I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is
at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our
economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility
on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard
choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost;
jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our
schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the
ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics.
Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across
our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and
that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are
serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short
span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and
false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far
too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has
come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our
enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that
precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to
generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and
all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that
greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never
been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path
for the fainthearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek
only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the
risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated, but
more often men and women obscure in their labor – who have carried us
up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked
till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw
America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater
than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous,
powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when
this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and
services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last
year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat,
of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -
that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up,
dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the
economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act – not only to
create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build
the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed
our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its
rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s
quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and
the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform
our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new
age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who
suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their
memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has
already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is
joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive… that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we
did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.”

Presidential Inauguration 2009

The Presidential Inauguration will be held on January 20, 2009. A week of festivities will include the Presidential Swearing-in Ceremony, Inaugural Address, Inaugural Parade and numerous inaugural balls and galas honoring the new President of the United States. The official theme for the 2009 inauguration is “Renewing America’s Promise,” a vision that underscores the President-elect and Vice President-elect’s commitment to restoring opportunity and possibility for all and re-establishing America’s standing as a beacon of hope around the world.

Overview of the Inauguration Schedule:

Saturday, January 17
Obama, Biden and their families will
travel by train to Washington, DC and will host events along the way in
Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore.

Sunday, January 18
An official welcome concert will be held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to kick off the inaugural celebration. The event will be open to the public and broadcast live exclusively on HBO.

Monday, January 19
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – To honor Dr. King’s legacy, Obama, Biden and their families will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in communities across the Washington, DC area. Additional events will be held throughout the week.
Inaugural Eve Concert for America’s Children – A free youth concert will be held at the Verizon Center. The concert will be broadcast on Disney Channel 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. EST.

January 20, 2009
The oath of office will be administered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. Following the oath of office, the President will give his inaugural address, setting out his vision for America and goals for the nation.

TIME: Security checkpoints will open for the Inaugural Swearing-in Ceremony at 8 a.m. Ticketed guests are advised to arrive by 9 a.m. Ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m. EST. See details about the program.

TICKETS: Each Senator and Representative receives a limited quantity of free tickets that they may distribute to the public at their discretion. The public should be aware that no website or other ticket outlet actually has inaugural swearing-in tickets to sell, regardless of what they may claim.

Those who come to witness the swearing-in ceremony will be able to watch and listen to the ceremony on large screens that will be set up along the National Mall.
Presidential Inauguration Parade
January 20, 2009, 2:30 p.m. Tickets are not required. The public will not be allowed to lineup along the parade route before 7 a.m.

Location: Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC
Viewing stands and bleachers will extend from 3rd to 17th Sts.

The presidential inaugural parade is coordinated by the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee (AFIC) which includes members from all branches of the armed forces of the United States. Since 1789, the U.S. armed forces have participated in this important American tradition honoring our commander in chief with musical units, marching bands, color guards, salute batteries and honor cordons. Read more about the inaugural parade.
Inauguration Balls
Many inaugural balls and galas will take place at venues throughout Washington, DC from January 15 – 24, 2009. The official balls are planned by the Presidential Inaugural Committee and unofficial balls and parties are planned by the State Societies of Washington, DC and a variety of other organizations. Dozens of events will be announced in the coming weeks. See a guide to Inaugural Balls and Galas.
Inauguration Travel Information and Tips

    * The best way to get to the inaugural events from around the region will be by Metro. However, it will be very crowded and there are likely to be long lines and delays. Arrive early and be patient. You should purchase your Metro fare in advance to save time. Read A Guide to Using Washington Metrorail for more details.

    * All parade and event attendees will be subject to a thorough security screening. Allow for additional time and be aware of prohibited items. Read more about Inauguration Security.

    * Dress for the weather! January in Washington, DC can be very cold. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 30s. Be sure to wear layers, a hat, scarf and gloves. DC weather is variable so be prepared for a cold and damp day. Umbrellas will not be allowed due to security concerns.

    * Following the inaugural parade, plan to stay in the city and visit a museum or go to a movie. Let the crowd thin out before taking public transportation out of town.

    * For more information about getting to the events, See Inauguration 2009 Transportation Guide.

ESTA, Electronic System For Travel Authorization[https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/]

• Will registering for ESTA determine my eligibility to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program?
• How far in advance am I required to submit an application?
• What should I do if I have registered, but since registering have obtained a new passport, changed my name, date of birth, citizenship, gender or my eligibility to travel visa free has changed.
• How long will it take to process the travel authorization?
• How much does it cost?
• I am entering the U.S. by land from Canada or Mexico; do I require travel authorization under ESTA?
• I am transiting the U.S.; do I require travel authorization before traveling?
• I have been arrested and/or convicted; can I register under ESTA?
• What information do I need in order to complete the application?
• Can I apply for travel authorization under ESTA if I was previously denied entry into or deported from the United States?
• Am I required to print the authorization for presentation to the airline or shipping company?
• For how long is travel authorization granted under ESTA?
• I have a valid visa; do I require travel authorization approval under ESTA before traveling?
• I applied for travel authorization under ESTA but it was denied. What do I do?
• I have been denied authorization to travel. Is there any point in trying again at a later date?
• I believe that I was incorrectly denied authorization to travel as I have travelled in the past
• I have received a message "authorized pending", what does this mean?
• I have made a mistake and submitted incorrect information; what can I do?
• I need to travel to the US urgently and do not have time to request travel authorization. What do I do?
• I was denied approval to travel and I need to travel urgently; how can I secure an emergency appointment to apply for a visa?
• If I receive authorization to travel, does that mean I can enter the country?
• Is there any advantage to me doing this before it becomes compulsory?
• What are the advantages of doing this; isn’t it easier to get a visa?
• Will I still be required to complete the form I-94W?

