Approved: July 20, 2018 

Updated: December 12, 2020

FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

 Functional Bureau Strategy 

Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB)

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Updated: December 12, 2020

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Table of Contents

1. Executive Statement ................................................................................................................................3

2. Bureau Strategic Framework ..................................................................................................................5

3. Goals and Objectives................................................................................................................................7

4. Cross-cutting Management Goal and Objectives ...................................................................................19
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1. Executive Statement 

Economic prosperity has never been more important to securing U.S. interests in the world. The 

State/USAID Joint Strategic Plan (JSP) and National Security Strategy (NSS) both reaffirm that 

American national security requires sustained economic prosperity.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) promotes job creation at home, boosts 

economic opportunities overseas, and makes America more secure. Our mission statement is, 

“Empowering Growth, Securing our Future.” Everything we do is aimed at ensuring that the 

United States remains the world’s strongest and most dynamic economy. We have refocused our 

efforts to better support U.S. businesses and American prosperity by ensuring a level-playing 

field for American companies doing business around the world and by attracting foreign 

investment to create jobs in America. We advocate on a daily basis for U.S. businesses abroad; 

we promote entrepreneurship globally to open markets for U.S. companies and promote secure 

commerce; we challenge countries to adopt fair, evidence-based laws that create opportunities

for U.S. businesses; we help to negotiate and to enforce trade and investment agreements; we 

negotiate debt repayment agreements and civil air services agreements; we keep the international 

economy open to digital innovation and U.S. digital products through policy advocacy and treaty 

negotiations; we combat corrupt foreign practices; we protect and enforce intellectual property 

rights; and we shape economic sanctions and combat terrorist finance. 

EB works in tandem with an unparalleled network of professionals – approximately 1,500 State 

Department economic officers in more than 190 countries and the interagency – to inform and to 

shape decisions that advance U.S. national security priorities around the globe. We work 

through a wide range of international organizations to advance U.S. goals and objectives and to 

ensure that these organizations remain accountable and continue to meet the needs of the 

American people.

We lead the State Department’s efforts to expand trade, investment, transportation, and 

telecommunications links, including in international financial, technical, and development 

institutions. We lead the State Department’s efforts to support the D-ISIS counter-finance 

campaign.

Exports are a key contributor to economic growth in the United States, nearly doubling as a share 

of GDP over the past three decades as foreign markets have grown. We leverage the resources 

of the international financial institutions and other economic agencies to help build more 

prosperous and resilient partner-nations that are able to fund their own development and security,

and to become better markets for American exports. This advances our national interests while 

seeking more equitable burden-sharing. We protect the international financial sector from 

exploitation by terror groups and money launderers. We work with public and private partners to 

deter commercial-scale counterfeit and pirated goods networks. We produce annual country 
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Investment Climate Statements and Fiscal Transparency Reports. Through these efforts, we gain 

partners abroad and support high quality jobs in the United States by growing our exports and 

attracting inward investment.

EB engages in cross-cutting issues such as advancing women’s economic empowerment and 

technological innovation. In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, EB is particularly 

focused on overcoming the economic challenges generated by COVID-19 and, toward this end, 

has created a dynamic Global Economic Activity and Recovery (GEAR) strategy in response to 

the pandemic. It is designed to ensure America’s economic well-being while, simultaneously,

cooperating with allies and partners to support their recovery and countering our strategic 

competitors. EB recognizes the role of women on economic growth, job creation, innovation, 

and trusted supply chains. In response, EB has launched the Providing Opportunities for 

Women’s Economic Rise (POWER) initiative in 2019, which engages the private sector and 

work with U.S. missions overseas to help increase women’s economic participation in the 

United States and abroad. 

We are focused on ensuring that the United States wins the great power competition with the 

Peoples Republic of China (PRC). EB leads the Department’s efforts to ensure that foreign 

countries and companies do not rely on untrusted vendors for their 5G telecommunications 

infrastructure. We are promoting quality infrastructure through the Blue Dot Network, 

identifying ports that may be vulnerable to PRC influence through the Strategic Ports Initiative

(SPI), and increasing our ability to support U.S. companies overseas through the Deal Teams 

Initiative. 

We invest in the potential of our people and increase the effectiveness of our economic officer 

corps by developing staff-led training and nurturing a culture of mentorship and economic 

leadership, including webinars, Econ@state, and regional conferences to have a lasting effect on 

our ability to deliver results. In short, EB combines economic and foreign policy to advance 

American prosperity and security.

