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What Is the America Desk? Fact Sheet, Released by the Office of Commercial and Business Affairs Department of State, December 28, 2000

Helping U.S. Business Compete A key principle of U.S. foreign economic policy is to support American competitiveness in the global economy. Promoting an increasingly open international trading system is vital to American exports and American jobs. But the Department of State has to ensure that U.S. companies are able to take advantage of opportunities created by open market systems. Recent Secretaries of State have opened the Department of State to U.S. business, which has a voice here via an office called the America Desk. The message is clear: support for business is a core function of the modern Department of State. The Department is creating a corps of diplomats who understand the importance of business, how to work with business people, and how to play a leadership role in opening new markets for our exports. As a result, U.S. embassies around the world are working harder than ever to help U.S. companies identify opportunities, safeguard investments, and make deals. They keep the pressure on foreign governments to pass and enforce intellectual property legislation; negotiate bilateral investment treaties that provide fair treatment for our businesses; and help American companies resolve investment disputes. Positive feedback shows that the Department is helping American business overseas. Business people say that previously they never contacted U.S. embassies for assistance, but now the U.S. embassy is their first port of call when doing business abroad. The U.S. goal now is to bring the same perspective to Washington DC and to bring business closer to the Department itself. If the U.S. is to put economics at the center of its foreign policy, it must consult more extensively with businesses as it develops policies that affect its interests. The Administration's commitment to support U.S. business in the global marketplace reinforces and is, in turn, reinforced by our security concerns. A continued strong U.S. commitment to security in regions around the world creates an environment for economic development, growing markets and flourishing trade. In turn, the prosperity generated is the best foundation for the advancement of U.S. strategic interests: democratic values, non-proliferation, protection of the environment,and human rights. [end of document] Commercial and Business Affairs | Economic and Trade Policy