I have a postdated passport. Can I register under ESTA?

• I am entering the United States by sea but the ESTA webiste does not have a list of carriers. What should I do?

Will registering for ESTA determine my eligibility to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program?

No. ESTA should not be used to determine if a person is qualified to travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Only qualfied VWP travelers should register under ESTA.

ESTA provides authorization to qualified VWP travelers to board a carrier, either air or sea, to travel to the United States. Before registering you must determine your eligibility to travel under the VWP; only those qualified to do so should register.

How far in advance am I required to submit an application?

It may be done at anytime, but no later than 72 hours before you are due to travel. You are not required to have any firm travel plans before registering and we recommend that you register as soon as you have made reservations or have purchased tickets.

If authorization to travel is granted it will be valid for travel for two years or until the date on which your passport expires, which ever comes first. It will be valid for multiple visits. Should your itinerary change (address, flight number) you may update the information through the ESTA Web site.

What should I do if I have obtained a new passport or have changed my name, date of birth, citizenship or gender, or my eligibility to travel visa free has changed

If you have obtained a new passport, changed your name, date of birth, citizenship, or gender you are required to apply for new travel authorization. You cannot amend your existing registration. If you are no longer eligible to tavel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, you will be required to apply for a visa.

How long will it take to process the travel authorization?

In most cases the traveler will be provided with an almost immediate determination as to whether or not travel authorization is granted.

There are three types of responses:

Authorization Approved
Authorization Pending; and
Travel Not Authorized.

Those applicants who receive an approval are then authorized to board an air or sea carrier under the Visa Waiver Program.

Applicants who receive an "Authorization Pending" response will need to check the Web site for updates within 72 hours to receive a final response.

If travel is not authorized, the traveler will be required to apply for a visa.

How much does it cost?

Initially there will be no fee for this service. Companies who are charging a fee for this service are NOT operating on behalf of the U.S. Government

I am entering the U.S. by land from Canada or Mexico; do I require travel authorization under ESTA?

No. You will NOT be required to obtain travel authorization if entering the U.S. by land

I am transiting the U.S.; do I require authorization under ESTA before traveling?

Yes, you will be required to obtain authorization to travel before boarding the aircraft.

I have been arrested and or convicted; can I register under ESTA?

Only those qualified to travel under the Visa Waiver Program are eligible to register. As you have been arrested and or convicted, you require a visa in order to travel. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to U.S law. Please note that minor traffic offenses such as speeding, which did not result in an arrest or conviction, will not prevent a traveler from traveling under the VWP and therefore, will not prevent you from applying to register under ESTA

What information do I need in order to complete the application?

You are required to provide the same information as requested on the form I-94W; that is your biographical data including name, birth date, and passport information, as well as travel information such as the flight number and destination address in the United States. You are also required to answer Visa Waiver Program eligibility questions regarding communicable diseases, arrests and convictions for certain crimes, and past history of visa revocation or deportation, amongst others. The information must be provided in english. A third party may complete the form on your behalf.

Details required:

Name
Date of Birth
Country of citizenship
Country of current residence
Gender
E-mail address
Phone number
Passport number, issuing country, date of issuance, date of expiration
Travel information – departure city, flight number, carrier, address while in the U.S.
VWP eligibility questions.

Can I apply for travel authorization if I was previously denied entry into or deported from the U.S.?

Only those qualified to travel under the Visa Waiver Program are eligible to register. As you have been denied entry into or deported from the U.S., you require a visa in order to travel.

Am I required to print the authorization to travel and carry it with me?

No, the airlines and shipping companies will have received confirmation that you are authorized to travel. However, you should retain the application number so that you may update your information in the future; if necessary.

For how long is travel authorization granted?

Travel authorization is granted for two years or until the date on which your passport expires, which ever comes first. Once you have completed your registration on-line, you will be provided with the dates during which you may travel to the United States.

If your original itinerary changes, for example, address in the U.S., flight number, you may update the original record through the ESTA website by following the instructions. Should any biographical or passport information change, you will be required to make a new application for travel authorization. If the answers to any of the VWP eligibility questions change (ie arrests/convictions/communicable disease/deported/denied entry etc), you will be required to apply for a visa.

You will equire the application number in order to make changes to your original record.

I have a valid visa; do I require travel authorization approval under ESTA before traveling?</4>

No, this new system applies only to those traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.

I applied for travel authorization under ESTA but it was denied; What do I do?

