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Strategic Objective

Rebalance to the Asia-Pacific through Enhanced Diplomacy, Security Cooperation and Development

Strategic Objective

Lead Office: Bureau for Asia (USAID) and NEA (State)

Themes:

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Overview
Progress Update

Overview

Progress Update

Reinvigorated Treaty Alliances:

In January 2014, the United States and the Republic of Korea signed a new Special Measures Agreement, which defines the Republic of Korea’s share of the stationing costs of U.S. troops on the peninsula for the next five years. In October 2014, the United States concluded a new conditions-based arrangement on the transfer of wartime operational control that will ensure the readiness of our combined forces to defend the Korean peninsula as the Republic of Korea continues to build up its own defense capabilities.

In April 2014, the United States and the Philippines signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which enables our militaries to more effectively collaborate on a range of issues, including disaster response.

In June 2014, President Obama and Prime Minister Abbott of Australia announced a Force Posture Agreement that supports the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region and contributes to a U.S. force presence that is geographically distributed, operationally resilient, and politically sustainable. With Japan, the United States is negotiating to update our defense guidelines and realign our forces to address future challenges.

U.S. alliances and strategic partnerships in the Asia-Pacific will effectively deter against military and non-military threats to the region and the United States; resolve disputes peacefully; adopt common positions on regional and global priorities; and confront emerging challenges, including by working together to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Deepen ties with emerging powers, including China:

The United States established Comprehensive Partnerships with Vietnam and Malaysia, which will strengthen support for economic reform and facilitate development of new maritime capabilities in Vietnam and support expanded ties with Malaysia, a growing center of entrepreneurship and innovation. The United States and China are committed to continue negotiating a high-standard and comprehensive Bilateral Investment Treaty that embodies the principles of non-discrimination, fairness, and transparency. The United States seeks a sustained and substantive military-to-military relationship with China. In November 2014, President Obama and Chinese President Xi agreed to two military-to-military confidence building measures (CBMs), the first on rules of behavior and the second on notifications. They also agreed to complete consultations on an annex to the rules of behavior CBM on air-to-air encounters by the end of 2015. The United States and China have a critical role to play in combating global climate change. In November 2014, our presidents reaffirmed the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation on climate change and working together, and with other countries, to reach an ambitious agreement at the United Nations Climate Conference in Paris in 2015.

Regional Institutions:

In part due to U.S. support for ASEAN institutions, ASEAN and its member states are becoming more skilled and unified in their approaches to tackling significant regional challenges. In 2014, we took the rebalance global, with ASEAN stepping forward and addressing several issues of topical and global relevance. The November U.S.-ASEAN and East Asia Summits in Naypyitaw, Burma saw ASEAN issue statements on climate change, ISIL, wildlife trafficking, and Ebola. These actions were precedent-setting for ASEAN, and we seek to build on that momentum in 2015 and beyond. Our engagement and support on a programmatic level reinforces the foundation by which we are able to consolidate and marshal ASEAN taking action in such a vein.

The LMI reinforces ASEAN integration by facilitating knowledge-sharing and linkages between the countries of the Southeast Asia Mekong sub-region, including Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. The United States is expanding engagement with the Asia-Pacific’s regional institutions, in particular the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum, which has allowed us to work together on shared challenges -- from preventing human trafficking to countering violent extremism to stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters and piracy.

Democracy:

Indonesia’s successful election and transition to power in 2014 of a reform-minded president positions the world’s largest Muslim-majority democracy to continue its work to advocate for open government and democracy. USAID supports this effort through key programs like the “Southeast Asia – U.S. Partnership: Civil Societies Innovating Together,” which enables Indonesian civil society groups to share their expertise and experiences outside Indonesia, through democracy, governance, and human rights projects conducted across the region in partnership with civil society from the United States and Southeast Asia.

