CLDP hosted consultations in Washington, D.C. from April 18-27, 2012 on Commercial Diplomacy and World Trade for a delegation of ten officials from Georgia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MOESD). The consultations were the first component of a multi-phase technical assistance program in cooperation with MFA and MOESD for Georgia’s Diplomatic Corps on promoting Georgian exports overseas; acting as an interface between Georgian firms interested in joint ventures and potential foreign joint-venture partners; engaging potential foreign investors; and effectively taking part in trade negotiations. The program strives not only to train current and future diplomats, but also to develop training modules that MFA can use as part of their standard curriculum in the recently established Diplomatic Training Center.

The first week of the consultations focused on commercial attaché tradecraft led by both current and former commercial service offices, and private sector presenters. Participants discussed how to form strategic partnerships, and participated in trainings on WTO trade law, agreements, trade remedies and dispute resolution, structuring international business transactions, and developing a market entry checklist. The second week of the consultations featured visits with the Northern Virginia U.S. Export Assistance Center, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the World Bank Group, as well as an overview of the International Court of Trade and how to resolve disputes in international contracts. Delegates worked through several case studies with international trade law advisors, including an exercise on how to negotiate a joint venture, and discussed how to negotiate free trade agreements.

The second phase of the program will take place in Tbilisi, Georgia from May 29-June 1, 2012. This workshop will bring together the participants who took part in the April US Consultations as well as Georgian diplomats from fifteen key market countries to Tbilisi to focus on WTO trade remedies and dispute resolution, international trade negotiations, identifying non-tariff barriers to trade, export promotion and strengthening foreign direct investment opportunities.