You are required to apply for a visa before traveling. Please call the Embassy’s Operator Assisted Information Service on 09042 450 100 (Calls cost 1.20/min) to schedule an appointment to apply for a visa.

I have been denied authorization to travel. Is there any point in trying again at a later date?

You may reapply after 10 days, but unless your circumstances have changed, you will not receive authorization to travel. It is important to note that applying with false information could make you permanently ineligible for travel to the U.S.

I believe that I was incorrectly denied authorization to travel under ESTA as I have travelled in the past

If you believe that you have been incorrectly denied authorization to travel, you should contact the Department of Homeland Security through their Travel Redress Inquiry Program. Further information is available from the Department of Homeland Security’s website at www.dhs.gov Please note that there are no guarantees that a request for redress through DHS TRIP will resolve the issue and the Embassy is unable to provide information about ESTA denials or resolve the issue that caused the ESTA denial.

I have received a message "authorized pending"; what happens next?

You should receive a response within 72 hours of you submitting the information. You should check the website for updates. If you attempt to travel without authorization to do so, you may be denied boarding by the airline or shipping company or entry into the United States.

I made a mistake and submitted incorrect information; what can I do?

If the application was approved, you may submit amended information such as changes to your travel itinerary – change of address; flight number. If you provided incorrect passport or biographic information or information relating to your eligibility to travel under the Visa Waiver Program – arrests/convictions/deportation/medical ineligibility, you will be required to submit a new application.

If the application was denied, it is recommended that you wait 10 days before reapplying.

I need to travel to the US urgently and do not have time to request travel authorization; what do I do?

Those nationals for whom ESTA is not mandatory until January 12, 2009, need not be concerned with obtaining travel authorization if traveling before this date.

However, if you are a national of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, or the Republic of Korea or you are a national for whom it becomes mandatory on January 12 2009, and you are entering the country on or after date, you will be required to obtain travel authorization before traveling. It is recommended that you register no later than 72 hours before your travel. If you need to travel within 72 hours, you should still go on-line and register as soon as possible. The system does accommodate last minute and emergency travelers. If you do not receive authorization in time to travel, or authorization is denied, you will be required to apply for a visa.

I was denied approval to travel and I need to travel urgently; can I obtain an emergency appointment?

You should call the Operator Assisted Information Service on 09042 450 100(calls cost 1.20/min). They will advise you of the earliest available appointment to apply for a visa. No guarantees can be offered that an apointment will be available to accomodate travel, which is why we strongly recommend that travelers register for ESTA well in advance of your proposed date of travel.

If I receive authorization to travel, does that mean I can enter the country?

Approval only authorizes a traveler to board an air or sea carrier (plane or boat) to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program; it does not guarantee entry. That decision can only be made by the immigration official at the Port of Entry in the same way that travelers currently entering the U.S. with a visa are subject to inspection.

Is there any advantage to me doing this before it becomes compulsory?

The Embassy recommends that you register as soon as possible. If your registration is successful, it will be valid for multiple applications for two years or until the date on which your passport expires, which ever comes first. If your itinerary changes in any way – hotel, flight number you may update the information through the ESTA website. You may update your itinerary for each trip.

What are the advantages of doing this; isn’t it easier to get a visa?

No. Obtaining travel authorization, for most travelers, will be simple and easy. Obtaining a visa, however, typically requires an appointment, travel to the Embassy/Consulate, an interview with a consular officer, processing time, and the payment of a fee (currently $131).

Will I still be required to complete the form I-94W

Approval to travel under ESTA will eventually eliminate the requirement that the traveler complete the I-94W form.

I have a postdated passport. Can I register under ESTA?

ESTA will only recognise a valid passport. Therefore, you will not be able to register your details until the date on which the passport becomes vaild for travel. It is recommended that a traveler submit a registration at least 72 hours before traveling. If there is insufficient time for you to do this between the wedding ceremony and date of travel, you may wish to delay applying for a postdated passport and travel on your exisiting passport together with a copy of your marriage certificate.

I am entering the United States by sea but the ESTA website does not have a list of carriers. What should I do?

Carrier information is not mandatory, therefore, you should submit a registration leaving this section blank.

The Green Card Lottery is an official U.S. Government program in which 50,000 Green Cards are awarded by lottery every year. A Green-Card is a permanent visa that will allow you to live and work in the USA for as long as you wish. Every year over 50,000 winners are drawn from the entries registered in the previous year. All you have to do to win is enter.

Since 1994, more winners have entered the Lottery through National Visa Service than all other lottery services combined. National Visa Service is the oldest, largest, and most trusted U.S. Immigration service in the world. We invite you to peruse our site, see what hundreds of real Winners have said about our service, use VisaQuik to see what other types of US visas you might qualify for, and sign up for a free application in the lottery.

Important to all:

    * According to the US DEPARTMENT OF STATE entries for the US GREEN CARD LOTTERY must be submitted electronically via the ELECTRONIC DIVERSITY VISA ENTRY FORM.
    * USA Green Card Lottery Organization is now accepting US Green Card applications online.

Romanians and Bulgarians can now work freely in Spain, following the ending of the moratorium by the Spanish Government. However it comes as both the Romanian and Bulgarian governments want their workers to return home.

