TRADE MIAMI-DADE: June 2016

TRADE MIAMI-DADE June 2016 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Welcome to Trade Miami-Dade, the newsletter highlighting the activities of the International Trade Consortium (ITC) Board of Directors and the Economic Development and International Trade unit (EDIT) of Miami-Dade County.  As the Chair of the ITC, I have the responsibility of engaging our local partners and making new commercial connections around the world.  The advantages of using Miami-Dade County and its superb international trade resources for moving product to and from anywhere in the world are formidable.  Our message is clear: come trade with us, and together we can make Miami-Dade prosper.   We hope you enjoy Trade Miami-Dade, and that you will join us in promoting Miami-Dade County as the Global Gateway.     ITC Chair Jose "Pepe" Diaz       ITC CHAIR DIAZ LEADS HISTORIC EDIT TRADE MISSION TO CHINA AND TAIWAN EDIT recently conducted a business development mission to the Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan), April 12 - April 23, 2016.  There were a total of 33 registered participants, 24 private-sector participants, seven public-sector participants and two economic development agencies.  A total of 25 business-to-business matchmaking appointments for private- sector participants were held, in addition to 15 public and protocol meetings. An investor forum was held in Shanghai with more than 100 attendees. Mission participants also attended the 119th Canton Import/Export Fair & Expo in Guangzhou and visited the Alibaba Group campus in Hangzhou. Participants also visited two factories located in the Shunde New District Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone.  One of the areas of focus was Miami International Airport’s (MIA) efforts to attract a new China-Miami air service carrier. Mission leader Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz, with MIA Deputy Director Ken Pyatt and delegates, met with China Eastern Airlines Company Ltd., Hainan Airlines Company, China Southern Airlines Company Ltd., and the Guangzhou Aerotropolis Development District. The later part of the mission in Taiwan, coincided with the Enterprise Florida Mission led by Florida Secretary of Commerce Bill Johnson. A Florida branding event was held with over 80 attendees, as well as various visits with ocean carriers and air cargo services. Miami-Dade County and the New Taipei City, Taiwan, have enjoyed an official Sister Cities relationship since 1989. Mission participants also attended the Giftionery & Sourvenir Trade Show & Exhibition in Taipei.     ITC Chair Diaz meets with Hon. Zhao Wen, Vice Mayor, Shanghai Municipal Government.     Miami-Dade delegation meets with China Eastern Airlines. Chinese businesses attend the Investors Forum.  Delegation meets with Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. DELEGATION FROM KIRIKKALE AND ANKARA, TURKEY, VISIT MIAMI-DADE  Turkish delegation poses for group picture.  A 14-member delegation from Ankara and Kirikkale, Turkey, visited Miami-Dade County from May 17 to the 20, 2016. The visit was organized by Kirikkale’s Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD) and the Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce of the Southeast U.S. On May 18, Maria Dreyfus-Ulvert, EDIT senior trade specialist, and Liane Ventura, senior vice-president of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce briefed the delegation about Miami-Dade County and their services. The delegation included businesses in the sectors of construction, plastic manufacturing, architecture, legal services, and restaurant and food distribution. The delegation welcomed the opportunities available for their businesses given Miami’s role as the Gateway to Latin America. The group also met with the Turkish Trade Office in Miami.    CANADIAN TRADE MISSION TARGETS SOUTH FLORIDA A delegation from Quebec, Canada,  hosted by the Quebec-Florida Chamber of Commerce, visited South Florida from March 29 - April 1, 2016. The 20-member delegation included 13 businesses from the following sectors: information and communication technology, professional services, marketing, manufacturing, ethnic food, veterinary products and consumer goods. EDIT staff provided the Quebec-Florida Chamber of  Commerce with trade leads for the business-to-business meetings with local companies. On March 30, Ms. Dreyfus-Ulvert briefed the delegation about Miami-Dade County and its role as platform for trade with Latin America and the Caribbean. She also met with them individually to discuss the various business opportunities available in Miami-Dade.  