The U.S. will host the 15th annual U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum (African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, Forum) Sept. 26 at the State Department, which will gather U.S. and African government officials, industry representatives and the public to discuss current and future trade and investment relations, State said (here).

The State Department on May 24 received an application from the North Dakota Department of Transportation for a permit to expand the Pembina-Emerson Land Port of Entry, located on the border of North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada, State said (here). State is circulating the application to relevant federal agencies for review and comment, and the public can comment on the application until Oct. 31, State said.

The State Department determined Aslan Avgazarovich (here) and Ayrat Vakhitov (here) to be Specially Designated Global Terrorists, State said. "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the individuals. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the individuals in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.

The State Department determined Asim Umar to be a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (here), State said. "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the entities. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the entity in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.

The State Department determined al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent to be a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (here) and a Foreign Terrorist Organization (here), State said. "Global Terrorist" designations include prohibitions against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the entities. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the entity in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) expects delays in response times and in resolving IT-related incidents and requests, as the agency revamps its IT systems, DDTC said (here). People needing assistance are advised to contact the DDTC Service Desk at (202) 663-2838 or dtradehelpdesk@state.gov.

All Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) systems, including DTrade and Electronic Form Submission (EFS), will undergo system maintenance and be unavailable to industry from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET on June 30, though access could be restored by 8 p.m., DDTC said (here).

Microwave Engineering Corporation (MEC) agreed to pay $100,000 as part of a settlement with the State Department in connection with the alleged unauthorized export of technical data to a Chinese employee of the Andover, Massachusetts-based company, State said (here). The U.S. has an arms embargo against China. MEC voluntarily disclosed pertinent facts to State, acknowledged the seriousness of allegations and initiated “extensive remedial measures,” State said. “For these reasons, the Department determined that an administrative debarment of MEC was not appropriate, and additional remediation (and related oversight) was not necessary.”

A Nicaraguan expulsion on June 14 of three U.S. government officials on temporary duty assignment could harm the bilateral relationship of the two countries, “particularly trade,” and the State Department has expressed its disapproval to the Nicaraguan ambassador to the U.S., Francisco Campbell, a State spokesman said during the agency’s June 16 press briefing (here).

The State Department Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of Marine Conservation will conduct a pilot “after July 25” to test submission of forms and/or data related to importation of shrimp and shrimp products using the Partner Government Agency (PGA) Message Set and Document Imaging System of ACE, State said (here). Initially, PGA Message Set data may be submitted only for entry types 01 and 11 filed at certain ports, State said. Eligible participants for the pilot comprise brokers and self-filing importers who have the ability to file ACE Entry Summaries certified for cargo release and ACE cargo release, and who file entries for shrimp and shrimp products, State said.