It’s estimated that a million Bulgarian and Romanian citizens live in Spain and consular sources consider that some 20% of Romanians are already working here as self-employed

The election of Barack Obama has energised those seeking a change in relations between the US and Cuba.

And with so many thorny, complex issues awaiting the incoming president, analysts say Cuba might provide Mr Obama with an easy opportunity to bring about the kind of change to America’s foreign policy that the world and Latin America in particular are waiting for.

From Russia to Iran, Iraq and Pakistan, “none of these crises will allow President Obama to signal swiftly to the world the kind of changes he proposes in American foreign policy,” write Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief-of-staff to Colin Powell, and Patrick Doherty, from the New American Foundation.

“In contrast, US-Cuba policy is low-hanging fruit: though of marginal importance domestically, it could be changed immediately at little cost.”

Hopes have been raised by statements made by Barack Obama himself and policies spelled out on his campaign website.

A big factor driving the calls for change is the growing number of Cuban-Americans who are eager for more contact with the homeland, want to help their families there improve their living standards and believe this will help bring about change inside Cuba.

Attitudes are especially changing amongst the younger generation, which does not bear the scars of life under Fidel Castro – but some older Cuban-American have also had a change of heart.

Carlos Saladrigas is a 60-year-old Cuban-American from Miami. He is a life-long Republican, but voted for Mr Obama this time round.

Speaking to the BBC earlier this year, he said: “You don’t have to be very smart to figure out that after 50 years of trying something that hasn’t worked, maybe it’s time to try something new.”

He said the best way to bring about change inside Cuba was to allow Cuban-Americans to become the agents of change by letting them visit the island.

More information on [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7807348.stm]

Europegoodbye.com´s  a space of exchange of free information of censorship, a point of meeting idea,opinions and projects and a tool for the trade and  the exchange of products between persons.
The recycling object that the people already do not want but that still  in good condition is another aim of this web page; of there it name “Europegoodbye”, that translated would mean Europe – good-bye, doing allusion to the products that remain rejected in Europe and follow his course being used in other places of the world.

Web Site Traffic Generating Components

Non-Internet Marketing
Return Traffic and Email Marketing
Links from other sites
Discussion Boards
Search Engine Promotion
Pay Per Click

Non-Internet Marketing
We purposely placed search engines and internet based advertising at the end to put emphasis on the idea that there is more to a successful web site marketing campaign than just submitting your site to search engines. You need to know that in many cases this will drastically fall short of your expectations and there is a good chance that it will not increase your web site traffic at all.

Non-internet marketing consists of everything you do related to your business that is not online.
The first of these is your current marketing avenues, print ads, news paper, phone book, radio, TV, promotional events, business cards, and anything else that you would consider as “marketing” efforts. Each of these items should in some manner incorporate your web site address. Adding your web site address to these items should not create a significant expense. In some cases you may want to refocus the content toward directing people to your web site.
Secondly consider everything that leaves your physical location as new marketing material. Stationary and envelopes should have your web site address printed on them. If you ship packages make sure the labels including your web site address and any documentation that might be enclosed. If you invoice customers, invoices and order confirmations should have your web address. If you do not send order confirmations, you may want to start doing so and highlight your web site address. Do you have a customer mailing list? Consider sending them a notice on your new web site and perhaps periodically send notification of any new additions to your site.
The point is that nothing you do should be left un-considered and creativity needs to come into play. Items that you currently my not think of as “marketing” efforts may open new avenues. For example, how much would it cost to include your web site address as an alternative contact method on your voice mail? Can you mention your web site while talking to contacts on the phone… or in person? Or ask them for their email address so you can send it to them. You should scrutinize anything your business does that has contact with other people.
Anything that you do not examine as an instrument of web site marketing can be an opportunity lost. Even though we specifically mention to think about things you are currently doing, in some cases you may find ideas for things to add, such as sending a follow up thank you letter, if you aren’t doing that already.
Your marketing campaign should not be focused in one area. The non-internet aspect should be an integral part of your overall campaign.
Here is a recap of some of the items we mentioned:
* News Paper Ads
* Media ads (news papers, tv, radio)
* Business Cards
* Signage
* Stationary
* Packaging
* Labeling
* Invoices, Confirmations, Thank you notices
* Voice mail
* Personal contacts
* Postal Mailings
* Cataglogs and newsletters
* Miscellaneous promotional materials

Return Traffic and Email Marketing

Return Traffic consists primarily of two factors: 1) making sure the person that visits your site sees something they like so that they enjoy their first visit, and 2) giving them a reason to come back.

Do not neglect the benefit of return traffic. It is a key element in virtually all successful web sites and should be included in the basic web site design. The design of the website should give the visitor what he or she is looking for without creating unnecessary confusion and ideally make the experience pleasant enough that they will want to come back.

Does your site include all of the information the visitor will need? If a visitor has questions that come up before purchasing your product or service, you may lose them as they go somewhere else to find that information. Any information you provide will also be included in the major search engines as their programs go through your site. This will give people more relevant search terms to use in order to find you.
Action Step: Find at least one piece of information relating to your product or service that is missing from your web site and add it. Cover the topic as completely and as straightforwardly as possible. Then be sure the visitor has a prominent link to select for returning to your product(s).
If possible, continue you this process over and over to add content to your site. If you get to the point where you feel that you’ve covered everything, go back to the content you’ve already created to see if you can provide additional pages to further detail items you’ve covered. Become the expert site on your topic(s).