We will conduct, on an annual basis, a senior-level review of progress under this strategy to 

ensure alignment of policy, planning, resources, and programming. The Bureau remains 

committed to monitoring its performance and keeping metrics relevant. 
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2. Bureau Strategic Framework

Strategic Goal 1: Advocate for free, fair and reciprocal trade. Promote American prosperity 

by expanding access to overseas markets and attracting job-creating foreign investment, 

including by negotiating, implementing, and enforcing international agreements.

Objective 1.1 Promote free, fair, and reciprocal trade worldwide using all diplomatic 

tools and innovative means of engagement with stakeholders and foreign counterparts. 

Objective 1.2 Support American prosperity by expanding commercial opportunities and 

ancillary benefits for U.S. international aviation and maritime stakeholders. 

Objective 1.3 Combat foreign bribery and corruption by deepening bilateral and 

multilateral engagement and securing implementation of established and emerging 

standards, and by strengthening understanding of the links between good governance and 

economic growth. 

Objective 1.4 Reform the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 

(OECD) to improve Member oversight and direction of the OECD and to ensure that 

further accessions enhance the role and effectiveness of the OECD. 

Objective 1.5 Advance U.S. commercial interests through business advocacy, outreach, 

export promotion, promotion of foreign direct investment in the United States and 

commercial training for economic officers. 

Strategic Goal 2: Protect America’s security by combating terrorist financing, implementing 

economic sanctions, reviewing investments for national security reasons, raising the baseline of 

aviation and maritime security and enhancing cooperation with strategic partners.

Objective 2.1 Through EB’s leading role in formulating and implementing U.S. 

sanctions, further diminish funding available to terrorist and other groups that pose a 

threat to U.S. and international security and bring greater focus to sanctions policies 

designed to support foreign policy objectives. 

Objective 2.2 Strengthen the security and safety of the international aviation and 

maritime transport system.

Objective 2.3 Protect U.S. national security in the context of inward investment while 

maintaining openness to investment in the United States and around the world. 
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Strategic Goal 3: Strengthen the global digital economy and advocate for an open, 

interoperable, and secure internet.

Objective 3.1 Promote the multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance by 

cultivating new allies through strong advocacy in multilateral institutions and by 

partnering with like-minded civil society organizations. 

Objective 3.2 Ensure planning and policy development of radio spectrum is coordinated 

and planned efficiently to maximize national security and economic benefits from new 

technologies and services while protecting incumbent services, help developing countries 

deploy those technologies, and accelerate adoption of national standards that enable U.S. 

providers to make full use of new market opportunities.

Objective 3.3 Combat data localization and other barriers to market access for U.S. 

information and communications technology (ICT) goods and services, particularly in 

Europe.

Strategic Goal 4: Strengthen broad-based economic growth and intellectual property rights 

protection, and the economic empowerment of women, both in the United States and 

internationally.

Objective 4.1 Improve global macroeconomic stability including by managing sovereign 

debt, advocating for financial stability, and promoting fiscal transparency.

Objective 4.2 Strengthen global connectivity and growth for American entrepreneurs and 

small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by linking them to global partners, markets, and 

opportunities, including a focus on the economic empowerment of women.

Objective 4.3 In partnership with the Department of Commerce, Trade and Development 

Agency (TDA), Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Export-Import Bank 

(EXIM), expand support and facilitation for U.S. companies operating in foreign markets, 

particularly for infrastructure and government procurement, thereby sustaining further 

expansion of U.S. exports and greater earnings from U.S. investments overseas. 

Objective 4.4 Promote fair and rules-based investment policies. Monitor progress on 

investment climate barriers and reforms via annual Investment Climate Statements. 

Strengthen EB outreach and public diplomacy work stressing the importance of fair 

investment policies for global prosperity.

Objective 4.5 Advance infrastructure investment and regional connectivity in key 

developing countries, with ancillary benefits for U.S. business.
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Objective 4.6 Strengthen intellectual property rights and enforcement in overseas markets

to protect U.S. industries and foster innovation. 

Strategic Goal 5 (Cross-cutting/management): Develop and empower economic 

officers in Washington and around the world.

Management Objective 5.1 Improve collaboration between regional and policy bureaus on 

economic issues by expanding opportunities for information sharing. 

Management Objective 5.2 Facilitate access to and increase use of bureau economic resources, 

training and other professional development to improve data-based analysis, retention and 

advancement.

