Business

Solar Trade Wars Affect Climate Change Fight

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:47:28 +0100

GENEVA (IDN) - Amidst the gloomy news in the deteriorating climate change situation, is this bright spark â the cost of solar energy has been going down dramatically. This source of clean and renewable energy is seen as one of the major saviours that could help power the world without emitting greenhouse gases.

Global Climate Change Fears Are Genuine

Fri, 31 May 2013 11:10:39 +0100

UXBRIDGE (IDN) - IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis. Around the world scientists are not sleeping well. They toss and turn knowing humanity is destroying the Earthâs ability to support mankind. The science is crystal clear and all of us ought to be shaking in our boots, Achim Steiner, the executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme told me last year.

Subsidies Play âSignificant Roleâ in Climate Change, IMF Says

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:25:42 +0100

WASHINGTON, Mar 27 2013 (IPS) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is urging national governments around the world to roll back or eliminate subsidies on petroleum-based energy sources, estimating that this alone could result in a 13-percent decline in global carbon dioxide emissions.

What is DAVOS selling?

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:36:50 +0100

DAVOS: Hysterical tweeting, blogging, hyping, pinging of hundreds of sites are supposed to give credibility to an event that has actually nothing to offer. We have learned one lesson in the modern age media and hyper events such as DAVOS: the organizers already know that they really have nothing new or good to offer. No solutions, no answers to tricky questions of the future of our world.

The power to create money out of thin air

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:48:37 +0100

Understanding capitalism's elastic production of money and moving on beyond Adam Smith and 'fractional reserve banking' - Ann Pettifor reviews Geoffrey Ingham's Capitalism

IMF Pleads Guilty But Insists on Austerity

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:40:07 +0100

BERLIN (IDN) - Under different conditions, the recent admission by the head economist of the International Monetary Fund, Olivier Blanchard, that the Fund was dead wrong when it prescribed tough austerity measures to countries trapped in a sovereign debt crisis and in recession, would be a reason for satisfaction.

Guatemalan Remittances increased 9 percent in 2012

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:16:52 +0100

Guatemala received this year U.S. $ 4.7 billion in remittances up to December 2012. Compared to 2011 the growth is approximately 9.3 %.

UN Gloomy About Prospects of Global Economy

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:10:19 +0100

GENEVA (IDN) - Four years after the outbreak of the global financial crisis, the world economy is still struggling to recover but 2013 holds out good prospects for the economies of the least developed countries (LDCs), says the United Nations.

Deforestation Wreaks Havoc in Guatemalaâs Caribbean Region

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 23:07:49 +0100

GUATEMALA CITY, Dec 17 2012 (IPS) - Many tourists come to this area for bird watching, but the terrible deforestation is leading to the disappearance of so much of our flora and fauna. The cleared land is used for cattle ranching, said Haroldo Figueroa, who works as a guide in nature reserves along Guatemalaâs Caribbean coast.

The Evils of Bilateral Investment Treaties

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:46:54 +0100

BERLIN (IDN) - Between 1995 and 1998, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) prepared behind closed doors a so-called multilateral agreement on investments (MAI). The harmless sounding name concealed a Machiavelli-like treaty allegedly addressed at â as an OECD paper put it at the time â setting clear, consistent, and transparent rules on liberalisation and investor protection, with dispute settlement, thereby underpinning the continued removal of barriers to market access and encouraging economic growth.

It's 2 am in Africa--Do You Know What Your Pension Fund is Doing There?

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:38:02 +0100

Oakland, CA: New Report Looks at Private Equity Funds Betting Heavily on Agriculture. Following the 2007-2008 financial crisis and the collapse of the housing market, private equity funds have found a new lucrative soft commodity market to invest in--farmland. In a short period of time, obscured from public view, the flow of private capital into farmland and agriculture has grown dramatically worldwide.Â

China Invests in Central America â But Isnât Buying

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 18:58:52 +0100

GUATEMALA CITY, Nov 1 2012 (IPS) - From satellites to inter-oceanic canals, the most innovative or ambitious investments in Central America are coming from China â even though six of the seven countries in this sub-region do not have diplomatic ties with the Asian giant.

OXFAM: Land sold off in last decade could grow enough food to feed a billion people

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 20:20:37 +0100

World Bank must freeze investments to protect poor people from land grabs. The world is facing an unbridled land rush that is exposing poor people to hunger, violence and the threat of a life-time in poverty. Jeremy Hobbs. Executive Director, Oxfam International.

Robot wars: How high frequency trading changed global markets

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:50:02 +0100

Welcome to the worldâs most intense electronic battle. Itâs waged on world stock markets and the ammunition is tiny fractions of pennies, fired through super-charged computers. The object is to wipe out the opposition.

Climate Change Severely Impacting Food Prices

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 17:13:30 +0100

BERLIN (IDN) - While there are hardly any signs of substantive and forward-looking agreements being reached at the United Nations climate change conference from November 26 to December 7, 2012 in Doha, latest research cautions that impact of climate change on future food prices is being underestimated.

Culture of Secrecy Around Global Land Deals Must Be Broken to Protect People and Environment

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:58:53 +0100

A new report today reveals how opening up the process around large-scale land deals in developing countries would benefit local communities, governments and business, and provides direction on how this can be achieved. The report, Dealing with Disclosure, published by Global Witness, the International Land Coalition and the Oakland Institute, looks at why it is vital to transform the secretive culture behind large scale landÂ deals, and for the first time shows how it might be done.

Worrying Water Aspects of Land Grab Highlighted

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:08:13 +0100

STOCKHOLM (IDN) - Financiers from countries facing water shortages and increasing demand for food â China, India, and the Arab Gulf region â are investing in foreign farmland in order to gain access to water resources. Fresh money from North American and European funds and corporations has also expanded quickly in recent years, finds a new study.

BP Settlement Leaves Most Complex Claims Unresolved

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:02:27 +0100

BPâs announcement that it will pay $7.8 billion to compensate thousands of Gulf Coast residents harmed in the Deepwater Horizon disaster ends one chapter of legal wrangling over the 2010 oil spill, but leaves other, potentially far more expensive, issues unresolved.

GFI Disappointed in Failure to Address Abusive Anonymous Shell Corporations

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:43:04 +0100

WASHINGTON, DC â Global Financial Integrity (GFI) praised moves by the international anti-money laundering authority to crackdown on tax evasion and smuggling in new standards announced today, but expressed disappointment in the bodyâs failure to address anonymous corporate vehicles as a facilitator of financial crime.

