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About Us

The Office of Export Control Cooperation, in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, U.S. Department of State (ISN/ECC) is the U.S. Government’s premier provider of assistance to foreign governments to ensure strategic trade control systems meet international standards and to establish independent capabilities to detect, interdict, investigate, and prosecute illicit transfers of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), WMD-related items, and conventional arms. ISN/ECC accomplishes this goal through the promotion of dialogue, provision of training, and donation of equipment under the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program. The office reports to the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Threat Reduction, Export Controls, and Negotiations.

ISN/ECC program managers work closely with regional bureaus and country desks in the State Department to assess global nonproliferation risks and needs. Program Managers also coordinate with all interagency U.S. Government (USG) nonproliferation export and border control assistance programs. Officers establish priorities for such assistance in conformance with U.S. nonproliferation initiatives.

Through its chairmanship of an Interagency Working Group, ISN/ECC coordinates U.S. Government nonproliferation strategic trade and border control assistance programs and establishes priorities in conformance with U.S. nonproliferation policy goals to stem the proliferation of WMDs and their delivery systems, and prevent destabilizing transfers of conventional weapons and related goods and technologies. ISN/ECC also coordinates USG efforts in this area with foreign assistance providers, including the European Union, Japan, and Australia.

Key missions of the office include:

1) Developing, implementing, and managing the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program in order to help governments to establish, strengthen, and enforce export/border control systems and responsible export control policies consistent with international practices.

2) Assessing the effectiveness of program countries’ national export control systems.

3) Reviewing, evaluating, and recommending to the ISN Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Threat Reduction, Export Controls, and Negotiations, projects that other U.S. Government agencies are prepared to undertake to assist foreign governments in improving national export control systems.

4) Managing and implementing additional programs apart from those implemented by other U.S. Government agencies including the responsibility for export control capacity-building in foreign partner states.

5) Chairing the Export Control Assistance Interagency Working Group.

The assistance provided by the ISN/ECC also assists other nations in fulfilling their UNSCR 1540 commitments. UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (April 2004) requires UN member states to adopt and enforce effective laws and measures to prevent non-State actors from developing or acquiring WMD.

The Office of Export Control Cooperation (ISN/ECC) Director is Justin Friedman at (202) 647-1966 or by e-mail at friedmanj@state.gov and Deputy Director is Andrew Church at (202) 647-2870 or by e-mail ChurchAP@state.gov. For a complete staff listing according to regional focus please see our Contact Us page.