3. Goals and Objectives

Bureau Goal 1: Advocate for free, fair and reciprocal trade. Promote American prosperity 

by expanding access to overseas markets and attracting job-creating foreign investment, 

including by negotiating, implementing, and enforcing international agreements.

a. Description and Linkages

EB has a vital role to play in achieving the Joint Strategic Plan (JSP) goal to renew 

America’s competitive advantage for sustained economic growth and job creation (JSP 

Goal 2). EB and the over 270 U.S. diplomatic missions abroad are front-line platforms to 

help U.S. business succeed in global markets and attract foreign investment to the United 

States. EB leverages its global reach through embassies to mobilize a whole-ofgovernment approach to advancing U.S. economic and commercial interests while 

making the public case for free, fair, and reciprocal trade. The United States is the 

world’s largest and most innovative economy, but retaining our preeminence requires 

constant vigilance to ensure that American companies and American workers can 

continue to compete and thrive in a rapidly changing global economy. As the United 

States integrates further with global trading partners, key risks to the American economy 

and our collective prosperity include disruptive technologies; intellectual property theft;

the rise of authoritarian, state-led, and protectionist economic development models; and,

geopolitical tensions.

Bureau Objective 1.1: Promote free, fair, and reciprocal trade worldwide using all 

diplomatic tools and innovative means of engagement with stakeholders and foreign 

counterparts. 
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a. Justification

American exporters face a range of tariff and non-tariff barriers that limit the benefits of 

international trade, erode U.S. competitiveness in overseas markets, and undermine 

domestic political support for the international trading systems. Achieving free, fair, and 

reciprocal access for American goods and services abroad helps our companies to 

compete successfully, which directly supports American prosperity by creating jobs, 

attracting further investment, and generating tax revenues to finance infrastructure, 

education, and other public investments that can support sustained economic growth. EB 

will pursue this objective by identifying and promoting new opportunities for American 

exporters; by engaging trading partners bilaterally and through multilateral fora to 

identify and correct unfair trading practices; and by shaping the U.S. government’s policy 

response to persistent unfair trading practices. When tougher enforcement measures are 

warranted, EB will work with interagency partners and our network of Embassies and 

Consulates to ensure effective implementation that achieves our policy goals. EB will 

use “Direct Line” conference calls and webinars to connect ambassadors directly to U.S. 

businesses pursuing export opportunities. EB will leverage its position within the State 

Department to manage the impact of trade policy actions on key foreign policy 

considerations. 

Bureau Objective 1.2: Support American prosperity by expanding commercial 

opportunities and ancillary benefits for U.S. international aviation and maritime stakeholders.

a. Justification

An open, fair, efficient, safe and secure transportation sector is essential for the U.S. 

economy and national security. Civil aviation contributes five percent of U.S. GDP and 

contributes to over ten million jobs. In 2016 the U.S. traded some $1 trillion worth of 

goods by air, while over 90 percent of the world’s cargo by tonnage moves by sea. 

Opening air services markets and leveling the playing field for U.S. air carriers promotes 

American prosperity. EB leads the negotiation of air services agreements with foreign 

partners, in consultation with the Departments of Transportation and Commerce. A risk 

factor is foreign government protectionism. 
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Bureau Objective 1.3: Combat foreign bribery and corruption by deepening bilateral and 

multilateral engagement and securing implementation of established and emerging standards, 

and by strengthening understanding of the links between good governance and economic growth.

a. Justification

Bribery skews the playing field for law-abiding businesses and threatens good 

governance, sustainable development, and democratic processes. Corruption also 

corrodes public trust in countries, both rich and poor, and inflicts particular harm on 

emerging economies. By mandating that signatory countries criminalize bribery of 

foreign officials in international business transactions and creating a monitoring 

mechanism to ensure robust enforcement of those laws, the Anti-Bribery Convention has 

helped to establish an international approach to rooting out a global problem; U.S. 

leadership will continue to be key to its further success. Going forward, the United States 

should secure commitments by governments of key emerging economies to combat 

corruption and adhere to international anti-bribery standards. Contributing risk factors 

include the rise of authoritarian, state-led, and protectionist economic development 

models.

Bureau Objective 1.4: Use the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 

(OECD) to project U.S. best practices in economic governance. Implement a reform program 

that improves Member oversight and ensures that further accessions enhance the utility of the 

OECD.

a. Justification

The United States uses the OECD to advance its economic innovations and standards, 

resulting in a welcoming business environment for U.S. firms wherever OECD standards 

are adopted. This objective captures how our success at OECD supports JSP Goal 3 

(Promote American Leadership through Balanced Engagement) and JSP objective 3.2 

(Engaging international fora to further American values and foreign policy goals while 

seeking more equitable burden sharing). EB is continuing to push for financing reform at 

the OECD, including the increased budget transparency. Risk factors include an 

expanding membership, increased reliance on voluntary contributions, and a more topdown management style by Secretariat leadership which make additional reforms 

necessary.
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Bureau Objective 1.5: Advance U.S. commercial interests through business advocacy, 

outreach, export promotion, promotion of foreign direct investment in the United States and 

commercial training for economic officers.

