The joys of travel and trade | |
When I was a little girl, a much older cousin gave me a copy of “Richard Haliburton’s Complete Book of Marvels.” I devoured the book and became determined to travel to everywhere in the book, starting with the Taj Mahal.
I haven’t nearly traveled the book, but I did see the Taj Mahal and much, much more. As a mining engineer, I traveled wherever the minerals took me, from Australia to Canada. Each time, whether the first trip to a country or the fourteenth, I always learned something.
I have been to Türkiye many times, but the trip to Istanbul and Trade Winds has to rank among the top – even though the weather did not cooperate and Nesrin Cakiroglu and I spent almost the entire time in the basement conference center of the Hilton. Stacks of fresh simit (sesame covered bagels) in bakery windows, or elaborate designs made from tiny squares of homemade lokum (Turkish Delight) pressed against the glass of 150-year-old candy shops never fail to delight.
Best of all, I was able to get a glimpse of life as revealed in the book “Midnight at the Pera Palace: The Birth of Modern Istanbul” in the restored hotel and share it with her. So spin the globe, see where it stops, and head to the library to read about where you landed. You just may be fortunate enough to visit in person.
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Carla Sydney Stone
President
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Learn more about Port to Port International
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Learn more about Delaware Business Times
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Shekina Invest
Shekina Invest is an investment firm dedicated to supporting the development of Sub-Saharan Africa, mobilizing financial resources and making smart investments in key sectors that will contribute to a thriving Africa. Shekina Invest leverages its network of investors to channel smart capital towards entrepreneurs in developing markets. It prioritizes sectors with a high social and environmental impact, including clean energy, agribusiness, inclusive finance, and real estate development. It also offers technical assistance and training to empower women and young entrepreneurs. By combining financial expertise with a focus on social and environmental impact, Shekina Invest aims to create a prosperous Africa.
Learn more: www.shekinainvest.com
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African delegation visit nets sales agreements | |
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A recent visit to Delaware by supported by World Trade Center Delaware supported a recent reverse trade mission by senior Cote d’Ivoire government officials to Delaware that resulted in signed agreements for housing construction and agriculture equipment sales in the coastal African nation.
The weeklong tour brought the delegation to Port Wilmington, the Delaware Department of Agriculture, the Carvel Research and Education Center, DiSabatino Construction, Walls Irrigation, the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, and several farms.
“The purpose, on a big level, was to promote U.S.-Africa business relationships. But on a granular level, it was to increase business relations between Cote d’Ivoire and the state of Delaware,” said Mohammed Cisse, a board member of WTC Delaware, who is from Cote d’Ivoire and led the visit. World Trade Center Delaware President Carla Stone also participated in several of the meetings prior to traveling to the U.S.-Africa Business Summit.
The preliminary agreements with Cote d’Ivoire involved DiSabatino Construction, to build 500 houses in the northern part of the country, and Walls Irrigation, to supply precision farming equipment and technologies, said Cisse, founder and CEO of Tungsten Global Consulting.
Cisse said the delegation, including Deputy Ambassador Mathieu Toure, especially appreciated the availability of Delaware authorities to meet and greet them, including Gov. John Carney, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, and Wilmington Mayor Michael Purzycki. Delegates also attended a meeting with Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse to discuss agricultural issues.
“It was so well-coordinated and was so friendly,” Cisse said. “Africans would not think they would have such access in America.”
An exploratory mission is being planned in June with DiSabatino and Walls officials to Cote d’Ivoire to follow up on the agreements.
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Register Today: WTC Events Coming Up | |
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Speakers include:
- Aerek Stevens, Export Finance Manager, EXIM Bank and REPP and Minority & Women-Owned
- Mark E. Klein, Managing Director, Lender Accounts, EXIM
- Chris Snead, Loan Specialist, EXIM
- Federico Manno, Vice President, Fulton International Group
- Peter Seneca, Co-Founder, Securitas Global Risk Solutions
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Trade Winds full of connections and education | |
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World Trade Center Delaware represented First State businesses, nonprofits, academia and government agencies at Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia in Istanbul, Türkiye, last week. Trade Winds is the largest U.S. government-led trade mission and business development forum. Organized by the U.S. Commercial Service, this year’s Forum featured meetings with U.S. commercial diplomats from over 25 countries in Europe and Eurasia.
