News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — United States Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab will be a morning keynote speaker April 17 on the opening day of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) two-day Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.

Ambassador Schwab's distinguished career covers a wide range of diplomatic and political posts involving U.S. trade relations across the globe, as well as Office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) operations involving the World Trade Organization and multilateral affairs. She has been actively engaged in developing U.S. strategy in the Doha Round multilateral trade negotiations, and successfully concluded bilateral free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

Ambassador Schwab will bring a broad global perspective to the conference, and participants will benefit from her insights on current international trade and economic issues, said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President James H. Lambright.

Schwab joins two other exciting keynote speakers at this year's annual conference. The morning program is highlighted by former three-term Michigan Governor John Engler, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). The luncheon speaker will be Lawrence B. Lindsey, president and CEO of the Lindsey Group, formerly assistant to the President and director of the National Economic Council at the White House in 2001-2002, and a governor of the Federal Reserve System from 1991-1997.

Approximately 1,000 U.S. exporters, domestic and international lenders, brokers, and foreign government representatives and buyers will gather to hear the speakers and participate in the Ex-Im Bank conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel April 17-18. The theme of the conference, Global Infrastructure Development Opportunities, will be addressed in a wide range of seminars covering opportunities in markets around the world.

Events will include a signing ceremony marking Ex-Im Bank's extension of special delegated authority for the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). Lambright and Jean-Louis Ekra, president and chairman of the board of Afreximbank, will sign a memorandum of understanding under which Ex-Im Bank will provide Afreximbank with up to $40 million in short-term and medium-term financing. The delegated authority, approved Feb. 29 by Ex-Im Bank's board of directors, will make it easier and faster for African buyers to obtain Ex-Im Bank support for their purchases of U.S. goods and services.

Schwab was nominated to be United States Trade Representative by President George W. Bush and was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 8, 2006. As USTR, Ambassador Schwab is a member of the President's Cabinet and serves as the President's principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues. She also serves as an ex officio member of the Ex-Im Bank board of directors.

Previously Schwab served as Deputy USTR, and before that her posts have included: dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, president and CEO of the University System of Maryland Foundation, director of corporate business development at Motorola, Inc., assistant secretary of commerce and director general of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service during the administration of President George H.W. Bush, trade policy specialist and legislative director for Senator John C. Danforth (R-Mo.), and trade policy officer at the U.S. embassy in Tokyo.

Ex-Im Bank is the official export-credit agency of the United States. The independent, self-sustaining federal agency, now in its 74th year, helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by financing the sale of U.S. exports, primarily to emerging markets throughout the world, by providing loan guarantees, export-credit insurance and direct loans. In fiscal year 2007, Ex-Im Bank authorized $12.6 billion in financing to support an estimated $16 billion of U.S. exports worldwide. On-line conference registration and the current agenda are still available at http://www.exim.gov/.