a. Justification

Through economic and diplomatic work, the Department sets the stage for U.S. 

companies to enter new markets. One of the clearest indicators of U.S. trade and 

investment promotion activity success (including effective U.S. government advocacy) is 

U.S. firms winning foreign-sponsored projects supporting U.S. job creation. The 

Department of Commerce’s Advocacy Center manages the U.S. government’s advocacy 

process and works with other agencies to coordinate high-level U.S. government 

engagement. This support helps U.S. exporters win public-sector contracts with foreign 

government agencies. Senior-level advocacy on these cases, which typically takes the 

form of phone calls, meetings, and/or letters to foreign government officials in support of 

a U.S. company or business unit, is the pinnacle of the Department’s advocacy efforts 

and requires close coordination between the Departments of State and Commerce in 

support of economic growth and jobs at home. The below indicator tracks interactions by 

senior State Department officials (Ambassadors, Deputy Chiefs of Mission, Principal 

Officers, or Deputy Assistant Secretary-level and above) reported in the Advocacy 

Center’s annual Summaries of Wins document. There are several risks associated with 

this objective. Advocacy wins are often multi-year efforts. The indicator tallies 

advocacy efforts when a win is recorded (e.g. contract signed); the annual value is subject 

to the rise and fall of global economic trends and underlying business opportunities 

available for U.S. government advocacy. As facilitators and not decision makers, U.S. 

government advocacy may not result in wins for U.S. companies.

Bureau Goal 2: Protect America’s security by combating terrorist financing, implementing 

economic sanctions, reviewing investments for national security reasons, raising the baseline of 

aviation and maritime security and enhancing cooperation with strategic partners.

a. Description and Linkages

Economic security is a key element of national security. We use a variety of economic 

tools to achieve the national security objectives set forth in the United States’ National 

Security Strategy and the Department of State and USAID Joint Strategic Plan, including 

JSP objective 1.2: Defeat ISIS, al- Qa’ida and other Transnational terrorist organizations, 

and counter state-sponsored, regional, and local terrorist groups that threaten U.S. 

national security interests. The tools include combating terrorist financing through 

designations that block terrorists’ assets, closely managing the international trade in 

rough diamonds to avoid armed groups from selling conflict diamonds, and encouraging 

industry to use enhanced due diligence to avoid sourcing minerals from conflict zones. 
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Bureau Objective 2.1: Through EB’s leading role in formulating and implementing U.S. 

sanctions, further diminish funding available to terrorist and other groups that pose a threat to 

U.S. and international security and bring greater focus to sanctions policies designed to support 

foreign policy objectives

a. Justification

EB plays a leading role within the State Department and the interagency in formulating 

and implementing U.S. economic sanctions policies, diminishing funding available to 

those who finance and facilitate financing for terrorist groups, and delinking high value 

extractive industries from violence and conflict. TFS works to build a safe, prosperous 

world where terrorists’ and other groups’ abilities to finance illegal or violent activities 

and commit attacks are degraded, and sanctions tools are used effectively to incentivize 

change in behavior. TFS also seeks to limit the unintended consequences of coercive 

economic measures, including capital and banking restrictions on vulnerable populations 

and over compliance by private institutions. As ISIS adapts its sources of revenue and 

financial activity to respond to its territorial losses in Iraq and Syria, EB will advance our 

Counter ISIS strategy by focusing on ways to prevent ISIS’s abuse of money services 

businesses, deny ISIS access to new sources of revenue, and cut ISIS branches' financial 

links. EB will also help advance the United States’ comprehensive strategy to counter 

Iran’s full spectrum of malign activities by increasing financial pressure on Iran and its 

network of terrorist and militant groups. One risk to achieving our objectives is that we 

must coordinate with and rely on other departments and agencies to implement parts of 

our strategies to counter terrorist financing. For example, the Department of the Treasury 

may prioritize different terrorist groups, and as a result issue fewer counter terrorism 

designations on the targets we prioritize. Similarly, the Department of Defense may 

reduce airstrikes against key ISIS resources as it prioritizes other parts of the military 

campaign against ISIS. Such steps would be outside our control but would negatively 

affect our efforts to increase pressure on these terrorist groups’ resources.

