VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMN #0032/01 0192233
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191434Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0165
INFO MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS MONTEVIDEO 000032 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR EEB/CBA - DENNIS A. WINSTED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ABUD BTIO ECON EINV ETRD BEXP UY
SUBJECT: FOR RELEASE: BFIF 2010 PROPOSALS FOR URUGUAY 
 
REF: REF: STATE 126674 
 
¶1.  THE FOLLOWING ARE PROJECTS FOR WHICH POST IS REQUESTING FY 2010 
BFIF FUNDS - NOT IN PRIORITY ORDER: 
 
 
 
---------- 
 
PRADO FAIR 
 
---------- 
 
 
 
¶2.  In 2009, Post adjusted its participation at the Prado fair from 
the large-scale U.S. pavilions of years past (lasting the entire 
two weeks), to a shorter weekend-long presence that focused 
primarily on public outreach and U.S./Uruguay cultural connections. 
With record-breaking crowds (est. 500,000 total over the course of 
the event), the Prado Fair remains Uruguay's most-attended 
agricultural-themed event, providing a forum to promote the 
commercial services we offer and the benefits brought by U.S. 
investment in Uruguay.  At the 2010 Prado Fair, we envision a 
commercial annex to incorporate displays from large U.S. companies 
in Uruguay, which under the embassy umbrella can illustrate their 
commercial activities, their corporate social responsibility 
programs, the number of people they employ, their adaptation to 
clean energy sources, their employment of women and minorities, 
etc.  While a small participation fee may be charged to each 
company, we would still need to rent space and equipment for their 
presentations. 
 
 
 
Approximate request for the commercial segment of the Embassy-wide 
presence at Prado: $1,750 
 
 
 
---------- 
 
EXPOACTIVA 
 
---------- 
 
 
 
¶3.  From March 17-20, Soriano, Uruguay will be hosting the largest 
regional hands-on agricultural expo, ExpoActiva.  Thanks to BFIF 
funds, Post was able to organize very successful catalog shows in 
both 2004 and 2005.  Post's presence resulted in five significant 
export successes, ranging from irrigation equipment to the sale of 
tractors.  The expo attracts farmers and businesspeople not only 
from Uruguay but also southern Brazil and Argentina.  This would be 
the first time since 2005 that we would participate in such an 
event in the interior of Uruguay.  Given the current boom in the 
use of modern Agricultural technologies in Uruguay, the increased 
sale of tractors and farm equipment (both new and refurbished), the 
quadrupling of land prices in the last three years, etc., this is 
an opportunity not to be missed.  our participation would closely 
follow the arrival of our new ambassador, providing an early 
opportunity for post management to participate in outreach programs 
carried out by the Embassy Commercial Services on behalf of U.S. 
exporters, thanks principally TO BFIF support.  BFIF funds would 
support rental and outfitting of space at the expo, and travel for 
State participation.  Both USDA and USDOC have committed personnel 
resources and the use of client data towards the success of this 
event. 
 
 
 
TOTAL MAXIMUM FOR PARTICIPATION IN EXPOACTIVA: $6,000 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
COMMERCIAL OUTREACH TO THE INTERIOR OF URUGUAY 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
 
 
¶3.  cS MONTEVIDEO has had limited opportunities to conduct focused 
outreach to BUSINESSPEOPLE in THE INTERIOR OF URUGUAY since 2002. 
at that time, POST organized A DELEGATION OF THREE PEOPLE (THE DCM, 
TWO COMMERCIAL SPECIALISTS, AND A DRIVER, with BFIF funding the 
 
commercial specialists and the driver) THAT MADE STOPS IN OVER TEN 
CITIES in THE INTERIOR OF URUGUAY.  IN 2010 WE AIM TO CONTINUE THIS 
important OUTREACH.  CS MONTEVIDEO WILL WORK WITH LOCAL CHAMBERs OF 
COMMERCE TO GIVE NIGHTLY SEMINARS ON IMPORTING directly FROM THE 
U.S. and HOW TO BYPASS THE MONTEVIDEO MIDDLEMAN; ON MAKING MUTUALLY 
PROFITABLE CONTRACTS WITH SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FIRMS IN THE U.S.; 
and on how to best use the embassy resources available to local 
importers.  the delegation WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF front office 
PARTICPATION, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, TO STREGTHEN HIGH-LEVEL CONTACTS 
WITH MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES.  IN 2002 the PRESENTATIONS RECEIVED 
WIDESPREAD PRESS AND RADIO COVERAGE, WHICH WE EXPECT TO BE SIMILAR 
THIS YEAR.  IN ADDITION TO EXTENDING cs services, THIS OUTREACH 
WILL SERVE AS an opportunity TO VISIT local INDUSTRies IN THE 
INTERIOR, to EXPLAIN AND PROMOTE TDA, EXIM, AND OPIC programs and 
ASSISTANCE. 
 
