With international trade making recent headlines, particularly with the war with Iran and the strategic and vital Strait of Hormuz, a pair of North Alabama International Trade Association events couldn’t be more timely.

NAITA is hosting a Trade Compliance Roundtable this week then, as part of the World Trade Month celebration, the 47th annual World Trade Day Luncheon is next month.

The roundtable will be 3-5 p.m. Thursday in the Yulista Conference Center in Redstone Gateway.

The luncheon is 11:30 a.m. May 7 in the Jackson Center.

For information and to register for both events, visit naita.org.

Defense and aerospace organizations have a need to move goods more quickly and efficiently to support the warfighter.

At the same time, they need to align with regulatory intent and operationalizing compliance to effectively operate with speed and confidence, giving them an advantage in today’s defense acquisition (and global business) environment.

The objective of Thursday’s discussion is to support businesses’ movement from reactive compliance to controlled execution, organization officials said.

Those that cannot will begin or continue to face delays, constraints, and unnecessary exposure.

“With today’s growing complexity of drone warfare, legal and industry leaders will discuss best practices for designing and transporting drones and UAVs to foreign end-users, and how companies incorporating certain technologies, software, and capabilities into a commercial drone could move that item to a military (ITAR) item,” said Amanda Berkey, NAITA programs & operations manager

NAITA’s quarterly Trade Compliance Roundtable series (sponsored by Womble Bond Dickinson this year) helps present relevant and timely trade discussions to keep the North Alabama business community apprised of regulatory changes and provides a forum to discuss these issues to support their competitiveness.

World Trade Month is a national celebration held every May – including more than four decades in Huntsville.

Through the Port of Huntsville, this area is no stranger to international trade which provides a major boost to the region’s economy.

“For the past 43 years, NAITA has been an active participant hosting its annual World Trade Day Luncheon Celebration highlighting the many companies and organizations that contribute to North Alabama’s global success,” said NAITA Executive Director Anne Burkett. “NAITA is pleased to announce this year’s speaker, Leila Aridi Afas, vice president, Global Policy & Strategy for Toyota Motor North America, representing a key North Alabama manufacturer and U.S. exporter. Ms. Afas will address ‘Engines of Growth in a Changing World Order.’

“Exports are a driving force for our region’s economic growth.”