Bureau Objective 2.2: Strengthen the security and safety of the international aviation and 

maritime transport system.

a. Justification

International transportation is not only a significant economic activity in its own right, 

but also provides essential support for international business, moving goods, services, and 

people. A safe and secure international transportation system supports U.S. economic 

goals by ensuring that goods and services can move seamlessly throughout the global 

economy. Within the Department, EB leads efforts to build international support for 

maritime and aviation security programs and initiatives including pushing out America’s 

security perimeter through preclearance of travelers to the United States and enhancing 

maritime domain awareness and port security, and further enlisting the international 

transportation sector to fight human and wildlife trafficking. EB works closely with the 

U.S. Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs 
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and Border Protection (CBP) to facilitate their assessments of foreign government 

adherence to international aviation and maritime security standards, and to identify and 

address threats to the United States before they cross U.S. borders. EB also works with 

the Federal Aviation Administration to enhance aviation safety and ensure compliance 

with international aviation safety standards. With interagency partners and the private 

sector, EB promotes awareness, and prevents the abuse of legitimate transportation 

networks to facilitate the movement of illicit goods, including trafficking in persons and

wildlife. EB works to support a USAID-funded program to Reduce Opportunities for the 

Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species (ROUTES), a five year program focused on 

the transportation and logistics sector. A risk to the success of efforts to prevent the 

abuse of legitimate transport networks might be a lack of future funding and domestic 

support for the program.

Bureau Objective 2.3: Protect U.S. national security in the context of inward investment 

while maintaining openness to investment in the United States and around the world.

a. Justification

The Department serves as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the 

United States (CFIUS), an interagency committee with the power to block foreign 

acquisitions of existing U.S. businesses for national security reasons. CFIUS, by 

focusing solely on national security, is consistent with the U.S. open investment policy, 

which recognizes that inward investment supports U.S. jobs, exports, and 

competitiveness.

Strategic efforts by competitor nations to acquire technological advantages through 

investment are convincing many countries, including the United States, to strengthen 

their mechanisms and policies for reviewing inward investments for national security 

reasons. The U.S. Congress is considering legislation to update the authorities governing 

CFIUS. As set forth in the National Security Strategy, we intend to work with Congress 

to strengthen CFIUS to ensure it addresses current and future national security risks. 

National security concerns relating to investment transcend national borders. 

Recognizing this shared interest, many of our allies and other like-minded partner 

governments are also considering adopting or reforming mechanisms for national security 

reviews of investments. 

One risk is that failure to address these emerging challenges would threaten the national 

security of the United States, and undermine a central pillar of the welcoming approach 

of the United States to foreign investment.

Bureau Goal 3: Strengthen the global digital economy and advocate for an open, 

interoperable, and secure Internet.

a. Description and Linkages

The U.S. position as the global leader in information and communications technology and 

the digital economy promotes American prosperity and global leadership. Through EB’s 

statutory lead on international communication policy, we will work with foreign 
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governments and multilateral organizations to preserve American leadership in this key 

sector, and the attendant economic benefits that accrue to the United States. We will also 

work to strengthen the global architecture for internet governance and regulation of the 

digital economy that supports the continued primacy of the United States in the internet 

and digital economy space. In support of JSP Strategic Objective 2.1: Promote 

American prosperity by advancing bilateral relationships and leveraging international 

institutions and agreements to open markets, secure commercial opportunities, and foster 

investment and innovation to contribute to U.S. job creation, we will work to bring the 

power of information and communication technology (ICT) to more of the world’s 

inhabitants; make the public case for greater connectivity and the importance of a free 

and open internet; create a positive regulatory environment for the rapid growth of the 

digital economy; and help developing countries improve their regulatory and market 

conditions in the ICT sector. 

Bureau Objective 3.1: Promote the multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance by 

cultivating new allies through strong advocacy in multilateral institutions and by partnering with 

like-minded civil society organizations.

a. Justification

The multi-stakeholder approach to internet governance underpins the ability of the 

internet to serve as an incredible engine of growth for the United States and the world. A 

risk to the U.S. goal is that authoritarian countries such as China and Russia are working 

to undermine this model, seeking to replace it with a State-centric model that would limit 

entrepreneurship and stifle innovation. To preserve both the dynamism of the internet 

and America’s leadership role in the digital economy, we must defend the multistakeholder approach by cultivating new allies, such as India, and through strong 

advocacy in multilateral institutions, such as the ITU, OECD, Internet Governance Forum 

(IGF), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the Asia-Pacific Economic 

Cooperation (APEC) Forum‘s Telecommunications Committee (TEL). We will also 

partner with like-minded civil society organizations and international organizations on 

public outreach efforts concerning Internet governance.

