BFIF SUPPORTS FORESTRY TRADE SHOW

UNCLAS LA PAZ 001379 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB/CBA DWINSTEAD AND WHA/AND LPETRONI USAID FOR LAC/RSD JBISSON, LCORNWELL, JKUNEN, CCAMPBELL, AND VBULLEN COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN TREASURY FOR SGOOCH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ABUD AFIN AMGT BEXP BTIO ECON EINV BL SUBJECT: BFIF SUPPORTS FORESTRY TRADE SHOW REF: STATE 31404 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) Post used FY07 Business Facilitation Incentive Fund (BFIF) monies to support Expoforest 2007, Bolivia's principal forestry trade show. This cable provides outcome and expenditure information. End summary. -------------- EXPOFOREST 2007 -------------- ¶2. (U) BFIF funds supported a March 22-23 business roundtable at Expoforest 2007, Bolivia's fifth annual forestry and wood products trade show. Post provided a grant to the Bolivian Forestry Chamber, whose staff sat on the show's organizing board and successfully organized two previous roundtables. Bolivian, U.S., and other firms participated in the event, along with several indigenous communities. Show organizers reported that the roundtable attracted more than 200 companies from the United States and eighteen other countries, with meetings generating agreements and sales leads worth an estimated $18.7 million. ¶3. (U) According to its expenditure report, the Bolivian Forestry Chamber spent $6,370.38 of its $6,525 grant, using the money to purchase supplies and equipment, prepare participant credentials, print participant directories, and pay for newspaper publicity and promotional material. Post will fax related documentation to EEB/EX staff. ¶4. (U) BFIF funds also supported the production of an exhibitors' catalog and several television spots. Post provided a grant to Chemonics International, whose USAID-supported Bolivian Trade and Business Competitiveness (BTBC) project works closely with Expoforest. BTBC staff arranged the publication and distribution of a full color catalog listing the names, addresses, and products of the show's 190 exhibitors and prepared television spots broadcast on two of Bolivia's most important channels, in one case during the nightly news program and in the other during a popular talk show. BTBC staff estimated that 250,000 viewers saw the spots. ¶5. (U) According to its expenditure report, Chemonics fully utilized its $3,725 grant. Post will fax related documentation to EEB/EX staff. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (U) Supporting Expoforest 2007 coincided with Mission goals of improving Bolivian forestry exports' competitiveness, expanding Bolivian businesses' access to domestic and international markets, and boosting bilateral trade. As Bolivian wood products manufacturers currently send half of all exports to U.S. markets (for doors and windows, the proportion rises to 94 percent, or an estimated $17.6 million),the show was a particularly important means of furthering and expanding commercial relationships. Post appreciates EEB's continued support of its BFIF program. GOLDBERG