Put yourself in your visitors shoes and be brutally critical of your web site. Would you buy for that site? Would you come back?
Try to follow these guidelines:
* Navigating your site should be easy to understand
* Give the visitor a number of ways to contact you
* Provide online documents for your goods or services
* Provide background information related to your goods or service
Visitor Interaction can be very successful in building repeat traffic. Some popular visitor interaction methods include discussion boards, Q & A knowledge bases, live support chat, and contests. Some web site hosting companies (such as many of those in our recommendation list include installation of many of these items.

Email Marketing is a more active method of encouraging return traffic and can be very effective when used properly. It is important however to avoid spam at all costs. “Spam” is forcing people to view unsolicited information. Common forms are mass e-mail campaigns, especially those with bogus descriptions and sender information, pop up windows on web pages, and using unrelated keywords which make the site come up in searches that do not apply. Today’s internet user is becoming more sophisticated and more likely to be annoyed when they need to close unwanted windows. This is important to understand because internet users are becoming leery of supplying their email addresses because of the likely hood of receiving more spam. On the other hand, if email marketing did not work it would not be so prevalent. We suspect, however, that the people making money from mass email marketing are the companies that are able to sell the mass email concept and sell email lists.

A good example of this is tvguide.com’s new requirement of signing up for their advertisement rich service. We’ve spoke with a number of people who have stopped using tvguide.com when they started requiring that email addresses be supplied even though it remains a free service. Though there may be some benign reasons for collecting this information, the impression is that it will generate more spam.

You do, however, want to collect this information if possible, but you also want to do it in a manner that gives the user what they want and nothing more while making sure that they are comfortable that you will not share their information with other entities. This means having a form on your site asking whether or not the visitor would like to receive more information or if they would like to be on your mailing list and once you have their contact information, use it exclusively for what they are expecting. A good method for raising visitor’s confidence is to provide your phone number as an alternate means for them to get more information.

The state of mass email marketing in today’s internet is making email less valuable and in many cases unproductive. Spam blockers are going into place everywhere and probability that your mailing will not be seen is rising daily. We will not go into more detail than this because since you are on the internet, you are well aware of the problems spam is causing.

One of the best methods for using email is to write personal responses to inquiries. This may take time, but for higher priced goods and services it can be profitable for you and helpful for your web site visitor.

Links from other sites

Using links from other sites has two main benefits: 1) it can create traffic from users that are browsing other sites and 2) it can help increase your position in some search engines. At one time getting links on other sites was often as easy as requesting a link on their “links” page. Today, however, like many other aspects of developing web site traffic, getting successful links is becoming an art.
How to best handle inter site linking is not as straightforward as you might think and if done incorrectly it can have negative results. Negative results can come in the form of losing visitors that might otherwise buy your product and it may actually hurt your web site ranking. There are many schools of thought on the proper way to handle reciprocal links and since search engines are constantly updating their programs, what may be beneficial today may hurt your rankings tomorrow. It is important to stay in tune with what is happening in the world of search engine placement. Just as staying on top of developments in your particular industry is an ongoing enterprise, so is building web site traffic.

Generally speaking the best thing a web site designer/owner can do is to be sure that their web site provides the best information possible in a logical manner for their site visitors. This means that having a links page with a few highly relevant links that include comments on what information will be found should be more valuable than having a page with a jumble of 400 unrelated links that your visitor needs to decipher in order to find what they want. Keep in mind that search engine ranking is constantly evolving and their goal is to provide the best information possible for their searches and, for commercial search engines, to maximize their profits.

The next step focuses on combining this thought with your ultimate goal, having other sites link back to you. It is the links back to you that provide visitors and better page ranking in search engines.

Start out by searching for complimentary web sites avoiding competitors and concentrating on sites where someone looking for something from you might appreciate being able to easily find related items. Some SEO professionals firmly believe competitor linking is also beneficial. If you sell custom pens you may want to include links to a printer with a custom stationary specialty. If you provide specialty weather information you may want to include an “Other Sciences Resources” page with links geological information. After you’ve zero in on complimentary topics, use one or two of the popular search engines to find some sites that fit into those categories.

• First decide whether the site you are looking at actually does compliment your site
• Try to weed out sites that appear stagnant or uninteresting. The best sites would be those that you yourself would visit.
• Then see if they have anything that looks like a links page or a link request. If their link page is packed with sites and appears disorganized you may want to move on. There is no definitive answer on this but many professional traffic developers believe that links from these types of pages can ultimately hurt your ranking and if it doesn’t now it may in the future.
• If the page appears to be a logical place for your site to be listed then request a link. Link pages usually have a form or instructions for inclusion requests. If an email address is not included, check the site’s contact page to see if there is someone you can direct an email to. In your email, explain who you are and that you are looking for information on linking your site with theirs. Include your thoughts on specific reasons why you think your site relates to theirs. Also consider asking them if they can offer any suggestions on obtaining links. This not only helps to open a friendly dialog but many people will be happy to share what they’ve learned with non-competitors that are genuinely seeking their advice.