Oil Industry Must Stop Supporting Secrecy, Say Financial Transparency and Anti-Poverty Groups

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:01:13 +0100

WASHINGTON DCâ Anti-poverty groups and supporters of financial transparency today urged the oil industry to drop its attacks on a new law that will reduce corruption and reveal the money trail between industry and resource-rich governments.

Facing Peak Oil and Peak Gas: In Search of the Least Evil

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:34:32 +0100

The use of new technologies to extract previously inaccessible hydrocarbons from the bowels of the Earth could ultimately lead to an ecological nightmare.

Why Authentic Fair Trade Matters: The CESMACH Story Retold

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:38:05 +0100

When the Ecological Farmers of the Sierra Madres of Chiapas (CESMACH) found an important buyer to purchase their coffee, they were elated. It was a dream come true, Sixto Bonilla, export manager, says. For a small-scale farmer organization to have a large company interested in buying their entire production â¦ you canât imagine a better situation.

Angels Invest Where Banks Dither

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:24:52 +0100

BERLIN (IDN) - For innovative young folks, angels are by no means mythical beings or messengers of God as depicted in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles and the Quran. They are flesh-and-blood source of equity capital at the seed and early stage of company formation, particularly when banks are reluctant to lend.

Co-operatives: An Alternative Model We Can Get Behind

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:44:34 +0100

December 1, 2011. With January just around the corner, how many ofÂ you were aware that the United Nations has designated 2012 as the International Year of the Co-operative?. At Equal Exchange, weâve been shouting the merits of co-operatives ever since we were founded.

Action Alert: Support Small Coffee Farmers! Stop fair trade coffee plantations

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:32:03 +0100

December 2, 2011. The following Action Alert was written by our friends at Fair World Project on November 28, 2011. Take Action! Send a letter to Fair Trade USA, Fairtrade International and IMO and urge them to continue supporting small coffee farmers by not certifying plantation coffee.

Mexican Small Farmer Fair Trade Producers Speak Out: we can only move forward with authentic ...

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:19:37 +0100

December 15, 2011. On December 7th, Francisco VanDerhoff Boersma, co-founder of the first fair trade certifying body, Max Havelaar, and the renowned small farmer co-operative in Mexico, UCIRI (Union of Indigenous Communities of the Region of Isthmus)Â submitted the following extremely important proclamation from the Mexican Coordinator of Small Fair Trade Producers as a comment on our earlier blog post,Â Who Owns Fair Trade? Due to its importance, Iâve taken the liberty to have it translated from Spanish and am posting it here.Â The proclamation expresses the sentiments we hear from Fair Trade small farmer organizations throughout the Global South.Â I hope youâll take the time to read the views expressed here.

Hope Dies Last Amid Global Recession Angst

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:09:19 +0100

GENEVA (IDN) - A spectre is haunting the world's better off â the spectre of global recession with dire consequences for the international economy pounding the coffers of the wealthy and nibbling away at the savings of the middle income groups.

Extractive industries lead to growth without social benefits

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:26:49 +0100

The economic growth driven by extractive industries as its main motor, led by increasing commodity prices, is not benefitting the majorities of the population of developing countries, according to the Social Watch Report 2012, that will be launched in the middle of December in New York.

Canada's fossil fuel exports a threat to global climate

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:08:06 +0100

Greenhouse gas emissions embodied in Canadian exports of fossil fuels in 2009 were 15% greater than the emissions from all fossil fuel combustion within that North American country, and almost four times the emissions from extracting and processing fossil fuels in its territory, according to a study released this week by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

Industrialized North drives developing countries to monoculture

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:58:53 +0100

Economic growth at any cost has driven many developing countries, especially in Latin America, to focus on the production of a limited variety of crops, frequently only one, driven by the demand from industrialized nations and risking their right to development and to food sovereignty and security, according to the Social Watch Report 2012, that will be launched in the middle of December in New York.

Vulture Funds Holding Argentina to Ransom

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:21:58 +0100

MONTEVIDEO (IDN) - In 2002, Anne Krueger, First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), floated the idea that countries can go bust, advanced her opinion about a possible international mechanism of sovereign debt restructuring, and when considering the obstacles to an orderly debt restructuring, explicitly mentioned the behaviour of vulture funds in the following terms:

The Modern Gold Rush

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:54:27 +0100

In September of this year, the price of gold reached a record high, breaking $1,900 per ounce for the first time in history. This unprecedented spike in gold prices has come in the midst of the U.S. debt crisis and the financial turmoil sweeping over Europe. Although prices have tempered since then, hovering around $1,650 per ounce in October, the overall price of gold has more than quintupled over the past decade.

Offshore Crime Inc Wins Daniel Pearl Award for Investigative Journalism

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:25:14 +0100

TJN is delighted that a long term investigation into how Eastern European criminals and politicians have been using secrecy jurisdictions to hide the proceeds from their crimes has been selected as one of the two overall winners of this yearâsÂ Daniel Pearl Award for cross-border investigative journalism. TJN has been involved in this investigation, along with our colleagues at Global Financial Integrity and Global Witness, and our Financial Secrecy Index , which placed the USA at the top of the ranking, and drew specific attention to howÂ Delaware , Nevada and Wyoming provide offshore secrecy, is also cited in the report.

Financial Task Force Statement to the G20

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:21:38 +0100

Washington, DC (November 1, 2011) â Three years after the near collapse of the international banking system and as it faces new instability, the governments of the Group of 20 leading economic powers (G20) must focus on the underlying, systemic causes of the current financial crisis. A first step should be the enforcement of measures to ensure financial transparency.

Is There a Future for Small Farmer Organizations?

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:04:04 +0100

October 10, 2011. Last week a few of us from Equal Exchange traveled to El Salvador to attend the CLACâs First International Gathering of the Small Producersâ Symbol (SPP), an historic event which marks the first Fair Trade initiative developed by small farmer organizations. As opposed to the FLO International Fair Trade system, which was designed in the North to support small farmer organizations in the South, the SPP was created and developed by farmersâ organizations in the South and will be implemented by Alternative Trade Organizations in the North.

Fair Trade: Whatâs All the Fuss About?

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:51:30 +0100

Promise small farmers and committed Alternative Trade Organizations that you will not attempt to certify plantations into the Fair Trade system.

