By Kay Scrimger
February 11, 2008

Led by Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf, the International Affairs Committee discussed U.S. trade initiatives, Sister Cities International, Mayors for Peace’s 2020 Vision Campaign, and development of a new web network, BeGlobal.net.

Tiffany M. Moore, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison, discussed pending free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia, and Panama and the benefits of trade liberalization in general.

She pointed out that, “Passage of these agreements will provide U.S. businesses duty-free access to markets with a combined population of approximately 75 million consumers and GDP of almost $575 billion.”

Such free trade agreements as those pending in Peru, Colombia, and Panama, Moore emphasized: 1) give U.S. businesses access to large and growing markets; 2) level the playing field for U.S. workers, businesses and agriculture; 3) strengthen freedom and democracy; 4) provide strong protection for labor and the environment, and 5) support U.S. allies in a key region. (For more information: www.ustr.gov)

Mary Tinsley Raul, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Commerce, brought greetings from Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, and commended the committee for its continuing active focus on key international trade and other issues.

Sister Cities International (SSI) Deputy Executive Director Jim Doumas focused on the dynamism of SSI’s nonprofit citizen diplomacy network around the world, which includes more than 2,000 partnerships. “We motivate and empower mayors, private citizens, and business leaders to conduct long-term sister city programs,” he said.

“Sister Cities is changing, with, for example, increased economic development exchanges and trade missions, emphasis on seed grant programs, and new initiatives, such as our Islamic Partnership, strengthening the existing 95 partnerships between U.S. communities and those in the Muslim world and now forming new partnerships,” he said. Doumas also noted that SSI’s Annual Meeting will take place July 16-19 in Kansas City. (For more information: www.sister-cities.org)

Tim Honey, President of BeGlobal Network, described BeGlobal.net, a web-based social network scheduled to be available in late April/early May, to “provide communities and their citizens with the opportunity to showcase their city as a global city, featuring global assets and opportunities.” Participation will be at no charge to communities.

Growing out of work developed in Seattle, Louisville, and Portland (ME), BeGlobal.net will “provide institutions, individuals, and their cities with the tools to network globally and act locally, showcase global assets and opportunities, foster an ethic of global citizenship and involvement, and enhance the quality of life for all in the community,” Honey said. (For more information: timhoney@aol.com or visit the interim website at www.BeGlobal.net)

USCM Past President Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic introduced Jacqueline Cabasso, North American Representative for the Mayors for Peace 2020 Vision Campaign. Plusquellic serves on the Mayors for Peace Secretariat as Vice President. Hiroshima, Japan Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba is President.

Plusquellic pointed out that over the past three decades, the Conference of Mayors has been a leader in “talking sense to the rest of the world” about the critical importance of preventing war and eliminating nuclear weapons, ensuring that, “No city will ever be targeted again.”

Cabasso thanked the committee and the Conference of Mayors for strong leadership on this issue. She reported that the Mayors for Peace campaign to rid the world of nuclear weapons by 2020 has enlisted more than 2,002 cities in more than 127 nations, and the number is growing rapidly. “Nuclear weapons, not cities and their people, should be destroyed,” she said. (For more information: www.mayorsforpeace.org)