Bureau Objective 3.2: Ensure planning and policy development of radio spectrum is 

coordinated and planned efficiently to maximize national security and economic benefits from 

new technologies and services while protecting incumbent services, help developing countries 

deploy those technologies, and accelerate adoption of national standards that enable U.S. 

providers to make full use of new market opportunities.

a. Justification

Working with international organizations and standards-setting bodies to ensure efficient 

allocation and use of radio spectrum shapes the world regulatory environment in our 

favor to directly benefit U.S. businesses. Conversely, and a risk to achieving this 
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objective, ceding this leadership to China and other states could result in fewer benefits 

accruing to the United States economy and more to our competitors. Through 

negotiations on the wireless spectrum, we have achieved greater access for U.S. 

companies to global markets such as the over $1 trillion/year mobile wireless market and 

the satellite industry market, which provides over 213,000 American jobs and $89 billion 

in U.S. revenues, along with new opportunities such as the expanding Unmanned Aircraft 

Systems market, which is expected to total over $90 billion in the next ten years. U.S. 

engagement on spectrum allocations not only advances U.S. innovation and economic 

growth, but also preserves national security and continued U.S. leadership in 

communications technology development and services, while setting global wireless 

policy.

Bureau Objective 3.3: Combat data localization and other barriers to market access for 

U.S. information and communications technology (ICT) goods and services, particularly in 

Europe.

a. Justification

U.S. digital exports contribute to jobs creation and economic growth in the United States. 

A risk to achieving this goal, is that many countries are attempting to use restrictions on 

data flows, often justified on data privacy or cybersecurity grounds, to limit the ability of 

U.S. firms to compete against domestic firms. In response, the United States seeks to 

lower barriers in overseas markets to exports of U.S. digital goods and digitally enabled 

services of all types through bilateral and multilateral engagement. The United States 

encourages regulatory environments that enable the development and deployment of 

information technology and telecommunications goods and services generally and are 

open to foreign providers specifically. These efforts complement the strengths of U.S. 

private sector competitors in this field and support increases in exports of U.S. digital 

products. 

Bureau Goal 4: Strengthen broad-based economic growth, and intellectual property rights 

protection, and the economic empowerment of women, both in the United States and 

internationally.

a. Description and Linkages

EB holds a number of levers to positively influence the economic development of partner 

countries – including its Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund (FTIF) – but our main 

tools are policy advocacy for transparency, good governance, and rules-based economic 

order both bilaterally and in multilateral bodies. We combine this with our work with 

partners, importantly the International Financial Institutions led by the International 

Monetary Fund (IMF) and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), who deploy much 
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of the official resources available for economic development. EB will continue to 

facilitate Economic Policy Dialogues with key target countries to enhance 

communication and push for economic reforms in those countries. Stabilizing countries 

in the Middle East and Central America and supporting nations in the Indo-Pacific region 

will remain particular priorities. EB recognizes that investing in women and girls 

generates economic and social benefits for communities and that when women do well, 

countries do well. We have prioritized the economic empowerment of women as a way 

to promote economic growth and create jobs, and recognize that advancing women’s 

economic participation globally is critical to achieving U.S. economic, foreign policy, 

and national security objectives. EB launched the POWER initiative which aims to 

significantly expand and improve coordination on activities in support of women's 

economic empowerment to help advance global economic development, bilateral trade, 

job creation, innovation, and engagement of U.S. private sector, particularly among 

women-led businesses. EB will also work to support minority-owned American 

exporters and importers, such as women-led businesses, by working with allies through 

bilateral and multilateral fora in support of more inclusive and enabling business 

environments. This goal supports JSP Goal 2, Renew America’s Competitive Advantage 

for Sustained Economic Growth and Job Creation. 

Several risks to broad based economic growth stand out. These include markets’ 

response to normalization of monetary policy in developed countries. Potential increases 

in global interest rates and negative shocks to commodity prices could impede growth 

and destabilize emerging markets.

Bureau Objective 4.1: Improve global macroeconomic stability including by managing

sovereign debt, advocating for financial stability, and promoting fiscal transparency issues.

a. Justification

International financial instability can put U.S. interests at risk. EB lines of efforts to 

secure financial stability, increase fiscal transparency, and manage sovereign debt are 

central to strengthening broad-based economic growth and the economic empowerment 

of women. By ensuring that U.S. foreign and economic policy interests are well 

represented at the IMF and in IMF lending and technical assistance programs, we support 

the economic reforms critical to economic and political stability and the broad-based 

global economic growth needed to drive demand for U.S. products and services. 

By promoting fiscal transparency through issuance of the annual Fiscal Transparency 

Report and management of the Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund (FTIF), EB 

improves financial management and government accountability. This helps to level the 

playing field for U.S. business, increases market confidence, and reduces the costs of 

corruption that lowers economic growth, investment, and the tax revenues needed to fund 
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health and education expenditures vital to broad-based economic growth and 

opportunity. By leveraging coordinated action in the Paris Club to resolve sovereign debt 

failures, we maximize repayment to U.S. taxpayers. We also provide coordinated 

financial assistance with appropriate burden-sharing to the most vulnerable debtor 

nations, a key step to restore sustainable growth in those nations. 

