12/08/08

WAIPA’s popular study tour programme aims at enabling professionals to visit and learn from experienced IPAs worldwide. The study tours are scheduled for a period of up to two weeks and cover the whole range of IPA activities through hands-on experience and on-the-job training.

Study tours are geared towards professionals from WAIPA member agencies; the programme is designed to provide participants with the opportunity to gain experience in investment promotion and investor targeting from successful IPAs.

The training is free of charge for WAIPA members, the travel and accommodation costs for agencies from LDCs are borne by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Applicants must hold a university degree in Business, Economics, Law or a related field, and have a minimum of two years of work experience in investment promotion. Candidates must be fluent in English. After completing the study tour, the trainees are requested to submit a written evaluation report to the WAIPA Secretariat. Upon successful conclusion of their training, the participants receive a certificate of completion.

This year, investment promotion professionals from IPAs will be trained by Invest in Sweden Agency (ISA). The preliminary programme will be soon available on the WAIPA website www.waipa.org.

For more information, please contact Mrs. Alexandra Tokareva at: alexandra.tokareva@waipa.org or at the following telephone number: +41 22 797 26 63.

WAIPA Round Table at the 12th China International Fair on Investment & Trade (CIFIT), 8 – 11 September 2007, Xiamen, China

WAIPA and the Ministry of Commerce of P.R. of China (MOFCOM) will jointly sponsor a Roundtable Conference for International Investment Promotion Agencies during the 12th China International Fair on Investment & Trade (CIFIT), which is to be held between September 8 and 11 in Xiamen, southeast China. The theme of the Roundtable Conference, which will be held on the 9th of September, will focus on Public-Private Partnerships in Infrastructure Building.

In order to support WAIPA members to participate in CIFIT and to strengthen WAIPA’s influence on the international investment promotion activities, MOFCOM provides free booths especially for the IPAs from least developed countries and half-price booths (3mx3m) for other WAIPA members and their respective domestic enterprises. By participating CIFIT, WAIPA members will have the opportunity to establish communication channels with domestic and foreign government officials, principals of the IPAs and representatives from business associations and enterprises, so as to further expand their investment promotion business.

In response to the adjustments of the world’s industrial structure and in view of the emerging trends, challenges and opportunities in international investment cooperation, the 12th CIFIT will carry out China’s latest national development strategies, implement the nation’s strategies for coordinated development of regional economies, and promote bilateral and multilateral economic exchanges and partnerships.

The annual CIFIT is sponsored by MOFCOM and co-sponsored by IFC, UNCTAD, UNIDO and WAIPA. With its themes of Promoting Inward and Outward Investment, CIFIT is the biggest, most important and most influential event featuring in internationalized investment promotion held in China.

For further information please contact: Mr. CHENG Han, Tel: +86 10 8522 6215, Email: chenghan@fdi.gov.cn or Mrs. Karine Campanelli, at: karine.campanelli@waipa.org, Tel.: +41 22 797 26 64

iPAD Central Africa Conference, 7-9 October 2008, Kinshasa, DRC

The 4th Infrastructure Partnerships for African Development (iPAD) CENTRAL AFRICA conference and exhibition takes place from 7-10 October 2008. iPAD Central Africa is a forum not only for mining stakeholders to make strategic partners and gather accurate information face-to-face, but it is also the only international business-to-business and investment forum in the DRC.

Delegates will get the opportunity to access and directly engage with government ministers and business decision makers in the mining, energy, telecommunications, banking and transport sectors. A two-day exhibition enables further networking and the possibility to witness the latest products, technologies and services available in the DRC.

On Friday, 10 October a visit to Inga I and II hydropower plant is offered, whereby delegates will view the maintenance and operations and view the site for Grand Inga, a bold infrastructure initiative with a long-term view to power the whole of Africa.

Register before 15 August to avoid missing out on the early bird rate! And for more information visit www.ipad-africa.com/central Please quote code WAI01 to qualify.

For sponsorship enquiries, contact Jean-Tite Olouumoussie: jeantite.oloumoussie@spintelligent.com
For registration and travel enquiries, contact Rue Limekhaya: rue.limekhaya@spintelligent.com
For conference and general enquiries, contact Nicole Smith: nicole.smith@spintelligent.com
Phone: +27 21 700 3500 & Fax: +27 21 7003501

IEDC Annual Conference 2008, 19-22 October 2008, Atlanta, USA

TJoin the International Economic Development Council in Atlanta for the world's largest annual gathering of economic developers, October 19-22. The three full days of discussions on the latest trends in economic development include 28 concurrent sessions covering topics ranging from regional partnerships, best practices in entrepreneurship, and sustainability with focus on issues like climate change and urban housing. Keynote speakers include Dr. Richard Florida, international best-selling author of The Rise of the Creative Class, who will be introducing his latest book, Who’s Your City?, as well as Dr. Arthur “Chris” Nelson whose groundbreaking article, “The Next 100 Million” became the template for the theme of IEDC’s conference.

Focusing on the booming world population, this conference will have industry leaders breaking down the current issues and new models essential for communities looking to capture the growth brought by the next billion. You can learn more about the conference at: http://www.iedconline.org/AnnualConference

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