We showcased the advantages of Delaware’s businesses, our port, and Foreign Trade Zone, as well as uncovered potential trade leads for Delaware’s companies. Additional sessions included information on air cargo, logistics, generative AI and lessons learned from the pandemic. Trade Winds also integrated mission stops and business-to-business matchmaking meetings with pre-screened buyers, agents, distributors, or joint-venture partners in Türkiye as well as Italy, Romania, Denmark, Poland, or Kazakhstan.
Trade Winds is an opportunity to participate in a low-cost, high value trade mission with companies vetted by the U.S. government. Next year’s Trade Winds will take place in Sao Paolo, Brazil, with additional mission stops throughout South America.
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U.S.-Africa Business Summit sparks connections | |
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WTC Delaware also exhibited again in the U.S.-Africa Business Summit, held recently in Dallas, Texas. The team held many discussions to introduce Delaware’s business sectors African countries. Many government representatives were particularly interested in ways that Delaware companies and educational institutions can partner with them to aid in increasing the value of their exports and decreasing food waste.
The Summit also focused on the benefits of empowering women, featuring discussions with UA Ambassador Hilda Susa Mafudze and the leaders of U.S. government partners such as Joy Basu, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, EXIM Bank Chair Rita Jo Lewis, USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong, and Corporate Council on Africa President Florie Liser, plus male supporters such as Audu Maikori, the Founder and CEO of Chocolate City, and President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana.
Delaware’s expertise in aviation, cold storage, fumigation, poultry farming, logistics, and housing were of particular interest. Tanzanian Ambassador Elsie S. Kanza, who had traveled to Delaware for a previous Summit Kickoff, visited our booth and continued discussions with a Delaware company via phone. Numerous diplomatic officials visited the booth, but just as important, were company representatives from old friends such as Debswana (diamonds) to Accrow (bridges), to those new companies seeking sources of supply, research partners, or potential customers. Before the Summit ended, one company emailed the Port and made plans to visit it as a potential port of entry within the next month or so.
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WTC Istanbul visit a highlight | |
Thank you to Haluk Kanca, General Manager and WTCA Board Member and Okay Basbug, Foreign Affairs Deputy Manager of World Trade Center Istanbul, for hosting us in their impressive facilities. Already the largest exhibition space in Turkey, we learned that the WTC Istanbul footprint is going to expand dramatically to reflect the city’s need for trade show and exhibition space. Istanbul is located at the pivot point between Europe and Asia and presents trade missions with the opportunity to reach both continents at one time. Even though the city boasts some of the most modern buildings, airport, and port facilities, it manages to retain an appreciation for the beauty of its past, as evidenced by the beautiful handmade glass plate with a picture of the 1732 Tophane Square Fountain we received. | |
Supply Chain Management Review interview about WTCA assistance | |
President Carla Stone recently gave an interview to Supply Chain Management Review to share her experience and deep insights, discussing competition, assistance programs, and more. | |
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WTC Delaware provides a full range of international trade-related services with an in-depth focus on export/import of services and manufactured goods. These pages contain brief information on opportunities that could offer exciting possibilities for U.S. companies in a variety of industry sectors.
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EL SALVADOR: Water Strengthening
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FIJI: Water Loss Reduction and Management
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GEORGIA: Wastewater Treatment Plant, Solid Waste Management
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KAZAKHSTAN: Wastewater Treatment Plant Modernization
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KOSOVO: Wastewater Treatment Plant
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MEXICO: Food & Dairy Wastewater Treatment Plant
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MOROCCO: Water Infrastructure Project
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TURKEY: Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure
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UKRAINE: Water Supply and Treatment Infrastructure
View the most recent trade leads here.
Delaware companies: Please fill out our trade leads form so we can market your products or services!
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Technical.ly covers technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and more across multiple markets, from Pittsburgh to Delaware. Its staff reports on company culture, professional development, diversity, and startups, among many other topics. It also co-hosts Philly Tech Week and runs a weekly tech jobs list. Recent coverage includes coworking spaces, federal funding, startup awards, and innovation ecosystems.
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Events galore: Training workshops, networking events, and "Member Only" events just for WTC Delaware members.
Become a member today!
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World Trade Center® Delaware is the State’s premier international business resource. We help companies, especially small, medium-sized and emerging enterprises, to grow their international business. We provide trade leads, training programs, job leads, networking, matchmaking, trade mission and reverse trade mission opportunities for Delaware companies. We serve all types of companies in various sectors including agriculture, environmental remediation, IT, medical equipment manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, financial, legal and real estate services. For more information visit us at www.wtcde.com.
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World Trade Center Delaware
42 Reads Way, Suite B
New Castle, DE 19720
ph: 302-656-7905
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