High Food Prices Present Challenges and Opportunities

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:13:53 +0100

MEXICO CITY, Oct 14, 2011 (IPS) - The global food crisis, which threatens to aggravate hunger and poverty, makes it necessary for agriculture to diversify, adapt to climate change and raise productivity, say FAO and experts.Â The report, Panorama de la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional en AmÃ©rica Latina y el Caribe. Altos precios de los alimentos: oportunidades y riesgos (Outlook and perspectives of food security and nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean: high food prices; opportunities and risks"), was presented Friday Oct. 14 by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation)

Equal Exchange model for Fair Trade

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:48:04 +0100

Equal Exchange is a thriving model of Fair Trade. With over 20 years of experience, a history replete with successes, failures, innovative partnerships, exciting new products, and inspiring stories. Not so long ago, the specialty coffee industry dismissed the vision of more equitable relationships with farmers as unrealistic. Today there are some 400 coffee companies purchasing at least a small portion of their coffee under Fair Trade terms.Â

Fitch Revises Banco Industrial's Outlook to Stable; Affirms IDR at 'BB'

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:41:49 +0100

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador & NEW YORK, Oct 11, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Fitch Ratings has revised the Rating Outlook on the Guatemalan Banco Industrial's (BI) long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to Stable from Positive. A full list of BI's rating actions follow at the end of this press release.

Is Time Ripe to Abandon the IMF?

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:32:22 +0100

IDN-InDepth NewsEssay. Hedging behaviour, a high degree of groupthink, intellectual capture, a general mind-set that excludes contrary views, fiefdom battles, inadequate analytical approaches, and lack of accountability should make governments ask themselves whether the time has not come to withdraw their support for the IMF.

Guatemalan remittances rose 15.1% in January 2011

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:04:21 +0100

Guatemala City. Revenues through remittances increased by 15.1 percent in January 2011 compared to the same month in 2010. The Bank of Guatemala revealed yesterday that January 2011 showed revenues of $ 283.3 million. Although this amount is higher than January 2010, when revenues where at U.S. $ 246.1 million, it has not yet reached the levels of 2009, revenues of US $ 290.2 million, or U.S. $ 314.6 million of January 2008.

Indonesian President Calls for Action on Food Security

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:16:24 +0100

Davos, Switzerland, 27 January 2011. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono warned today that the next economic war could be over scarce resources if problems of rising food prices, poverty and population growth remain unresolved. Addressing participants at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, Yudhoyono noted recent increases in food and energy prices, citing FAO predictions that food prices have reached 2008 levels and could still go up. High food prices have an impact on inflation and on poverty and unrest, and could lead to social and political unrest, he said.

Euro Will Never Be Abandoned Says Franceâs President Nicholas Sarkozy

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 13:41:21 +0100

Davos, Switzerland, 27 January 2011 â President Nicholas Sarkozy of France said on Thursday that France and Germany would never allow the euro to collapse and warned currency operators that they would be taking huge risks if they speculated against it. In an address to global business, financial and political leaders at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, he said the euro was an integral part of the European identity and of the drive to unity and cooperation on the continent that had ensured peace and turned old enemies into close friends.

Ending the banana wars: Who wins and who loses?

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:22:29 +0100

The EU is the world's biggest importer of bananas. As it produces only about a tenth of the bananas needed to satisfy Europeans' voracious appetite for the world's most important fruit, banana exporters from Africa and Caribbean and their competitors from Latin America fight hard for shares on the EU market. MEPs recently approved plans to make it easier for big multinationals to sell Latin American bananas in the EU, but warned that livelihoods of small farms from ACP might be threatened.

The Great Food Crisis of 2011

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:43:29 +0100

As the new year begins, the price of wheat is setting an all-time high in the United Kingdom. Food riots are spreading across Algeria. Russia is importing grain to sustain its cattle herds until spring grazing begins. India is wrestling with an 18-percent annual food inflation rate, sparking protests. China is looking abroad for potentially massive quantities of wheat and corn. The Mexican government is buying corn futures to avoid unmanageable tortilla price rises. And on January 5, the U.N. Food and Agricultural organization announced that its food price index for December hit an all-time high.

The BP Oil Spill Saga: Where Things Stand Now

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:25:43 +0100

The BP oil spill in the Gulf killed 11 workers in April, released nearly 5 million barrels [1] of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and triggered multiple government investigations and an overhaul of the nation's offshore drilling regulatory agency..

The Year in Wall Street Investigations

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:10:34 +0100

It's been over three years since credit markets started shaking with the early tremors of the subprime crisis, and two years since that spread into a marketwide collapse. Prosecutors, regulators, Congress and journalists have spent the year uncovering the financial shenanigans that brought the market to its knees. It's been marked by a few blockbuster settlements and more revealing investigations -- as well as by some noticeable inaction in the reckoning.

What is Fair Trade?

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:50:14 +0100

Five years in the making, Chicago will soon become the largest Fair Trade city in the U.S. This means that Chicago consumers will have access to purchase Fair Trade products made in Latin America and other countries. The group behind this movement is Chicago Fair Trade, a non-profit organization with representatives from businesses, non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, educational institutions, and individuals on a mission to create awareness to eliminate poverty and to empower workers in Latin America and throughout the world by encouraging consumers to purchase Fair Trade products.

A Peek Behind the Coffee Label

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:55:57 +0100

For Americans today, ethical consumption choices abound. Look around you in the supermarket and you will find products certified organic, fair trade, sustainable, made from recycled materials, and cruelty and hormone-free, to name but a few. Beyond the grocery store we are surrounded by hybrid and electric vehicles, sustainable wood products, and a multitude of âgreenâ and carbon-neutral options. While the growth over the last decade of such products is encouraging, many consumers are skeptical that the reality behind the label matches the claims made.

Despite Warnings From States, Federal Regulators Failed to Act on Foreclosure Problems

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:04:16 +0100

While they may be conducting their own investigations, federal prosecutors and national bank regulators for the most part arenât the ones leading the investigation [1] into the foreclosure mess. At least that's the perceptionâone that's reinforced when Elizabeth Warren, Obama's head of consumer financial protection, says her money is on a 50-state investigation by the states' attorneys general [2]. The New York Timesâ Joe Nocera, for instance, has said that the handful of federal investigations into the subject are not going to amount to a hill of beans.

WhatÂ´s Behind Your Cup of Joe?

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 14:38:02 +0100

Ah, coffee. What would we do without you? For centuries, people have worshiped the brew. It has long been such a prominent feature in social life that it has been memorialized in music, poems, literature, and film. For many in the United States, coffee, anyway you brew it, is an important part of a daily routine. It is habitualâperhaps even ritual. It is a stimulating narcotic, experienced as a need, and can produce emotional sensations.

Does Fair Trade Coffee Eliminate Poverty?

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:58:57 +0100

The most frequently used argument for Fair Trade is that it provides small scale producers with the additional income needed to avoid lives mired in poverty. But poverty in coffee growing communities is a multi-faceted problem that cannot be reduced to a simple question of price mechanisms and improved trade relationships. Despite the rapid growth of Fair Trade and the tangible benefits it provides in terms of higher prices, poverty remains a persistent problem in many coffee communities, even those who sell all their coffee under Fair Trade terms.

