Foursha says Romania, Nevada face similar challenges

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Nevada, Mo. -- Small, rural American towns like Nevada and developing countries like Romania face similar economic development challenges like broadband Internet and high quality roads. And when it comes time to attract new business developments they both face the same questions about why anyone would want to locate a business there, Sam Foursha, Nevada economic development director, said.

Foursha, who also is one of Romania's honorary consuls, left for Bucharest, Romania, Thursday morning by way of Detroit, Mich., and Amsterdam, Netherlands, to attend a two-day conference to give Romania's honorary consuls ideas on how they can help Romania promote itself and improve its economy.

"I think this is a good idea. It will give us some guidance on what to do to promote Romania," Foursha said.

The conference will include about 35 honorary consuls from Japan and Western Europe as well as four of the 12 consuls in the United States.

"The similar challenges faced by Romania and Nevada makes this an exciting program," Foursha said.

In addition to learning how he can help Romania, Foursha plans to take the opportunity to investigate possible relationships between Nevada and Romania, such as sister cities, promoting local businesses and looking at establishing trade relationships.

Ten years ago people here did not think about international trade, however, we are in a global economy and ten years from now the international market will have an impact on the local economy, he said.

"If we start thinking like that now, in a few years maybe we can outpace our competition," he said.

The conference will give him an opportunity to meet a number of Romanian government officials, including the Prime Minister, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Prince Radu of Hohenzollern-Veringen. Prince Radu is married to the Princess Margarita of Romania, who will be the next Queen. Radu is the special representative of the Romanian government for integration, co-operation and sustainable development and represents the royal family at many functions.

Foursha said that he would also be meeting with the Minister of Education to discuss possible partnerships between Cottey College and Crowder College and Romania schools. An exchange program between Nevada High School and a Romanian school is also a possible topic of discussion.

"We might be able to get some Romanian students to come to Cottey College on a regular basis," he said.

To further that goal, he is taking information on Cottey College with him.

"They are already an international campus and it's right up their alley," he said, adding that he had already talked to Cottey College president Judy Rogers about the opportunity.

The United States and Romania already have a good relationship that will only grow in importance in the future as the United States builds a new military base there with around 70,000 troops stationed there. This base will have a large economic impact on what Foursha says is a poor country.

Foursha said that these are troops that are being moved from Germany and Korea.

Romania's location on the Black Sea and its proximity to the Persian Gulf will also be an important factor in the relationship between the two countries, he said.

Romanians also are working to construct the BORS Highway. This will provide the country with a four-lane highway across the country that will eventually be the first direct highway connection between Eastern Europe and Western Europe.

Foursha said that he expects to take three things away from the conference.

First, a better understanding of the Romanian requirements and their long-term objectives and better guidance of how we can support them.

Second, to make some new contacts, including the Prime Minister, the foreign minister, Prince Radu and the American Ambassador to Romania.

Third, identify trade opportunities for Nevada companies, like Precision Aero Services, 3M and even Fortner Precision Graphics.

This will be a return visit to Romania for Foursha who spent a year in Romania in the mid-1990s while serving in the U.S. Navy.

He said that there have been a number of changes in Romania since he was there, including the building of several western style hotels in the country.

"When I was there in the mid-90s there were no western style hotels there, so people didn't want to go there to do business," he said.

At that time Poland had an advantage over Romania because they had several Marriott hotels as well as places you could get western style food, he said.

Now there are several Marriotts in Romania, he said.

Foursha said that he thinks that they are on the right, but change takes time, particularly when the country has been under communist control for so many years.

"This will be a nice step back in time," Foursha said.

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