Bureau Objective 4.2: Strengthen global connectivity and growth for American 

entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by linking them to global partners, 

markets, and opportunities, including a focus on the economic empowerment of women.

a. Justification

Promoting American prosperity and U.S. job creation, including the economic vitality 

created via entrepreneurship, is a key U.S. government goal. Specifically, the promotion 

of entrepreneurship supports JSP Objective 2.1: Promote American prosperity by 

advancing bilateral relationships and leveraging international institutions and agreements 

to open markets, secure commercial opportunities, and foster investment and innovation 

to contribute to U.S. job creation. Initiatives created within the State Department and 

interagency to promote small business development and entrepreneurship remain largely 

uncoordinated, resulting in inefficiencies and redundancies. Achieving greater working 

level coordination will result in increased sharing of information on programming and 

priorities across the Department and interagency. This reduces this risk and will ensure 

our efforts and resources are better aligned with national security and foreign policy 

priorities. The Global Entrepreneurship Program (GEP) team will lead this effort to 

realize a more coordinated, deliberate, and strategic U.S. government approach to the 

promotion of small business development and entrepreneurship, while strengthening our 

engagement with U.S. entrepreneurial networks and small business associations. 

Bureau Objective 4.3: In partnership with the Department of Commerce, TDA, DFC and 

EXIM, expand support and facilitation for U.S. companies operating in foreign markets, 

particularly for infrastructure and government procurement, thereby sustaining further expansion 

of U.S. exports and greater earnings from U.S. investments overseas.

a. Justification

The global infrastructure and capital project market is expected to double by 20251to 

over $9 trillion per year from $4 trillion in 2012, yet the U.S. share of the market remains 

small relative to U.S. GDP and our technological edge. EB, partnering with the 

Department of Commerce and other agencies including TDA, OPIC, and EXIM, can 

work to better support U.S. business in competing for key opportunities in major markets.

Through the Infrastructure Transaction and Assistance Network (ITAN), the bureau* 

EB? has created a coordinating mechanism to bring these entities together. The Blue Dot 

Network (BDN) will give companies confidence a certified project will meet the highest 

standards. This creates a number of natural incentives for private sector companies to 

 

1 Source: PriceWaterhouseCoopers
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join the initiative. Achieving this objective will help expand U.S. exports – from 

architectural design to heavy equipment sales to financial services to electronic control 

systems – and support the sustainable development of countries, in particular middleincome countries, who are expanding their infrastructure in critical areas including 

power, transportation, and environmental services such as water. Risks include global 

economic shocks and economic slowdowns in middle-income countries which could 

result in fewer opportunities for U.S. companies. Domestic support for U.S. agencies is 

also assumed in order realize this goal. 

Bureau Objective 4.4: Promote fair and rules-based investment policies. Monitor progress 

on investment climate barriers and reforms via annual Investment Climate Statements. 

Strengthen EB outreach and public diplomacy work stressing the importance of fair investment 

policies for global prosperity.

a. Justification

The Administration is pursuing free, fair, and reciprocal economic relationships. 

Business opportunities for U.S. companies in foreign markets create new opportunities 

for U.S. exports. A risk to this objective is that market barriers can limit these 

opportunities and result in unfair, non-reciprocal operating conditions. Barriers to U.S. 

companies can include a lack of transparency, forced technology transfer requirements, 

lack of intellectual property rights protections, and inadequate infrastructure. The State 

Department monitors these barriers and promotes appropriate reforms. The Department 

also provides foreign policy advice and guidance to the Development Finance 

Corporation (DFC) and will use State Department channels to broaden DFC’s reach and 

impact. Modernized development finance tools can support new opportunities for U.S. 

companies, and promote stability, prosperity, and political reforms. Failure to engage on 

these issues would diminish opportunities for U.S. companies in overseas markets, and 

would compromise the U.S. role in the world economy relative to our competitors. 
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Bureau Objective 4.5: Advance infrastructure investment and regional connectivity in key 

developing countries, with ancillary benefits for U.S. business.

