Wednesday, June 27, 2018

*Evening Dinner Event*

“Why NAFTA & U.S. Mexico Relations Are Important To You”

with

Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne

Former US Ambassador to Mexico (2011-2015)

Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs (2000-2006)

Former US Ambassador to Argentina (2007-2009)

Some politicians seem not to have a core ideology, and we call them “Flip-Floppers”.  Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is not one of them.  He is famously the anti-Trump hard-core leftist populist with a double-digit lead in the polls for the country’s upcoming July 1^st presidential elections. 

 What accounts for Lopez Obrador’s popularity, particularly in the face of Mexico’s past 25 years of economic modernization and development?  In part, only a tiny enclave has benefited while the agriculture sector has suffered, not unlike the US manufacturing sector under NAFTA.  Lopez Obrador has also managed to ride the wave of the Mexican electorate’s growing intolerance for government corruption and systemic violence nationwide.

 In the meantime, to the north, President Trump has demanded a re-working of NAFTA, which accounts for $1.3 trillion in commerce, and supports 14 million American jobs, making Mexico and Canada the United State’s top 2 export markets.  The question arises: What might happen as each man works toward trade relations that will create greater perceived fairness and economic revitalization for his country?

 How will the Mexican election and Trump’s position on NAFTA affect us here in southern California and in the US – our economy, jobs, political realities, and daily lives?  Will there be winners and losers?  Can we find a win-win resolution of competing ideologies and national interests?

 As a recent Ambassador to Mexico, and former Assistant Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Economic Affairs, Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne is uniquely positioned to provide us with unique insights into these timely and important questions. 

 Come hear Ambassador Wayne speak to us at our upcoming Orange County World Affairs dinner on June 27, 2018.

 Ambassador Wayne is currently a public policy fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center at Princeton University.  He served as Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, & Business Affairs from 2000-2006, and Us Ambassador to Mexico from 2011-2015.

VENUE: 

The Center Club

(650 Town Center Drive, Garden Level, Costa Mesa, CA 92626)

TIME:

VIP Reception 5:30 PM

General Reception 5:30 PM

Dinner & Speaker Program 6:45 PM

TICKET PRICES:

WACOC Member Dinner + Program $75

WACOC Premium Member Guest Dinner + Program $75

Non-Member / WACOC General Member Dinner + Program $90

Student Dinner + Program $40

VIP Reception + Dinner + Program $120

VIP Reception only (1 ticket) $50

Table Sponsor (10 seats – Includes 2 VIP Reception tickets) $700

WACOC IS OFFERING A SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATE TO ALL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE MEMBERS, INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THE EVENT – TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT, PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT (949) 253-5751 OR E-MAIL US AT ORANGECOUNTY@WORLDAFFAIRSCOUNCIL.ORG

PLEASE USE COMPLIMENTARY VALET PARKING *

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2018

Dietary Restrictions: Please e-mail orangecounty@worldaffairscouncil.org or call our office (949) 253-5751 by Wednesday, June 20, 2018. Accommodations cannot be made after this date. 

Refund Policy: Refund requests will not be accepted after the registration deadline. Cancellations must be made no later than the registration deadline. 

Paying by Check: If sending in a check, please call our office by Wednesday, June 20, 2018

THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

*EVENING LECTURE EVENT*

“Russia’s Border Wars & Frozen Conflicts”

with

Ambassador Steven Pifer

Former US Ambassador to Ukraine

Former Special Assistant to the President

Former Senior Director for Russia, Ukraine, & Eurasia on the National Security Council

&

James Coyle, Ph.D.

Director of Center for Global Education at Chapman University

Nonresident Senior Research Fellow, Atlantic Council

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been quite clear that he is willing to use force to protect what he believes to be Russian national interests.  In short, to this day, President Putin continues to push Boris Yeltsin’s original agenda to keep the countries of the former Soviet Union under the Russian sphere of influence, highlighted, for example, by the annexation of Crimea, and multiple attacks on the power grid in Ukraine since.

On Thursday, May 24^th, the World Affairs Council of Orange County will host two top experts to provide valuable insight on Putin’s agenda what it means for us now.

Former Ambassador Steven Pifer, and author of the book, The Eagle & the Trident, will discuss the history of US-Ukraine relations, what worked and did not work in America’s approach, and how Washington might more effectively promote its goal of helping Ukraine become a stable, independent, democratic state.

Dr. James Coyle, author of Russia’s Border Wars and Frozen Conflicts, argues that when the Kremlin believes that a border country is slipping in to Western orbit, it creates frozen conflicts to weaken, divide, and prevent these countries from moving away.  Looking at the examples of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, he explores how President Putin has been quite clear that he’s willing to use force to protect what he believes still “belongs” to Russia.

AMBASSADOR STEVEN PIFER – BIO

Steven Pifer is currently a non-resident senior fellow at Brookings Institution, having most recently served there as the director of the Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Initiative.  His more than 25 years with the State Department included assignments as deputy assistant secretary of state with responsibilities for Russia and Ukraine (2001-2004), ambassador to Ukraine (1998-2000), and special assistant to the president and senior director for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia on the National Security Council (1996-1997).

JAMES COYLE, Ph.D. – BIO

James J. Coyle is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, director of Global Education at Chapman University, and a visiting professor of public policy at Pepperdine University. Dr. Coyle previously held a variety of positions in the US government, including director of Middle East Studies, US Army War College.

VENUE:

Hotel Irvine

(17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, CA 92614)

TIME:

Registration/Reception 5:30 PM

Lecture/ Q&A 6:45 PM

TICKET PRICES:

WACOC Member $30

Non-Member $40

Student $10

10 Student Tickets $95

PARKING PRICES:

Valet $10/Self-Parking $5

Dietary Restrictions: Please e-mail orangecounty@worldaffairscouncil.org or call our office (949) 253-5751 by Thursday, May 17, 2018. Accommodations cannot be made after this date. 

Refund Policy: Refund requests will not be accepted after the registration deadline. Cancellations must be made no later than the registration deadline. 

Paying by Check: If you prefer to pay by check, please bring your check to the door (YOU MUST call the office to reserve your spot, otherwise your registration will be incomplete)