAgra Foods, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Valmont Industries Inc., Gallup University, NU's Peter Kiewit Information Science, Technology and Engineering Institute, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and the Omaha and Lincoln Chambers of Commerce.

Dignitaries will be offered bus tours to three sites, where other companies and organizations will present information:

• ConAgra Foods corporate offices and Valmont's plant in Valley, presenters from Cargill Sweeteners North America, Henningsen Foods, Farmers National Co., the Nebraska Cattlemen and Omaha Steaks.

• Kiewit Institute and NU Medical Center.

• Strategic Air and Space Museum, presenters from systems security companies Science Applications International Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp., Booz Allen Hamilton, and Lockheed Martin Corp.

Keynote speaker at lunch will be Ronald Roskens, former president of the University of Nebraska and former administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, who also serves as honorary consul for Japan.

To end the day, First National Bank will host a reception. Its chairman, Bruce Lauritzen, also represents Denmark as honorary consul.

Two members of Gale's advisory committee for the conference also serve as honorary consuls: former U.S. Rep. John Cavanaugh for Canada and Omaha attorney Virgil Johnson for Norway.

Other honorary consuls will travel from such cities as Kansas City., Minneapolis and Chicago.

Carlson, of Nebraska's Department of Agriculture, will accompany the Vietnamese delegation during its meetings Thursday through Saturday.

The focus of that group's extended visit - and possible future trade - is diversified and broad, Carlson said. The possibility for exports include agricultural as well as processed products and technology.

"Obviously, if we're going to export, we need to import some things as well. They're a developing country and a country that is changing its world influence very quickly," he said. "Of course, we'd like to sell more than we buy."

Potential imports generally would be household goods, garments and electronics, he said.

The Vietnamese delegation's Thursday meetings will include Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey; Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and business leaders; Ken Stinson, chairman and chief executive of Peter Kiewit Sons' Inc.; and Steven Silver, president of International Nutrition Inc.

On Friday, the delegation will meet with Johanns; Speaker of the Legislature Curt Bromm; and Nizar Mamdani, executive director of UNMC's Office of International Healthcare Services.

"That's a busy schedule," Carlson said.

Previous delegations from Vietnam have looked at Nebraska's agriculture and food products "but never had the broad focus of this one since it's a diplomatic and consular meeting," Carlson said.

He credited the secretary of state with planning a program that has attracted some high-level interest.

Gale gave the credit to Nebraska business and industry.

"We've had tremendous support," he said, "all across the state. . . . It's definitely an all-Nebraska event."

[StreetsOfOmaha]

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