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| {{Short description|Government agency}} | | {{Orgnaization |
| {{Use American English|date = February 2019}}
| | |OrganizationName=United States Trade and Development Agency |
| {{Infobox government agency
| | |OrganizationType=Independent agency |
| | agency_name = United States Trade and Development Agency | | |Mission=The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries. |
| | logo = Logo USTDA color RGB.png | | |ParentOrganization=None |
| | formed = {{start date and age|1992}} | | |CreationLegislation=1992 Jobs Through Exports Act |
| | headquarters = 1101 Wilson Blvd.<br /> Arlington, VA | | |Employees=80 |
| | employees = 80<ref>[http://www.ustda.gov/about/staff.asp USTDA: About USTDA: Staff]. Ustda.gov. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.</ref> | | |Budget=84500000 |
| | budget = $79.5 million (FY 2021) <ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.congress.gov/116/crpt/hrpt444/CRPT-116hrpt444.pdf | title=STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2021 | website=www.congress.gov}}</ref>
| | |OrganizationExecutive=Director (U.S. Trade and Development Agency) |
| | chief1_position = Director | | |Services=* Feasibility Studies: USTDA funds feasibility studies, pilot projects, and technical assistance that help project sponsors in host countries evaluate and plan infrastructure and industrial projects. These studies are critical for determining the viability of projects that could potentially use U.S. technology, equipment, and services. |
| | chief1_name = [[Enoh Ebong]]<ref>[http://www.ustda.gov/about/staff.asp USTDA: About USTDA: Staff]. Ustda.gov. Retrieved on 2021-10-18.</ref> | | * Technical Assistance: This includes training, capacity building, and technical workshops that enhance the skills of local stakeholders, thereby facilitating better project management and implementation. It helps in ensuring that projects can be completed effectively with U.S. involvement. |
| | chief3_name = | | * Pilot Projects: USTDA often supports small-scale pilot projects that test new technologies or approaches. These pilots can lead to larger scale implementations if successful, showcasing American innovation in real-world settings. Reverse Trade Missions: USTDA organizes reverse trade missions where foreign delegations visit the U.S. to meet with American companies. This helps in building business relationships, providing insights into U.S. technology and services, and often leads to procurement opportunities for U.S. firms. |
| | parent_agency =
| | * Project Preparation: Beyond initial studies, USTDA might assist in project preparation activities like environmental assessments, financial structuring, or legal frameworks, which are essential for projects to proceed to implementation. Partnership Building: By facilitating meetings, conferences, and engagements, USTDA helps in forming partnerships between U.S. businesses and foreign entities, which can be crucial for project execution. |
| | website = {{Official URL}}
| | * Information and Advisory Services: USTDA provides information on market opportunities, upcoming projects in various countries, and advisory services that guide U.S. firms on how to engage with these opportunities effectively. |
| | |Regulations=None |
| | |HeadquartersLocation=38.89561, -77.06996 |
| | |HeadquartersAddress=1101 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA |
| | |Website=https://www.ustda.gov |
| | |HeadquartersAddresse=1101 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA |
| }} | | }} |
| | | TBD |
| The '''U.S. Trade and Development Agency''' ('''USTDA''') is an [[independent agencies of the United States government|independent agency of the United States government]], formed in 1992 to advance economic development and U.S. commercial interests in [[developing country|developing]] and [[Middle income country|middle income]] countries.
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| ==Structure==
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| {{expand section|date=January 2015}}
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| The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) was created under the (22 U.S.C. §2421) to "promote United States private sector participation in development projects in developing and middle-income countries" and to "provide opportunities for the use of United States exports." With these Congressional mandates, USTDA’s dual mission is unique among foreign assistance agencies: while the Agency promotes outcomes in infrastructure and economic development, it is mandated to help create American jobs through exports.
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| ==History==
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| USTDA’s roots date to the 1970’s, when the [[United States Agency for International Development]] (USAID) coordinated a government-wide "Reimbursable Development Program" (RDP) to provide foreign countries continued access to U.S. development advice, U.S. technical assistance, U.S. equipment, and U.S. technology "even after they have reached the stage where they no longer need to rely on concessional financing for their further development."<ref>USAID Office of Reimbursable Development Programs FY 1980 Budget Submission at 4.</ref> Though well-intentioned, RDP became lost in USAID’s mission and culture of international economic and humanitarian assistance. The Congressional Research Service described the problem as follows: "…AID’s expenditures for [RDP program] activities linking U.S. business to development in 1976 and 1977 fell to only about $1 million annually. By the end of the 1970’s, however, there was a growing sense in Congress that the U.S. private sector should be more active in development programs. In 1978, Congress directed AID to increase emphasis on U.S. private sector involvement in development assistance."<ref>“The Trade and Development Agency,” CRS Report No. 93-717 F, August 5, 1993, at 4 (Emphasis supplied).</ref>
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| In 1980 and 1981, the [[United States Agency for International Development]] and the [[Overseas Private Investment Corporation]] (OPIC) were linked in the International Development Cooperation Agency (IDCA) – an "umbrella agency tasked with coordinating U.S. development assistance programs." RDP was carved out as a "separate part" of IDCA and re-named the Trade and Development Program (TDP) to "further underscore the link between private sector and U.S. development activities."<ref>Id (Emphasis supplied).</ref> Congress codified these actions in 1981.<ref>P.L. 97-113, Title III, § 312(b), 95 Stat. 1536.</ref>
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| In 1988, in the [[Omnibus Foreign Trade and Competitiveness Act]], Congress again reaffirmed its support of the TDP and its dual missions by making the program a separate component agency within the IDCA, headed by a presidential appointee.<ref>P.L. 100-418, Title II, Subtitle B, Part I, § 2204 (b), 102 Stat. 1329.</ref> The complete separation from USAID was underscored by transferring to TDP a tied aid credits program earlier administered by USAID that was meant to assist U.S. companies competing against subsidized foreign competition. Congress also made clear its intention that "The Trade and Development Program should serve as the primary Federal agency to provide information to persons in the private sector concerning trade and development and export promotion related to bilateral development projects."