Do not expect a friendly response. Many webmasters will send a response such as “get lost” which is fairly rude but many of them have been jaded and have very carefully developed links and often do not remember that they were once in your position. Using variations of the request suggestions above will help limit these responses but it will not eliminate them. Also note that depending on the trends of the day, linking to a less popular site may have negative effects on the ranking of their site. Remember, however, that when selecting a linking site, a new but dynamic site may not have a high ranking today, it may rise considerably in the months to come.

Some webmasters simply do not reply to requests for links. This can be due to the volume of requests they receive. We do not recommend sending follow up emails for requests unless you have an extreme reason for doing so. An exeption to this may be requests that you’ve made through online forms. Remember that it often takes sites months to update their links.

A note on Context Links: Context links are links that are actually in the body of your site, or of sites linking to you. These are the most valuable links when it comes to search engine placement because they imply a more direct relevance that the search engine programs can pick up. These links indicate that someone besides you thinks your site is worthwhile. These types of links are also the hardest to get. If you are going to suggest such a link from someone else, try to include an example of how and where you think it might be appropriate. It is also a very good idea to have an idea where you might do the same thing for them.

Always follow through on your reciprocal links. If you’ve agreed to exchange links with someone, be prompt in getting their link on your site. Also keep a good record of linking sites so that you can periodically check to see that your link has not been dropped from their site. If it has, send a polite request stating that you noticed that your link has been dropped from their site and what you could do to re-instate it. Resist the temptation to be vindictive since a positive attitude is contagious. Take what you learn and determine if you need to make any changes to your linking procedures.

Discussion Boards

Discussion boards are programs that are available on many sites where people post questions and answers or have general conversations regarding specific topics. Many of these boards get indexed by search engines and specific posts can find their way into search results. Some of the boards do not allow links to be included in messages but many times you can include a tag line beneath your name with your web site address. This has the potential of creating traffic from people reading the post but also allow further indexing of your site if a search engine crawler hits that message.
Try to find discussion boards that pertain to your subject matter and join in on the discussion. Providing valuable responses to inquiries will not only allow you to place your tag line in another place on the internet, but it also helps to establish your expertise to potential visitors to your site. Participation in discussion boards can also enrich your own internet experience as well as help to develop contacts.
Set up a specific schedule where you can take the time to read and respond. Remember that even if you aren’t an internet expert you do have expertise in your own field. Take advantage of that where ever possible.

Simplified Search Engines – Search Engines 101
One of our most frequently asked questions is “why do I have to pay for search engine submissions?” Though the main premise of that question is false, it prompted us to break the search engine topic out of our “traffic” topic to discuss it in more detail.
It is important to understand that in most cases search engines are businesses with employees, payroll, and other financial obligations. We say “most” because there are one or two exceptions among major search engine database providers (specifically DMOZ.org). But all of these search engines rely on the integrity of their data and whether or not the internet consumer will turn to them when they need information. Ensuring this integrity of data is paramount in getting a grasp on how search engines work.

There are four major techniques used by search engines to collect and organize web site information for their search programs. Search engines may use either or a combination of some or all data collection methods.

Manual Web Site Review:

One solid philosophy behind compiling a useful database is to have real people review each submission to be sure it is appropriate and useful to the general public. Manual site review also assures that the submitted sites are categorized and indexed properly so that people will be able to find the information they are looking for.

As you can imagine, with thousands of submissions coming in daily, manual review can be a time consuming project requiring knowledgeable staff who understand the internet and how the public will use the data. Unless this process is done by volunteers (as it is at DMOZ), it can be a costly venture but in the end manual review assures that you have highly reliable search data that weeds out sites that are trying to appear to be something that they are not. The main downfall of this method is that a search may not retrieve all of the sites on the internet that pertain to your search criteria since the database only includes sites that have actually been reviewed.

One of the most important free submissions you can make is to dmoz.org (the open directory project). DMOZ is a free service but their database is used as one of the primary sources of web sites by many of the most popular search engines. Before submitting to DMOZ be sure to read their instructions so that you are following their guidelines. Be prepared to wait a few months for your submission to be included because DMOZ is reviewed by real people and there are a great number of sites submitted each day. The timing depends primarilly on whether or not your category has a designated editor and how many sites are being submitted to it.

Robot Site Collection:

On the other end of the spectrum are databases that are entirely compiled and categorized by automated programs. These programs go out from site to site and read web pages, gathering information contained in specific HTML tags and text on the site to determine how to add it to its database. These “robots”, or “spiders” and “crawlers” as they are often called, then follow links on the pages to move on to the next web page or website to be considered.

Though this method is not labor intensive, it can create huge databases that require a good deal of equipment and internet resources. These robot generated databases tend to include more sites than those reviewed manually but relevant sites can often get lost in the number of items returned by a search. Though search engines are constantly upgrading and improving their search programs to minimize returning non-relevant sites to people using their services the automation involved makes this a never ending task. One of the best online resources for keeping up with search engine information is WebMasterWorld.com. We highly recommend bookmarking this site and becoming familiar with what is happening in the industry.