UNEP unveils SEED award winners

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:56:19 +0100

From bamboo bikes to biomass briquettes: UNEP unveils SEED Award Winners.

Nairobi â A novel solar device that turns waste heat into electricity in rural China, a Ugandan business that manufactures stationary from agricultural waste, a bamboo bicycle project in Ghana and a female-run business in South Africa making a hand-held laundry device that saves water are among the 30 winners of the 2010 SEED Awards, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.

Reef utilizes facebook to Launch "We Heart Guatemala" Design Initiative

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:09:14 +0100

Guatemala. Reef announces the We Heart Guatemala Design Initiative which launched on Facebook last week and will run through December 2010. Reef fans will be asked to participate in the design and marketing process of this particular sandal. This unique initiative is centered on a group of Guatemalan women who create the beautiful hand braided threads that will be incorporated into the strap.

Guatemala host of Euro Expo 2010, Bridge of Opportunities

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:02:15 +0100

Guatemala City. This exiting event is organized by the German Chamber of Commerce Industry and the Guatemalan Exporter Association. Central American Entrepreneurs are invited to participate in the second Edition of EURO EXPO 2010 trade show: "Bridge of Opportunities." Guatemala will be the host of this important trade show; the event will take place from July 20-22 at Expocenter of the Hotel Grand Tikal Futura in Guatemala City. The inauguration of the event will take place on July 19, 18:00-20:00 pm.

European Parliament approves some of the strictest rules in the world on bankers' bonuses

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:26:11 +0100

MEPs on Wednesday approved some of the strictest rules in the world on bankers' bonuses. Caps will be imposed on upfront cash bonuses and at least half of any bonus will have to be paid in contingent capital and shares. MEPs also toughened rules on the capital reserves that banks must hold to guard against any risks from their trading activities and from their exposure to highly complex securities.

The Sinkhole: a metaphor of Guatemala?

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 10:38:06 +0100

Guatemala - Our banana buyers couldn't make it out of San Lucas Toliman today because of the mud conditions. ThatÂ´s why some of you may have seen me a little hysterical today to meet payroll plus a retirement payment. Guess our compost will be a little high in potassium, since we will be adding three tons on chopped bananas next week. Silvia T, banana and coffee grower.

The entire country has been inundated with water. Rivers have jumped their banks, some 300 bridges have been taken out, and mudslides from flash floods have buried villages and made roads impassable leaving many communities completely cut off from the outside world.

Oil platforms: EU Commissioner Oettinger meets industry leaders for safety talks Energy

Wed, 12 May 2010 23:40:44 +0100

Brussels, 11 May 2010. Commissioner GÃ¼nther Oettinger will meet later today representatives of oil and gas production industry operating in Europe and its off-shore areas. The European Commission wants to obtain assurances from the industry that they fully manage all necessary risks to avoid disasters similar to the one currently witnessed in the USA.

World Coffee Conference in Guatemala was attended by UNCTAD Secretary General Panitchpakdi

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:33:18 +0100

Guatemala City. Market speculation should be more tightly monitored and regulated, UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi told the World Coffee Conference in Guatemala City on Friday, in the wake of the economic crisis and recent price volatility in agriculture and energy.

Guatemala Worlds Largest Cardemom Exporter

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:58:38 +0100

Guatemala - The green Gold of Guatemala is Cardamom. 23,000 tones of cardamom are cultivated in Guatemala annually.

This makes Guatemala the world's largest exporter. Guatemala's cardamom production sets the prices in the global market. When the production of Cardamom decreases in Guatemala, the prices on the international markets go up. Guatemala exports its entire crop to the Middle East where cardamom is used as an ingredient in drinks and food. When the quality and quantity of the spice from Guatemala drop, global prices climb.

World Economic and Social Survey 2009: Promoting Development, Saving the Planet

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:02:20 +0100

The World Economic and Social Survey will be available today on the DESA website, along with a series of related Policy Briefs drawing from the report.
The separation of the climate change and development agendas has distorted the global debate on the two biggest policy challenges facing the international community. According to the World Economic and Social Survey 2009, an integrated approach based on the concept of sustainable development is urgently needed.

Cup of Excellence Guatemala 2009

Sat, 02 May 2009 22:08:24 +0100

Guatemala - Last year, the auction of Cup of Excellence in Guatemala was effectively held on June 12. Guatemala won the equivalent of the Oscar for highest paid coffee in Guatemalan history and the world. Finca El Injerto from Huehuetenango had become the most expensive coffee in the world, selling at a record US$ 80.20 per pound.

This year the exiting competition has already started, the Guatemala 2009 Cup of Excellence schedule is the following:

Pre-Screening: Apr 27 to May 1, 2009
National Competition: May 20 to 24, 2009
International Competition: May 27 to Jun 1, 2009
Online Auction Date: Jul, 2009

For more information about membership and other important topics write to: info@cupofexcellence.org,

What is Cup of Excellence and how does it work?

Guatemala: IMF approves $ 935 million credit line

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:10:45 +0100

IMF Executive Board Approves US$935 Million Stand-By Arrangement for Guatemala
April 23, 2009
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund approved on April 22 an 18-month, SDR 630.6 million (about US$935 million, or 300 percent of quota) Stand-By Arrangement for Guatemala. The Guatemalan authorities intend to treat the arrangement as precautionary, meaning that they do not intend to draw on the Fund's resources unless the need arises. Guatemala has no immediate balance of payments need, and this program is part of a comprehensive preventive strategy to strengthen the country's liquidity cushion in the face of an uncertain global environment, thereby enhancing the confidence of investors and market participants.

Guatemala to export 4.5 million boxes of mango in 2009

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:26:48 +0100

Guatemala. Increasing mango exports in 2009 to reach 4.5 million boxes, is the goal set by the Guatemalan mango producers. This is possible due to the signing of the export protocols by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) and the Department of Agriculture United States of America.

In 2008 the mango exports reached more than 4.1 million boxes, about 18 metric tons. This represented more than half a million more then in 2007, according to the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (Agexport).

Guatemala has approximately six thousand hectares of mango cultivation; over 50% of the production obtained is exported. 95% percent of the exported mangos go to the US markets the remaining 5% reaches European markets.

To be able to export mango to the USA, the product must comply and maintain quality standards and phytosanitary security norms. This has been achieved through the coordination and MAGA through the Integral Program for Agricultural and Environmental Protection (PIPAA) and the Unit for Standards and Regulations (UNR), in conjunction with the export sector. Having complied with these standards has enabled Guatemala to have six mango packing plants certified by the United States.