 
 
DUE TO THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTRY, WE ENVISION THREE SUCH 
OUTREACH TRIPS THROUGHT THE YEAR: 
 
 
 
a)  MONTEVIDEO, FLORIDA, DURAZNO, TACUAREMBO, AND RIVERA; 
 
b)  MONTEVIDEO, COLONIA, FRAY BENTOS, PAYSANDu AND SALTO; 
 
c)  MONTEVIDEO, MINAS, TREINT Y TRES, MELO, ROCHA, AND MALDONADO; 
 
 
 
DEPENDING ON GAS PRICES AT THE TIME (THE CURRENT COST OF A GALLON 
OF GAS IN URUGUAY IS ALMOST $5.60, AND with PER DIEM OF $192 PER 
PERSON, the AVERAGE COST PER TRIP WOULD BE $3,000. 
 
 
 
TOTAL REQUEST FOR OUTREACH: $9,000 
 
 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
TRAVEL TO INTERNATIONAL BUYER PROGRAMS (IBP) 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4.  PArtICIPATION AT INTERNATIONAL BUYER PROGRAMS HAs consistenly 
BEEN AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF export SUCCESS STORIES.  In FY2010, 
post requests funding for two of the following events, for which we 
are already actively recruiting and expecting sizeable delegations: 
 
 
 
 
NAB - NATIONAL BROADCASTER'S ASSOCIATION 
 
april 12 - 15, 2010 
 
las vegas, nv 
 
 
 
uruguay is fast becoming a regional center for the filming of 
advertising and feature cinema and television productions.  in 
2001, uruguay exported 15 percent of its audiovisual production; in 
2009, that figure was 90 percent. a combination of good weather, 
landscape advantages, good communication and logistics networks, 
and an abundance of cheap and qualified labor have catapulted 
uruguay to the forefront of the industry. in 2009 uruguay created 
its first film commission and promotion office to further promote 
the sector.  as uruguay becomes increasingly well known as a film 
and production location, local companies are being encouraged to 
purchase state-of-the-art equipment to satisfy the needs of its 
international clients. 
 
 
 
INFOCOMM 
 
june 9 - 11, 2010 
 
las vegas, nv 
 
THIS EVENT HAS BECOME THE PREMIERE EVENT FOR THE AUDIOVISUAL 
INDUSTRY.  URUGUAY'S Audiovisual INDUSTRY IS GROWING AT A TERRIFFIC 
PACE, FUELED MAINLY BY VIDEO GAMES AND ANIMATION, some of WHICH HAs 
BEEN contracted to be BROADCAST ON THE CARTOON NETWORK, BBC, ETC. 
Likewise, URUGUAY IS BEING Increasingly SELECTED AS A LOCATION FOR 
THE FILMING OF COMMERCIALS AND FULL LENGTH FILMS, DUE TO THE MANY 
DAYS OF SUNNY WEATHER, THE AVAILABILITY OF relatively CHEAP AND 
QUALIFIED LABOR, AND INCENTIVES offered BY THE GOU. In addition, 
URUGUAY IS RAPIDLY BECOMING A CENTER OF MAJOR INTERNATIONAL 
CONVENTIONS AND is IN DIRE NEED OF STATE-OF-THE ART AUDIOVISUAL 
EQUIPMENT. 
 
 
 
AAPEX/SEMA Show: Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week 2010 
 
Las Vegas, NV, 
 
November 2 - November 05, 2010 
 
 
 
Over the last three years, CS Montevideo has promoted the 
AAPEX/SEMA Show with the participation of close to 40 people.  We 
believe that in 2010, with a good promotion strategy, CS Uruguay 
will again recruit a large delegation of people by including the 
country's most important car dealers and spare parts firms. as the 
global recession had a relatively mild impact on uruguay, sales of 
new vehicles are booming.  chinese manufacturers are actively 
considering establishing assembly plants in uruguay. 
 
 
 
------- 
 
SUMMARY 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶5.  EMBASSY MONTEVIDEO APPRECIATES STATE'S CONTINUED SUPPORT OF 
BFIF FUNDING FOR COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS.  all programs suggested for 
funding have measurable outcome and success criteria as requested 
reftel.  points of contact are Jack Doutrich 
(doutrichjt@state.gov), econ/comm officer, and robert gorter 
(gorterrh@state.gov), senior commercial specialist. 
 
 
 
SUMMARY OF REQUESTS FOR FY10: 
 
 
 
a)  PRado fair: $1,750 
 
b)  expoactiva: $ 6,000 
 
c)  oUTREACH to the interior: $3,000 per trip 
 
d)  travel to ibp: $2,000 per ibp 
Matthewman