Nathan Revives Plans for Libya Tradeshow
By Gary Tufel -- Tradeshow Week, 4/3/2006
Better late than never. After a nearly two-year delay, Peter W. Nathan, president of PWN Exhibicon Intl., will stage the first Libyan tradeshow in decades that features American products and services.
The show, Project Libya — 2006, will take place Dec. 4–7 at the Tripoli Intl. Fairgrounds.
Back in June 2004, Nathan began planning a January 2005 show for Libya called the U.S. Trade and Industrial Exhibition as a showcase for a wide range of U.S. companies. Now, Nathan has narrowed the focus to the energy and infrastructure sectors.
The current plan for Project Libya includes three collocated events: Infrastructure Libya, Energy Libya and U.S.-Libya Oil & Gas and Energy. Infrastructure Libya will feature a U.S. pavilion.
Nathan attributed the delay to troubled relations between Libya and the United States. "There was so much difficulty working with the Libyans," he said. "The thaw in relations between the two countries is also taking longer than expected. We still don't have full-fledged embassies. That is a U.S. decision, but I hope that by this summer that also will have been corrected."
Nathan finally has assurance from Libya. "Perseverance paid off. In a sense, the news is old hat, but we now have a definite date and commitments from the Libyans to support the exhibitions," he said.
Nathan said this is a sign that the country is open for business again after oil and gas exploration by U.S. companies ceased in 1986.
"I am already planning, not only to repeat the events in 2007, but to organize a couple of other exhibitions in different product lines and industries," he said.
Nathan possesses signed agreements with U.S. organizers, the TradeFair Group and Agile Events, to help recruit exhibitors and sponsors for the events.
"In addition, I will be responsible for attracting visitors, and the development of the conference and operations," he said. "We are also promoting to Libya's neighboring countries, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria."
The organizers anticipate a showfloor of some 5,000 to 10,000 square meters (about 54,000 to 108,000 square feet), 250 exhibitors and 5,000 attendees.
The show has received trade fair certification from the U.S. Department of Commerce, meaning the U.S. government will provide lists of potential and interested companies and let show management use the department's logo. The DOC will also have a commercial officer on hand during the exhibitions to assist American companies in their commercial arrangements with visitors, both governmental and private.