The Government promotes actions to benefit the production and export sector of Guatemala to increase the profits and opportunities in rural areas of Guatemala. The producers are diversifying their products to take advantage of the new markets.
The signing of the protocols was conducted by Gary Green, a representative of USDA / APHIS, and Julio Recinos, Minister of Agriculture of Guatemala. Mr. Green commended the work done by Guatemala to meet quality standards.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Guatemala
Picture: Press Office Government of Guatemala

Guatemala expects increased export of Mango

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:04:10 +0100

Guatemala - Last year the mango producers sold four million boxes in the U.S. market, generating revenues of U.S. $ 20 million for the country. As for this year a 5% increase is expected.

To achieve this goal, the Ministry of Agriculture (MAGA) with the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (Agexport), will define an export protocol with the USDA / APHIS in Guatemala, a branch of the Department of Agriculture of the U.S. Government.

Guatemala presents AGRITRADE 2009

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:25:44 +0100

Guatemala - GuatemalaÂ´s AGRITRADE is the most important International Central American event for integration and strengthening the agro- industrial sector in the region.

The show will host visitors from USA, Nederland, Germany, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Chile, and other countries.

This will be edition 14 of a very successful 20 year old tradition of this Agricultural Trade.

In its 14th edition, AGRITRADE Expo & Conference 2009 will be held on March 19 to 21, in Guatemala Central America, in the UNESCO World Heritage colonial city of Antigua Guatemala, in the beautiful setting of Casa Santo Domingo Hotel & Convention Center

In the XIV Edition, the show will gather all the key players related to the agricultural sector of the region.

Increased sales from Guatemala on non-traditional products

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:41:05 +0100

Guatemala Cirty - While some other sectors of the Guatemalan economy have been affected by the financial crisis caused by the US in 2008, exports of non-traditional products from Guatemalan grew 13 percent relative to 2007 in 2008.

Guatemala's coffee export up in December

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:33:56 +0100

Guatemala City - The figures of Guatemala coffee export in December 2008 have been revised and now show an increase. The difference in the numbers was attributed to a large volume of exports for which papers had not been finalized in the last few days of the year and hence can't be quantified until next month's export report. Also the harvesting season of coffee started late in 2008, the coffee matured later than usual. The harvest is now at its peak season for higher altitude coffee and the results of the coffee production will have to be reported as the data becomes available.

Guatemala present in FRUIT LOGISTICA 2009 Berlin

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:27:13 +0100

Guatemala will participate InÂ the 17th edition of FRUIT LOGISTICA from 4th to 6th February, on the Berlin exhibition grounds.

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2009 Berlin is the most comprehensive trade show for the international fresh produce trade. Eleven Guatemalan companies, cooperatives and other entities will be exhibiting their products and also two international retailers of Guatemalan products will be present.

This specialist trade fair offer the sectors connected with the fresh fruit and vegetable business an ideal opportunity to present their products across the entire added-value chain, from growing to the point-of-sale. Compact duration, focused appeal to target groups and maximum effectiveness are the key features of FRUIT LOGISTICA.

GuatemalaÂ´s organic products in BIOFach

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:32:29 +0100

So far Guatemala is participating with 4 entities: Agexport, FEDECOVERA, BCS ÃKO-Garantie GmbH, GCL Latin American Certifiers Group - Mayacert. Go to the website and see if you want to participate or visit this important event. Guatemala has very important innovative organic products, this could be the exposure you need for your product to go global.

Guatemala the world's biggest producer of Cardamom

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:04:10 +0100

Guatemala - The green Gold of Guatemala is Cardamom. Guatemala's cardamom production sets the prices in the global market. Guatemala is the world's biggest producer and exporter of cardamom. When the production of Cardamom decreases in Guatemala, the prices on the international markets go up. Guatemala exports its entire crop to the Middle East where cardamom is used as an ingredient in drinks and food. When the quality and quantity of the spice from Guatemala drop, global prices climb.

Guatemala's Commodity Export Revenues have been stable in this year

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:28:44 +0100

Guatemala City - According to the export data of the Guatemalan Central Bank, BANGUAT, the export of two of the main commodities increased, three of the five major export commodities recorded decrease in sales volume between January and September of 2008, however, the revenues have not been affected.

The coffee exports increased 1.2% , banana export increased substantially, 28.2% . Sugar, cardamom and oil export decreased.

The Poznan Business Day of the UNFCCC

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:37:34 +0100

When and Where, Tuesday, 9 December 2008, Poznan, Poland, during the UNFCCC COP 14.

Why
Organized by the WBCSD and ICC in close cooperation with the UNFCCC, the Poznan Business Day will bring together more than 150 decision-makers from companies, governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to discuss perspectives for a post-2012 climate agreement.

Guatemala hosts First Central American Artisan and Craft Trade Fair

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:12:26 +0100

Guatemala City. From the 22nd to 23rd of October, Guatemala held the First Central American Artisan and Craft Trade Fair. The event was a total success and is a credit to the wonderful creative and talented artisans that Guatemala has and to the organizers. The event presents a new concept for a new generation of buyers.

It gathered exhibitors from the 5 countries of the region in one place, in one show, presenting for the next season, the latest handcrafts for home decor, outdoors accessories and gifts items, all of them 100% handmade by Central American artisans.

This event offered buyers and exhibitors a modern perspective of the sector, in which they will not only see traditional products with a different view but also will discover new products they didn't even imagine that existed. This event will open the door to a new business concept for handcrafts and home decoration articles with new product trends and new marketing ideas expanding the business development.

5th round of negotiations starts between EU and CA In Guatemala

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:56:30 +0100

Â Guatemala - The negotiating teams start today the 5th round of talks about the Association Agreement. The focus is on better offers to access the European markets and to flexibilize the rules about the origin of industrial products for export to Europe.

Last week EU and CA negotiators exchanged a third commercial offer and a chapter of investment and services. CA bring to the table an offer of access the EU markets to up to 84% of the exportable offer and the demand to include important products like sugar, ethanol, shrimp, coffee, pineapple and bananas. The expectations of CA are to obtain similar privileges as the General System of Preferences (GSP and GSP +) to have immediate access to the European markets with 90% of the exports duty free.

Joao Aguiar Machado, chief negotiator of the EU, says that the new commercial offer of CA presents progress, however, it is below the 90% that the UE expects, for a free trade agreement. He says that the offer can be improved during this weeks meeting. The EU insists on the regional dimension of the Association Agreement mainly as regards custom union issues, non-tariff barriers to trade as well as sanitary and phytosanitary issues. The EU also insists on the ratification by the CA countries of the Rome Agreement (International Criminal Courts).