a. Justification 

The United States supports improved regional connectivity and better infrastructure 

around the globe for both commercial reasons and as a matter of national security. We 

must ensure a level playing field so that our companies can compete and win contracts 

for important, long-term, and relationship-defining infrastructure projects. These 

transactions are not only important in and of themselves, they are also important as a 

means of setting international norms and for maintaining a free and open global trade and 

investment system welcoming to U.S. business. Infrastructure is a key component of 

unlocking development and economic growth; development financing should adhere to 

high standards when it comes to governance, transparency, debt sustainability, the 

environment, and social safeguards. The United States promotes high standards to ensure 

that as countries make decisions about expensive and long-term infrastructure 

investments, they are equipped to select the best-value option that will maximize benefits 

for their own economic development. The Blue Dot Network convenes countries 

dedicated to implementing infrastructure development under widely agreed high 

standards. The Blue Dot Network will level the playing field for American companies by 

creating demand for high-standard infrastructure abroad. Many of these infrastructure 

and regional connectivity efforts are linked to and require sustained economic growth 

abroad and a risk is that they could be hampered by global shocks or slowdown. 

Bureau Objective 4.6: Strengthen intellectual property rights and enforcement in overseas 

markets to protect U.S. industries and foster innovation. 

a. Justification

Intellectual property rights (IPR) protection is prominently featured in the President’s National 

Security Strategy (NSS), in the February 2017 Executive Order on transnational organized crime, 

in the Annual Report of the Council of Economic Advisers and in the Department’s 2020 Budget 

Guidance. The Office of International Intellectual Property Rights and Enforcement (IPE)*

works with U.S. private-sector stakeholders, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), 

ambassadors and economic officers serving at U.S missions in 190 countries, economic officers 

in State Department regional bureaus, and the interagency to identify IPR challenges, formulate 

strategies that advance U.S. interests, and engage internationally. Through overseas public 

outreach highlighting benefits of strong intellectual property (IP) policies and dangers of weak 

policies, strengthening and coordinating existing U.S. IP capacity building and training programs, 

and working to build political will in countries overseas, IPE*, in conjunction with interagency 

colleagues and experts, seeks to advance the U.S. government’s intellectual property policy and 

enforcement goals. Protecting our evolving technologies and ideas from theft and forced 
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technology transfers, to which American enterprises are increasingly subject abroad, is in 

America’s economic interest. Protecting the results of American ingenuity—such as new 

technology, research findings, and other forms of innovation—is crucial to our future economic 

and wage growth. Increasing IP theft is a risk that requires constant vigilance and action. 

4. Cross-cutting Management Goal and Objectives

Management Goal 1: Develop and empower economic officers in Washington and around 

the world to facilitate achievement of policy goals.

a. Description and Linkages

U.S. diplomacy is too often siloed among policy (also described as ‘functional’) bureaus that 

manage issues and regional bureaus managing bilateral relationships. Strengthening our 

economic and commercial diplomacy requires professionals versed in both economic 

fundamentals and bilateral contexts and an agreed-upon set of strategic goals. Through this goal, 

EB will strengthen both its staff in the bureau as well as those working on economic issues in 

other bureaus and in posts arounds the world. EB will focus on professional and leadership 

development. One way will be by increasing the use of economic diagnostics to identify priority 

areas of work. This goal supports JSP goal 4.3 of enhancing workforce performance, leadership, 

engagement, and accountability to execute our mission more efficiently and effectively. 

Management Objective 5.1: Improve collaboration between regional and policy bureaus 

on economic issues by expanding opportunities for information sharing.

a. Justification

Coordination with regional bureaus remains vital to successfully implementing and 

amplifying economic policies. EB will empower EB’s Regional Coordinators, who serve 

in a liaison position between the bureau and regional bureaus, and develop joint 

economic strategies with regional bureaus. To succeed, this goal will require buy-in from 

Bureau leadership throughout the State Department.
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Management Objective 5.2: Facilitate access to and increase use of bureau economic 

resources, training and other professional development to improve data-based analysis, retention 

and advancement.

a. Justification

Promoting and increasing staff use of economic resources will result in a more efficient 

and effective workforce. A lack of access to and/or knowledge of technological solutions 

available to personnel constrain our work. Some staff are often unaware of existing 

resources such as Haver and Econ@state. EB personnel have uneven technology skills, 

hampering bureau-wide productivity. With improved access and training, EB could be 

more agile, ensuring it is well prepared to confront 21st century global challenges. 

Stakeholders include the Bunche librarians, E-Diplomacy, Department of Commerce 

Analytics section, and School of Professional Studies – Economic and Commercial 

Studies at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). Quality economic analysis informs and 

improves policy decisions, both economic and broader strategic policy. It provides 

important context to social and political developments and quantifies effects. EB plays a 

central role in improving State’s economic analysis by leveraging its own expertise and 

producing analytic products, and also by providing and encouraging officers to use 

economic data resources . One risk is that policy formulation will occur without the 

economic angle being fully considered, leading to a disempowering of economic staff

throughout the State Department.