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| ===USTDA as an independent agency===
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| The 1992 Jobs Through Exports Act renamed TDP as the Trade and Development Agency and revised and expanded its mission, charter and authorities.<ref>P.L. 102-549, Title II, § 201, 106 Stat. 3655.</ref> In taking these actions, Congress described USTDA as "one of the most successful government export promotion programs," and increased USTDA’s budget authorization, saying "by increasing the amount of funding available, [Congress] is not only demonstrating its support for the program, but acknowledging the increased need for its services."<ref>House Report No. 102-551, reprinted in [1992] U.S. Code Cong. and Ad. News 3255, 3263 (Emphasis supplied).</ref> USTDA’s independence and character were again reaffirmed when Congress said it "would expect that the increase in TDA’s authorization will discourage attempts by other agencies and departments within the executive branch to duplicate the work of the TDA."<ref>Id. At 3264 (Emphasis supplied).</ref>
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| USTDA’s charter has not changed much since its establishment in 1992, with the exception of a 1999 Congressional designation of energy, transportation, telecommunications and environment as "special emphasis…economic sectors with significant United States export potential".<ref>P.L. 106-158, § 5, 113 Stat. 1746.</ref>
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| ==Programs==
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| The agency's legal basis is section 661 of the [[Foreign Assistance Act]] of 1961, as amended (22 USC 2421).<ref>Section 661 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. See 22 USC 2421.</ref> USTDA's mission is to "promote economic growth in developing and middle income countries, while simultaneously helping American businesses to export their products and services, thereby creating U.S. jobs".
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| USTDA's programs are designed to help countries establish a favorable trading environment and a modern infrastructure that promotes sustainable economic development. According to USTDA, the agency's development assistance has always involved building partnerships between U.S. companies and overseas project sponsors to bring proven private-sector solutions to developmental challenges.
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| As part of its programs, USTDA funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits, and business workshops in the areas of trade capacity building and sector development, and project definition and investment analysis.<ref>[http://www.ustda.gov/program/ USTDA: Program & Activities]. Ustda.gov. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.</ref>
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| USTDA works closely with other [[Federal agencies of the united states|federal agencies]] to advance host country development objectives, but unlike U.S. Agency for International Development ([[USAID]]), USTDA gives preference to projects that promote the export of U.S. goods and services. Most USTDA projects are located in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.<ref name="ustda1">{{Cite web |url=https://ustda.gov/sites/default/files/FY%202018%20Annual%20Report.pdf |title=2018 Annual Report | publisher=U.S. Trade and Development Agency |access-date=2019-11-07 |archive-date=2019-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522155554/https://ustda.gov/sites/default/files/FY%202018%20Annual%20Report.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The agency's activities span a wide variety of sectors, although projects in the transportation and energy and power sectors account for 43% of the funding in 2008.<ref name="ustda1"/> In 2008, USTDA obligated over a total of $46 million in support of projects in 66 host counties around the world, including 67 technical assistance activities, 41 feasibility studies, and 24 orientation visits.<ref>[http://www.ustda.gov/about/ataglance.asp USTDA: About USTDA: At-a-Glance]. Ustda.gov. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.</ref>
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| In 2010, President [[Barack Obama]] signed an executive order, the [[National Export Initiative]], in an attempt to double the amount of US exports through 2015. To support this project, the USTDA launched the International Business Partnership Program, a program that helped connect American manufacturers with international trade partners around the world.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Epstein|first=Susan B.|date=1993-08-05|title=The Trade and Development Agency|url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs56/|journal=Digital Library|language=English}}</ref>
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| == References ==
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| {{reflist}}
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| == External links ==
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| * {{official website|1=https://www.ustda.gov/|2=U.S. Trade and Development Agency}}
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| * [https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/trade-and-development-agency U.S. Trade and Development Agency] in the [[Federal Register]]
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| {{Authority control}}
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| [[Category:Independent agencies of the United States government]]
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| [[Category:Investment promotion agencies]]
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| [[Category:Government agencies established in 1961]]
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| [[Category:Organizations based in Arlington County, Virginia]]
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