The EU Â´s relation with Central America- Background (source: European Commission External Relations)

The EU and the 6 Central American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) enjoy a comprehensive relationship that encompasses political dialogue, cooperation and a favorable trade regime.

1. The Association Agreement
An Association Agreement is the most advanced type of agreement that the EU can engage in with a country or a region in the world. It is proposed to partners with which the EU intends to deepen a strong relationship, based on mutual trust and on common values and principals. The future Agreement will give a legal framework to all aspects of EU's relations with Central America. It is organized in three chapters, namely Political Dialogue, Cooperation and Trade.

The European Commission negotiates on behalf of the EU Member States a "region-to-region" Association Agreement with Central America. Central America is represented by one of its countries acting as a spokesperson on a rotating basis.
A first round of negotiations took place in San JosÃ©, Costa Rica, in October 2007, where the Parties clarified their expectations and engaged in first exchanges of views on the three pillars of the future Agreement (Political Dialogue, Cooperation and Trade).

In February 2008, the negotiators met for a second round in Brussels and engaged in text based negotiations. These were pursued during a third round in San Salvador in April 2008 when the first trade related offers were also discussed. A successful fourth round of negotiations between EU and CA, that took place in Brussels from 14 - 18 July 2008, gave further impetus to Association Agreement talks.
It is envisaged to have other rounds in 2008 as follows: October (Guatemala) and December (Brussels). Negotiations are expected to be concluded in 2009.

2. Dialogue with civil society
The European Commission attaches great importance to the dialogue with civil society and seeks to develop a confident working relationship between all interested stakeholders. It therefore organizes meetings and maintains regular contacts with civil society representatives. It actively participated in March 2007 to the Second UE-CA Civil Society Forum held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Since then, the Commission organized regular meetings in Brussels and in Central America, to keep civil society organizations informed of the negotiations' progress. These encounters usually take place either before, during or after each round of negotiations and allow open exchanges of views.

Guatemalan Private Bus Owners survey E-Ticketing Solution in China with Alternet Systems Inc.

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:17:02 +0100

Alternet Systems Inc. invited Guatemalan Private Bus Owners in a Technical Trade Mission they hosted to China. The trade mission was a step towards the first wireless E-Ticketing solutions for the Latin American Markets. These solutions are all hosted and operated on the TCPS solution that Alternet is proposing to the Municipality of the City of Guatemala for their mass transportation services.

Why invest in Guatemalan Oil and Gas?

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:32:49 +0100

DUBLIN, Ireland - (Business Wire) Research and Markets.
In Dublin, Ireland, Research and Market have informed that they have the country profile for Guatemala regarding Oil and Gas Investments in a Press release issued today.
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Guatemala Oil and Gas Markets Investment Opportunities, Analysis and Forecasts to 2020" country profile to their offering.

Guatemalas National Entrepreneurs Forum, Enade 2008

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:27:29 +0100

Guatemala - FUNDESA, The Foundation for the Development of Guatemala, is a private foundation that was created to contribute to the development of Guatemala, to promote sustainable growth and democracy. FUNDESA supports the free market economy and rule of law, through the consolidation of an independent entity that provides technical information for business and economic development of Guatemala.

FACT SHEET on Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:16:02 +0100

Â The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) was implemented on a rolling basis. El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua were implemented in 2006 and the Dominican Republic in 2007. Costa Rica is scheduled to implement the agreement on Oct. 1, 2008.

The agreement was designed to level the playing field between the United States and the six CAFTA-DR trade partners. As the agreement takes effect with each country, more than half of U.S. farm exports gain immediate duty-free access, including high-quality cuts of beef, soybeans, cotton, wheat, many fruits and vegetables, and processed food products. Tariffs on most other U.S. farm products will be phased out within 15 years. All tariffs will be eliminated in 20 years.

CAFTA-DR provides U.S. farmers and ranchers access to more than the 47 million people estimated to be living in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua in July 2008. These consumers had an estimated per capita gross domestic product ranging from $2,600 to $10,300 in 2007. As these countries' populations grow and their economies expand, more and more people will enter the middle class, increasing food demand and creating U.S. trade and investment opportunities.

Benefits to U.S. and CAFTA-DR Agriculture Sectors

Central America and the Dominican Republic are already top markets for U.S. agricultural products. They are expected to grow with this agreement. In the short time the agreement has been in force with the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, two-way trade of agricultural products between the United States and those countries grew 21 percent from $3.8 billion in 2006 to nearly $4.6 billion in 2007. In 2007, U.S. exports to those five countries were nearly $2.4 billion, with animal fats, poultry meat, fresh, chilled or frozen red meat, feeds and fodders, and snack foods leading the way. U.S. imports from those countries in 2007 were nearly $2.2 billion with cheese, fresh vegetables, bananas and plantains, other fresh fruit, and processed fruits and vegetables topping the list. Two-way trade of agricultural products in 2008 is expected to meet or exceed $5.0 billion. Together, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, were the seventh largest export market for U.S. food and agricultural products in 2007. The United States is the single largest importer of agricultural products from those five countries.

Trade with the Dominican Republic: Total two-way trade of agricultural products in 2007 was more than $1.1 billion, up 15 percent from a year earlier. U.S. exports to the Dominican Republic were $778 million, with record-breaking sales in fresh, chilled or frozen red meats, corn, fresh fruit, dairy, and tree nuts. U.S. imports from the Dominican Republic reached almost $324 million, of which fresh vegetables, nursery products, and cut flowers set record highs.

Trade with El Salvador: Total two-way trade of agricultural products in 2007 was $524 million, up 25 percent from 2006. U.S. exports to El Salvador reached more than $343 million, with record sales in tree nuts, corn, rice, snack foods, and feed and fodder. U.S. imports from El Salvador were more than $180 million, of which snack foods, fresh vegetables, and sugars, sweeteners, and beverage bases hit some of their highest levels.

Trade with Guatemala: Total two-way trade of agricultural products in 2007 was $1.74 billion, up 18 percent from a year earlier. U.S. exports to Guatemala were more than $676 million, of which wheat, corn, rice, soybeans, feed and fodder, animal fats, fresh fruit, and poultry meat set record highs. U.S. imports from Guatemala were nearly $1.1 billion, with wine and beer, fresh vegetables, bananas, and plantains hitting new records.