Automated Categorization:
Another method for compiling a search engine database is the automated categorization of sites that are submitted manually. This method takes most of the manual aspects of site review and hands them over to sophisticated programs designed to combine data collected from the submission entry and data on the submitted web site in an attempt to provide a solid database for the information consumer. Many of these search engines try to minimize the spoofing of their programs with manual random checks on submitted entries and reviews prompted by public responses.
Paid Placement:

There are a number of different variations of paid placement databases and many search engines that use one of the other methods as their primary database collection method also use some form of paid placement. Though some search engines such as Yahoo and Alta Vista display a few paid entries on each results page, they make it clear which are “sponsored” sites and which are generated from relevant general database searches.

On the other hand, other search engines, such as Infoseek and MSN (at the time of this writing) exclusively use paid results (MSN will show unpaid results if no items are found in the paid database). These search engines try to portray their results as “highly relevant” because advertisers bid on keywords. We’ve sent requests for the logic behind that statement but for now it still eludes us.
Express Setup:

A few sites that use the manual review method offer a service that moves your submission to the stop of the review stack. This means that your site is reviewed quicker and usually has no effect on actual placement. We mention this because it can appear that a site is a paid placement site when, as long as they also allow free submissions, it really isn’t.

What does this information do for you?
Search Engine Submission

What to do with this information requires that a merchants decide whether or not they are equipped to locate and submit to search engines or if they should hire a professional to help. We’ve tried to emphasize the importance of staying current on search engine information and because of the difficulty in doing this while maintaining other aspects of your business we highly recommend the hiring of a professional that specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

It is, however possible to handle this yourself. We’ve reviewed some of the best resources that will give you the information you need. With the right knowledge and a good place to start… the journey can be very rewarding.

Web based resources:

• Webmaster World discussion boards
  - Anwers to practically any question you might have.
• SelfPromotion.com
  - Excellent site with step by step answers for doing things right.
  - This site is hard to reach but keep trying because the author does an excellent job.

Books:

• Search Engine Optimization for Dummies by Peter Kent is packed with optimization and marketing gems. This book has excellent reviews and should be on the shelf of everyone who works with web sites
• 101 Ways to Boost Your Web Traffic: Internet Promotion Made Easier by Thomas Wong is an excellent resource for people who are new to internet marketing. More experienced and knowledgable people may not be happy with this selection but it is good for the absolute beginner.
• Note that what works and what doesn’t changes so quickly in the world of search engine submissions that recommendations could be out of date. Please refer to the web site links above for the best and most current resources.

Pay Per Click
PPC (Pay Per Click) ads are paid advertisements that appear at the beginning of search results and on various other internet pages. Typically the ads that are listed are determined by either a bidding process or a flat fee. Open bidding for pay per click keywords usually involves determining a maximum amount that you are willing to pay and bidding no higher than that point. The highest bidder will appear in the most prominent position at the top of the list for a given search terms. The primary benefit of pay per click advertising is that the ad may appear multiple times, the advertiser only pays when a visitor actually clicks on it. Ideally this means that a qualified visitor is coming to your site.

It is important to take some time to become familiar with pay per click services, how they work, and what value you can expect. Pay per click can be your most profitable marketing avenue if used properly. If not used with some knowledge and a little planning you may as well pile your money in a nice and neat pile then set it on fire. Pay per click is also one of the best methods to get visitors to your site quickly.

Pay per click services are usually owned by or have business relationships with search engines. The search engine will either receive a database of keywords and the sequence of ads from the pay per click service or they will fetch the appropriate ads from the PPC provider in real time when the search is made. The link on the ad typically points back to the pay per click service provider where they record the click and send the visitor on to the selected advertiser’s site. The term pay per click search engine specifically relates to a database search site that is compiled entirely of paid listings. What we want to do here is move away from the paid search engine listing concept and on to the more profitable course of pay per click marketing in general. The reasoning for this is simply that the stricly paid search engines are not very popular and with a well designed pay per click plan you can reach more potential customers while getting more value for your dollar.

Example 1: If you expect a 5 percent level of sales for the actual number of visitors to your site then you need to calculate how much 20 clicks (since 1 click is 5% of 20) will cost compared to your individual sale. At that rate, if you are selling a book for $15.00 and the top bid is $1.00 for your selected keyword you would be losing money at the rate of $5.00 per book to be the top keyword bidder. You would be paying $20.00 for 20 $1.00 clicks for the one $15.00 sale.

Example 2: On the other hand, with the above book example, if the top bid is $0.20 and you expect to sell to 1 out of 20 visitors, your pay per click investment per book sale drops to $4.00.

Example 3: It also may be worth it to you to be the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th place bidder. In this situation the 5th place bid for your keyword might be at $0.05 bringing your total pay per click cost per sale down to $1.00. The 5th place bidder will not get the volume of clicks that the first place bidder will get but it should still receive some traffic. To follow through with this concept, the merchant may find that the pay per click position 3 or 4 may maximize the return on investment.

