To the Shores of Tripoli

Lift of 23-year trade embargo sparks PWN's launch of Libyan show

By Vanessa VanderZanden -- Tradeshow Week, 6/21/2004

Peter Nathan knows how to pick the travel spots. After heading to Cuba in 2000 and 2002 to organize both a health care and an agribusiness show, Nathan, president of PWN Exhibicon Intl., is making his next move — this time, to Libya.

After 23 years, the U.S. government has lifted trade and travel restrictions on the North African country and PWN will launch the U.S. Trade and Industrial Exhibition at the 365,973 square foot Tripoli Intl. Fair Grounds Jan. 11–15, 2005.

Nathan, who expects about 250 American companies to exhibit, has been in discussions with business associations and economic development officials from a number of U.S. states with regard to creating pavilions at the show. Later this month, he will travel to Libya to begin making arrangements and developing interest in the event. "The Libyans are anxious for the U.S. to come over, and visas should not be a problem," Nathan said. "Libya is very accessible."

The restrictions were lifted when the country's head of state, Moammar Gadhafi, agreed to dismantle its nuclear armaments and assume responsibility for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988. While Libya currently imports a number of products from Italy, Germany, South Korea, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, Japan and France, Nathan said the country is very interested in purchasing U.S. oil and gas refining, distribution and transportation equipment; construction materials; farming equipment; medical supplies; and telecommunications gear.

With products ranging from consumer goods to food machinery and tourism packages, the show will be organized somewhat horizontally, modeled much after the events Nathan previously organized in Cuba. Future Libyan shows, he said, will likely be more vertically structured, focusing on specific markets. Whether the show will be comprised of different pavilions, one for each industry, or include freestanding exhibits has yet to be decided. Nathan's trip this month will include a tour of the fairgrounds to learn exactly how much exhibit space is available, which will help determine how to structure the show.

Nathan has enlisted the help of the New York City-based U.S.-Libya Trade and Economic Council to act as a liaison with the Libyan government and help set up discussions with Libyan foreign trade officers. Council President Robert Armao said, "There's no question about it. Last month I met with various businesses and government officials and it was their last desire to reintroduce American products in their country."

Armao said he expects attendance levels to be quite high. In addition, because it is a free trade zone, business people from neighboring African nations already travel frequently to Libya and will undoubtedly plan on visiting the event as well.

What Armao described as the fairly modern trade-fair grounds in Tripoli are near three major hotels and several smaller hotels.

Still, if housing were to prove problematic, "We'd bring in a cruise ship. It's a port city; we've done it before," said Sean Guerre, president and CEO of the Trade Fair Group. The show production firm, which specializes in energy events, has agreed to assist Nathan in launching the exhibition.

The Trade Fair Group currently only manages domestic shows, but it has handled overseas exhibitions in the past, albeit never in North Africa. Nevertheless, Guerre said his clients, oil products and services firms, and power generating companies, already have a high level of interest in the region. Ninety percent of Libyan exports are oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products.

As for what American business people can expect of Libya after 23 years of economic sanctions, Leonard Binder, professor of political science at UCLA, said, "It's pretty rickety. They'll have to be ready for things to be not working, delays, some discomfort." He added, however, that Libyans should be more than happy to see the show in their midst. "Yes," Bender said. "They want to do business with us. That's why they're opening up."