Trade with Honduras: Total two-way trade of agricultural products in 2007 was more than $760 million, up 24 percent from 2006. U.S. exports to Honduras exceeded $393 million, with animal fats, soybean meal, tree nuts, fresh fruit, wheat, live animals, and fresh, chilled, or frozen red meat reaching their highest levels. U.S. imports from Honduras were more than $367 million, of which sugars, sweeteners, and beverage bases, fresh vegetables, snack foods, and wine and beer set new records.

Trade with Nicaragua: Total two-way trade of agricultural products in 2007 was more than $438 million, up 23 percent from a year earlier. U.S. exports to Nicaragua were more than $181 million, with wheat, corn, soybean meal, and soybean oil hitting new records. U.S. imports from Nicaragua reached more than $256 million, of which snack foods, fresh vegetables, other fresh fruit, wine and beer, and sugars, sweeteners, and beverage bases set record highs.

Key Elements of the Agreement

Market Access. No products are excluded from the agreement. Liberalization will occur through tariff reductions, tariff-rate quota expansion, and a combination of approaches. Each Central American country and the Dominican Republic has a separate schedule of commitments providing access for U.S. products. The United States provides the same tariff treatment to each of the six countries, but has country-specific commitments on tariff-rate quotas. Tariffs will ultimately be eliminated for all products, except for sugar to the United States, fresh potatoes and fresh onions to Costa Rica, and white corn to the other Central American countries.

Tariff Elimination. Tariffs are being phased out according to specific schedules negotiated on a product and country-specific basis. As a general rule, tariff reductions are in equal annual installments over the phase-out period. For certain products, tariff reductions are back-loaded, with no cuts in the initial years of the phase-out period and larger cuts in the later years of the phase-out period.

Tariff-Rate Quotas (TRQs). For some products, immediate market access has been provided through the creation and expansion of TRQs (zero duty access for a specified quantity of imports). General principles-and in some cases, specific commitments-on TRQ administration were established to encourage full utilization of the TRQs.

Safeguards. Safeguard measures are available for some specified products, providing for tariff increases during a given year after import quantities in that year increase to specified levels. Specific triggers to activate the safeguards and duty increases are established in the agreement. The possibility of employing safeguards will expire when tariff protection has been phased-out. The United States may operate safeguards on out-of-quota imports of dairy, peanuts, and peanut butter. If all parties agree, safeguard coverage could be extended beyond the tariff phase-out period. Since the agreement came into force, no safeguards have yet been triggered.

Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. The parties affirm the intent to apply the science-based disciplines of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures. An SPS Committee has been established to expedite resolution of technical issues.

Export Subsidies. The parties agree not to use export subsidies into another party's market except to compete with third-party export subsidies.

Other Key CAFTA-DR Provisions

CAFTA-DR is the first U.S. trade agreement that includes a trade capacity building component that commits the United States to providing the six countries with technical assistance and training. U.S. trade capacity building programs provide training to enhance two-way trade by improving customs procedures, protecting intellectual property rights, and standardizing sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for animal and plant health and food safety systems.

This training will also help agricultural producers in the CAFTA-DR countries develop nontraditional exports to serve specialty markets in the United States and elsewhere, and improve their production facilities to meet U.S. standards. With built-in safeguards and tariffs remaining on some sensitive products, the agreement does not threaten U.S. domestic production or sales, but provides assurance to U.S. consumers that the CAFTA-DR agricultural products sold in U.S. specialty markets meet U.S. and international health and safety standards.

Examples of successful projects include:

After receiving SPS regulatory system training in 2006, Nicaragua rewrote its poultry inspection laws and regulations to meet U.S. poultry import requirements.
CAFTA-DR countries harmonized a portion of their emergency response systems for avian influenza (AI) after receiving avian pathology training in September 2006. During the training, CAFTA-DR scientists and researchers from the public sector agreed to when and how to react to a finding of AI, when to close borders, and which government agencies to involve.
As a result of an April 2007 regional workshop on SPS laboratory management, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras each purchased food safety laboratory equipment valued at more than $1 million to improve infrastructure as recommended in the workshop.
In addition, the 2007 regional workshop on SPS laboratory management served as an impetus for public and private sector scientists at national laboratories in CAFTA-DR countries to form joint working groups to harmonize procedures and specialize in a particular testing method. The laboratories will use one another as reference laboratories to confirm positive disease or infection results. The training also resulted in more than 15 diagnostic protocols being harmonized with internationally accepted methods.
After attending regional laboratory training for animal health and pesticides in March 2008, Honduran public and private sector laboratory technicians at the Animal Health Laboratory successfully diagnosed exotic Newcastle disease in swine. The laboratory is using the result as a reference for the entire region.
As a result of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service meat inspection course in May 2007, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua passed laws that recognize the U.S. meat and poultry inspection system as equivalent. This was a pre-condition for CAFTA-DR implementation.
General information about FAS programs, resources, and services is available on the Internet at the FAS home page: http://www.fas.usda.gov

Genpact Announces Acquisition of Delivery Center in Guatemala from GE

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:02:01 +0100

Guatemala - Genpact Limited (NYSE:G), a leader in the globalization of services and technology and a pioneer in managing business processes for companies around the world, today announced that it acquired a delivery center in Guatemala City from GE Money, a division of the General Electric Company on August 15, 2008.
The newly-acquired facility is Genpact's first in Guatemala and will extend Genpact's Latin American presence beyond Mexico and enhance its ability to provide business process services in English as well as in Spanish. Genpact will provide services to GE Money from the facility. With Guatemala President Alvaro Colon in attendance, the facility was officially opened in July by GE Money and BAC/Credomatic. GE Money's Retail Consumer Finance division, along with BAC will both continue operations for their customers from a portion of the facility.

Guatemala City Authorizes $3.2 Million Alternative Energy Deal

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:33:39 +0100

Press Release: UC HUB, INC. (OTCBB: UCHB)
UC HUB, INC. (OTCBB: UCHB), a publicly traded company currently on the Over the Counter, announces that the new owners of UC Hub Group, Inc. (Sky Pacific Innovations Inc.) are installing their first patented Electricity Per Auto ("ELPA") equipment in Guatemala City, Guatemala and expect to install 40 more systems in the surrounding area. Mr. FernandoYanguelas is the President of SKPI and now will be the driving force for the public company. Fernando Yanguelas, states, "As an industrial mechanical engineer, I am very excited about the ability to assist emerging countries and continents with an efficient alternative energy product that will light cities throughout the world. This patented energy solution leverages existing vehicular energy while enhancing the end product of stored energy. We are very pleased that this is a profitable transaction, and there is enormous demand in many cities and countries. SKPI's Officers, Directors and staff are extremely excited about the energy capabilities this will provide countries, cities and suburban areas with a much needed alternative power source. With automobile use expanding at alarming rates all over the world, this alternative energy source could solve the energy problems for millions, and possibly billions, of households, industrial centers and cities and give relief to the overloaded power grids and their depleting and cost prohibitive energy sources."