Finding Pay Per Click ROI balance: Example “2″ and “3″ demonstrate a crucial aspect of ppc marketing. If our fictitious book seller has a cost of $10.00 per book s/he is making a profit in both cases and may even be making some more profit on handling fees. Though the 5th place spot may look appealing, the larger volume in the second place spot may very well make it more profitable.

Another critical concept to profitability in the pay per click and search engine world is to look into a more targeted keyword phrases. The bidding is usually lower on more specific keyword phrases. If your book is “History of the Widget” you might find that the keyword “widget” receives 100,000 hits but the bidding level isn’t feasible for your ROI but the bidding level of “widget history” might be more reasonable though it may get less traffic. In this situation there is the added benefit of more qualified searches relating directly to your product but in other cases more specific keywords might not be so apparent. Your pay per click service should allow you to check the bidding on various phrases and many have tools to give you an idea of the number of hits a keyword can expect. Finding the right balance for your particular application means starting out slow with very few keyword groups and watching the effect of changes very carefully.

Selecting a Pay Per Click Service Provider

Selecting the Pay Per Click provider that is right for you may seem a little challenging. Smaller, newer PPC providers may be less reliable and in some cases might even send a number of fraudulent clicks through that will cost you money. This is not to say that you should avoid all new pay per click search engines and ppc providers (almost everyone starts out small), but the larger, well established companies typically have more resources and more highly developed programs to assure their advertisers are receiving the clicks they are paying for as well as tools that can help determine keyword selection.

We recommend that our customers start out very slowly with one of the largest pay per click providers, Overture. The same principles will apply to other pay per click providers. Overture’s sign up process is very straightforward and you can set your initial bids at $0.10. During the sign up process you will be asked to create an initial ad and request a keyword or keyword phrase. You have plenty of time to do this, so take your time. The keyword selection tool is very nice and easy to use. Think about what keywords someone searching for your product might use to find your site in a search engine. Always open your account with a $0.10 keyword bid. Though you will most likely not be near the top of the list, you can change it later, but for now you want to have to become familiar with their advertiser tools. Overture requires an initial $50.00 deposit which will be used toward paying for your clicks. Merchants who are new to pay per click will want to start out with Overture’s PRE-PAY plan. Selecting the pre-pay plan during sign up gives you the best control of how much you will ultimately be spending.

After signing up, click on the advertiser log in link and bookmark the page before entering your username and password. This will assure you can easily get to the advertiser area whenever you want. At this point you want to log in and become familiar with the tools for adding advertisements and keywords.

When you are ready to make changes to your keywords and bid pricing making minor alterations and watch your account area carefully to be sure the changes are having the desired effect. Overture’s listing manager will show you what the existing bids are and how your bid ranks. We recommend that you find a very low volume keyword phrase so that you can take a few days to become familiar with how things work. Then make alterations to maximize your return on investment per our discussion above.

You can sign up for Overture by clicking here. See the left panel on this page for other pay per click providers.

Don’t be bashful!

Though we recommend starting out at a slow pace, pay per click advertising is very simple to do and can bring in many new qualified visitors. If you do not feel comfortable doing this yourself, bring in someone with a little more internet experience, go over this page with them, and have them walk through the process with you. Always remember that the name of the pay per click game is return on investment. Keep track of what is happening with your results. Know what you are spending and watch the effect on your sales. If something isn’t working, make changes. Do not use the pay per click provider’s auto-generated recommended bids. Set your own low bid and work your way up. You do not have to be number 1, the best ROI can be in the number 3 spot.

Thanks for ourshop.com team



Description :
ARD, Inc. 

requests expressions of interest from well qualified Conflict Early
Warning Technical Specialists interested in joining an ARD led team in
support to the USAID West Africa Early Warning and Response Design
Support (EWARDS) Project.

The project will further support ECOWARN, an operational regional
early warning system run by the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS) in cooperation with West African civil society, in
particular the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP). As a
cooperative effort between USAID, ECOWAS and WANEP, the project seeks
to help strengthen existing reporting and analysis, while focusing even
greater attention on strengthening the linkage between early warning
and early strategic response by governments or nongovernmental
organizations. EWARDS is a three year project, will be based in Accra,
Ghana, and will involve travel throughout the ECOWAS region.

The Early Warning Technical Specialist position will support the
technical implementation of the ECOWAS conflict early warning system,
and will report to the ARD Chief of Party. Specifically, this
specialist will provide troubleshooting support as necessary,
facilitate process improvements of the system by making routine
adjustments, conduct training, including training of trainers, and
facilitate improved integration between the ECOWAS ECOWARN system and
the African Union’s Conflict Early Warning System (CEWS).

Qualifications :

Required qualifications for Early Warning Specialist candidates include:

• 3+ years of experience working in Africa on Early Warning
  Systems. Familiarity with the African Union Continental Early Warning
  System or the ECOWARN database is a plus
• Prior experience in the ECOWAS region of Africa, and post-conflict environments 
• Expertise in creating, modifying and improving and operating
  Early Warning and database systems 
• Experience training in database system use 
• Previous experience with U.S. Government agency or overseeing
  U.S. Government contracting procedures helpful
• Fluency in French and
  English

For more information,
Reference :     FJA-Ass-EWS GHAN