EDIT senior trade specialist Maria Dreyfus-Ulvert briefed the delegation about Miami-Dade County and met with the Canadian companies.    FRENCH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (CCI) SEEK OPPORTUNITIES IN MIAMI-DADE  CCI representatives and presenters.  Representatives of eight Chambers of Commerce and Industries of France visited South Florida from May 8 - 10. Hosted by the local French-American Chamber of Commerce, the objective of their visit was to learn about the many opportunities and challenges faced by small and medium- sized French companies interested in entering the US market, particularly in the following sectors: art and design, information technology and aviation. The delegation met with the Consulate of France in Miami, Enterprise Florida, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, The Beacon Council and EDIT. On May 10, Ms. Dreyfus-Ulvert welcomed the delegation and briefed representatives from CCI France, Grenoble, Languedoc Roussillon, Auvergne, Lyon, Alsace, Lorraine and Rhone-Alpes about Miami-Dade County and its trade relationship with France. CCIs are semi-public organizations that represent the interest of all businesses with local, regional, national and European authorities and include a network of 27 regional chambers of commerce and industry, 135 local CCIs and CCI France, overseeing 107 chambers of commerce and industries abroad. This initiative is part of an on-going effort to continue strengthening ties with such an important trading partner. In 2015, France was South Florida’s 11th-largest trading partner and number one European trading partner, with a total trade of $2.8 billion. EDIT LAUNCHES GOING GLOBAL WORKSHOP SERIES EDIT hosted its first “Going Global” Workshop on Wednesday, May 25, 2016.   This import and export workshop was hosted by Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava in District 8.  Participants heard from 14 presenters from public-and private-sector industry experts who shared information related to effective tools on accessing international markets, best prospects, legal aspects and available trade financing. Workshop agenda topics included: strategies for global expansion; selecting foreign markets; cultural and legal considerations; export documentation, shipping, and logistics; terms of sales; payment methods, trade financing; risk assessment and risk management; education and training; and regulatory compliance. Top: Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava welcomes participants to the Going Global workshop. Middle: PortMiami Director Juan Kuryla highlights the role of trade at the port. Bottom: ITC Board member Lenny Feldman offers best practices for international trade.  COMMISSIONER AUDREY EDMONSON RECEIVES DELEGATION FROM KENYA  Top, from left to right: Desmond Alufoha, EDIT staff; Commissioner Audrey Edmonson; Senator Lenny Kuvuti; Francina Norman; and Alexis Synder, Office of Congresswoman Frederica Wilson.    Bottom: Commissioner Audrey Edmonson presented the Key to the County to Her Excellency Mrs. Rael Ruto (middle in white attire). The Honorable Audrey M. Edmonson, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, District 3, and Vice-Chair of the ITC Board of Directors, received Senator Lenny Kivuti, Chairman of Land and Natural Resources, Republic of Kenya, in her District office on May 23, 2016. On May 25, 2016 she welcomed Her Excellency Rael Ruto, spouse of the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya. Her Excellency was accompanied by staff and representatives of the Joyful Women Organization, a not-for-profit organization based in Kenya.  Commissioner Edmonson welcomed the visiting dignitaries to the County on behalf of the County Mayor, Board of County Commissioners and the 2.7 million residents of Miami-Dade County. They discussed ways to foster economic and cultural ties between the Republic of Kenya and Miami-Dade County. Both sides agreed to  work on securing a Sister Cities relationship and expanding trade opportunities and passenger and/or freight service between Nairobi, Kenya and Miami International Airport. Her Excellency invited Commissioner Edmonson to consider organizing a trade mission Kenya in the near future.  Commissioner Edmonson presented Senator Lenny Kivuti and Mrs. Rael Ruto with the Keys to the County. The latter also received a Distinguished Visitor’s Certificate.

Miami-Dade County - EDIT - Economic Development and International Trade | 111 N.W. 1st Street, 12th Floor, Miami, FL 33186-3454