The executive Assistant to the President of Guatemala, Mr. Gustavo Alejos, states, "Sky Pacific brings to Guatemala a much needed solution in the energy sector and we are excited about being the first country to introduce this Alternative Energy solution for our countrymen and the world. It will also provide an evolving and expanding workforce for which we are grateful. Alternative Energy is a billion dollar industry that ripples through the economy of cities and countries. Sky Pacific is bringing energy, and thus, more comfort for more people and more cities as the world population will approach 8.5 billion over the next two decades."

Luis Ferrate, Ministry of Environment, states, "Sky Pacific will bring light to dark places. The demand for energy is overwhelming in our country."

Mr. Manolo Gomez, PhD, of Sky Pacific and patent holder states, "Mr. Wilcox has brought something empirical, exciting and financially viable to the market and to the shareholders of UC Hub through the merger he has consummated with Sky Pacific. As the world's thirst for energy grows by the day, surging more than 50% by 2030, Sky Pacific's electricity per vehicle (ELPA) is an example of a thriving interrelationship of existing energy while delivering newer and compounded leveraged efficiencies. Hydrogen powered vehicles, battery powered vehicles, solar powered vehicles, gas powered cars and motorcycles... all will produce new and more efficient energy by utilizing ELPA." Furthermore, Dr. Gomez believes, "This is truly tomorrow's energy right in front of us."

About UC Hub Group Inc.:
UC Hub Group Inc. operates as a software development, marketing and digital distribution company for transaction based operations on the web and mobile phone.
Sky Pacific Innovations is a British Virgin Island Company with alternative energy solutions (electricity per vehicle-ELPA) for the international markets.

Safe Harbor Provision
This news release includes forward-looking statements, including with respect to the future level of business for the parties. These statements are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors that could cause results to differ materially from estimated results. Management cautions that all statements as to future results of operations are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and events that may be beyond the control of UC HUB Group Inc and no assurance can be given that such results will be achieved. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability to procure, properly price, retain and successfully complete projects, the availability of technical personnel, changes in technology and competition.

SOURCE: UC Hub Group Inc.

Coffee the history, production and health

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:10:26 +0100

Â The History of Coffee.

Â
The coffee tree probably originated in the province of Kaffa, in the area known today as Ethiopia. There is no real evidence to show exactly when, or how, it was first discovered that a rich and stimulating brew could be made from the bean (or seed) within the fruit of the coffee bush, but it is thought that before coffee was ever appreciated as a beverage, native people may have chewed the ripe cherries and beans as food. There is evidence to suggest that coffee trees were cultivated in monastery gardens 1,000 years ago, and commercial cultivation followed, although the first reports of this, from the Yemen, were not recorded until the fifteenth century.

News from Feria Chapina Los Angeles

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:58:01 +0100

Los Angeles, USA. This is the 4th time that The Company Eventos y Ferias Internacionales - EVEFER, organized the Feria Chapina in Los Angeles.

The Feria Chapina takes place in Los Angeles and in New York. The Guatemala Times reported on the very successful event in New York, in June this year.Â Â

EVEFER Officials informed that over 40 thousand visitors attended the fair. 110 Guatemala businesses participated to offer their products to the Guatemalan and Latino community of Los Angeles and California residents. The Feria lasted 3 days, from the 22 to the 24th of August.

The 82.8 million Quetzales question is....

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:07:59 +0100

Guatemala. Is it legal to deposit public funds in private investment firms? What is the legal or illegal framework in Guatemala for these transactions?
What guarantees do these private investment firms give the investors?
Is it possible that the Board of Directors of any such private investment firm does not know when a hefty and fat sum of 82 million Quetzales arrived at their doorstep?

Guatemala will be the host of the 3th World Conference of Coffee

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:37:12 +0100

Guatemala will be the host of the 3th World Conference of Coffee of the ICO, The International Coffee Organization Guatemala.
The ICO, The International Coffee Organization, is the main intergovernmental organization for coffee, bringing together producing and consuming countries to tackle the challenges facing the world coffee sector through international cooperation. It makes a practical contribution to the world coffee economy and to improving standards of living in developing countries.
On May 22, 2008, The ICO decided to hold their 3rd World Coffee Conference in Guatemala in the year 2010. The 2nd World conference was held in Brazil in 2005 and the 1st World Coffee Conference was held in London in 2001.

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) is the main intergovernmental organization for coffee, bringing together producing and consuming countries to tackle the challenges facing the world coffee sector through international cooperation. It makes a practical contribution to the world coffee economy and to improving standards of living in developing countries by:

FILGUA 2008

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:32:35 +0100

Book Fair promises quality, variety and opportunities for the development

Guatemala: The International Book Fair in Guatemala- FILGUA 2008 - to be held from July the 25th to August the 3rd, in Guatemala's Parque de la Industria, is still more than a month away, but expectations are high, but novelties and features, also.

Guatemalan Coffee in the 2008 Cup of Excellence

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:52:02 +0100

2008 Cup of ExcellenceÂ® Schedule Released: Welcomes Rwanda

MISSOULA, MT -This expansion beyond its traditional roots in Central and South America illustrates the growing interest in the program from throughout the world. "We are definitely excited to welcome Rwanda to our Cup of Excellence family," explains Susie Spindler, executive director of ACE, which runs the Cup of Excellence program. "As the first program for ACE in Africa this represents a significant step for both the Cup of Excellence program and for Rwanda," she adds. "The continued success of the program and the demand from the marketplace for extraordinary coffees has allowed us to welcome Rwanda to the Cup of Excellence, and in turn, the competition and auction will help Rwandan farmers bring their truly exceptional coffees to the specialty market."

The First Euro-Expo in Guatemala.

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:46:50 +0100

"Infinite Possibilities".

Commercial stands, cooperative projects, cultural presentations and cinema are some of the many important components of the First Euro - Expo in Guatemala. More than a hundred European firms are participating and over 200 Guatemalan enterprises are present.

Apoyando a Quienes Apoyan' Begins Its Seventh Annual Award Benefiting Guatemala

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Guatemala. The Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation (Fundacion Juan Bautista Gutierrez), a charitable foundation formed by the shareholders of Corporacion Multi Inversiones to promote various education, health and social projects in Guatemala, today announced the launch of its 7th annual "Apoyando a Quienes Apoyan" ("Supporting Those Who Support").