The governance and human rights situation in Burma has improved since 2011, but the Department of State and USAID remain focused on promoting further democratic reform – including constitutional reform – and facilitating efforts to advance the peace process. USAID supports civil society efforts region-wide to complement good governance principles through several key programs including the Global Labor Program with the Solidarity Center in Cambodia and the Legal Enabling Environment Program in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia.

Regional Economic Integration:

America’s prosperity and Asia’s prosperity are inseparable, and our shared prosperity and shared security are just as tightly linked. Two-way trade in goods and services with the region reached $2.5 trillion, accounting for 61.5 percent of overall U.S exports in 2013. More than one billion new Asian-Pacific middle class consumers are predicted to be generated during the next 20 years. The United States will continue to: 1) underwrite regional security; and 2) work to promote the adoption of a regional economic and trade architecture that is rules-based and provides an open, fair, and transparent framework that allows both U.S. and Asian businesses to benefit from growing trade and investment opportunities in the region.

The U.S. Trade Representative, supported by U.S. Embassies and the East Asia and Pacific region along with Department of State principals, is leading negotiation of the high standard TPP agreement with 11 partners in the region. It is difficult to overstate the strategic importance of countries with 40 percent of global GDP declaring – with one voice – that the rules of doing business in the 21st century are changing for the better. The TPP will strengthen America’s role as one of the most competitive, most innovative economies in the world, as well as one of the biggest trading partners and source and destination of foreign investment in the region.

The United States hosted APEC in 2011 for the first time in almost 20 years, and continue to bolster its role as the premier economic forum in the region for advancing free and open trade and investment, as well as for fostering cooperation in promoting sustainable and equitable growth. Notable achievements include reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade and investment, cutting carbon emissions through deployment of clean energy technologies, and expanding economic opportunities for women. During 2015, the Department of State and USAID are working on initiatives and commitments that will (1) advance trade and investment liberalization, including lowering tariffs on environmental goods, promoting free and open trade of digital products, and improving the ease of doing business and supply chain performance; (2) protect the environment and increase cooperation on climate change, including work on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, conducting fossil fuel subsidy peer reviews, and promoting the use of renewable energy; and (3) support disaster resiliency, including ways to improve the movement of humanitarian goods across borders; enhance trade recovery systems; and strengthen the resilience of the global supply chain and much more.

The Department of State and USAID are strengthening the trade and investment environment in ASEAN countries, the recipient of almost $100 billion in U.S. goods and services exports and, taken together, the fourth largest export market for the United States. American companies remain the number one investor in ASEAN, as they have been for decades. And, ASEAN continues to attract more American investment than any other market in Asia. Technical support from USAID is helping ASEAN Member States prepare to launch the ASEAN Economic Community by late 2015, with a particular focus on helping implementation of the ASEAN Single Window, an initiative to simplify customs procedures across ASEAN that will save time and costs for U.S. exporters.

In addition, the Department of State and USAID are working to help build the capacity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in ASEAN and to link them to regional and global supply chains. The U.S. government's work on SMEs will have a particular focus in Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to bridge the development gap and promote inclusive economic growth.

The Department of State, Department of Energy, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and Export-Import Bank of the United States continue to contribute to the U.S.-Asia Pacific Comprehensive Energy Partnership (US-ACEP) that addresses energy poverty and energy security issues in the region. US-ASEP works to promote affordable, secure, and cleaner energy through a focus on power markets and interconnectivity, greater use of natural gas, renewables and cleaner energy, and sustainable development.

The Department of State and USAID will work to implement the Indo-Pacific Economic Corridor vision by fostering economic growth and regional trade in South Asia and encouraging stronger economic integration between South and Southeast Asia through infrastructure, energy, trade integration, and increased people-to-people ties

Strengthening People-to-People Ties:

The Department has increased outreach to youth, particularly in ASEAN member countries through the President’s Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), which has engaged youth through exchanges, digital engagement and skills workshops. Since its inception in December 2013, nearly 13,000 Southeast Asian youth have become YSEALI members and nearly 66,000 have been reached through social media platforms. Also, over 300 participants gained tangible skills at YSEALI regional workshops and over 100 youth went on exchanges to the United States. Starting in spring 2015, YSEALI will bring 500 youth to the United States annually for study and professional development. Additional regional workshops and grant competitions are also planned. The Department has also augmented English language teaching, educational advising, exchanges and cultural programs with allies and emerging partners, including Burma, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. In November 2014, the United States opened a Peace Corps program in Burma.

Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality:

The Department of State has integrated women’s empowerment and gender equality in all economic forums across the Asia Pacific. Through APEC the Department is launching the Women’s Entrepreneurship in APEC network, which will collect best practices and support services and connect women’s entrepreneurship networks throughout the region, and enable the private sector to better connect women entrepreneurs to their supply chains. In addition, the Department is launching the APEC Women and the Economy Data Initiative, which will create a common base line for the region, identify gaps, and enable the region to measure progress. In the LMI Plan of Action, the Department has supported women entrepreneurs in the region via the WECreate initiative and APEC policy recommendations, explored trilateral cooperation with Japan, Australia, and the Republic of Korea, and bolstered civil society organizations throughout the region via more than $5.6 million in small grants.

USAID is implementing a number of programs aimed at addressing gender based violence and empowering women economically. For example, USAID is teaming with private sector companies like Hewlett-Packard and GAP, Inc. to provide skills training to women entrepreneurs and leaders. Through State and USAID's engagement with ASEAN, the U.S. government is working with the ASEAN Women's Entrepreneurship

Network (AWEN) to strengthen linkages among business women in the region and to promote economic and trade activities that enhance gender equality.

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Strategic Goals

Strategic Goal:

Strengthen America’s Foreign Policy Impact on Our Strategic Challenges

Statement:

Strengthen America’s Foreign Policy Impact on Our Strategic Challenges

Strategic Objectives

Build a New Stability in the Middle East and North Africa

Statement:No Data Available

Description:

We will strengthen America’s foreign policy impact as we work independently and with our partners to build a new stability in the Middle East and North Africa. Success in this endeavor is essential to U.S. global interests and is linked to other pressing challenges and opportunities for U.S. national security: preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains a top priority; terrorist groups active in the region continue to seek the capability to attack our allies, interests, and homeland; the region’s strategic energy supplies are essential to support the global economy; and regional stability and Middle East peace efforts are vital for the security of Israel and our other friends in the region.

Recent events have again demonstrated the need to look beyond traditional security concerns and consider the full range of issues that affect and contribute to regional stability. A new regional stability will be built on the premise that increased democracy with respect for the rights of all citizens of a country, including minorities, will benefit both the region and the United States. Regional stability must be built on a foundation of responsive and accountable governance, inclusive economic growth, and rights-respecting and capable security institutions.

The crisis in Syria embodies these complex challenges. The Asad regime has violently defied the Syrian people’s demands for reform, and the regime’s brutality has destabilized the region through its partnership with Iran and the regime’s increasing reliance upon Hizballah. Neighboring states, including Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq, struggle to cope with vast refugee flows, spillover violence, and, in the case of Lebanon, serious threats to political stability.

Strategies for Achieving the Objective

The United States will build regional stability by working toward a comprehensive Middle East peace; forging strong partnerships to address regional threats; supporting economic growth and prosperity; and promoting democratic governance and political reforms, among other measures.

Working towards a comprehensive Middle East Peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and Israel and its neighbors:

The United States is committed to a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, central to which is a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We define comprehensive peace as peace between Israel and a future Palestinian state, as well as between Israel and its neighbors. With the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in July 2013, Middle East peace efforts now focus on the conclusion and full implementation of a final status agreement and the realization of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which promises normalization of relations between Israel and Arab League states in the context of a comprehensive peace. Should the efforts of the United States and the international community succeed in a two-state resolution to the conflict, U.S. assistance will remain critical in building Palestinian governance capacity and implementing an agreement. Comprehensive peace also will require Israel and a Palestinian state to normalize political and economic relations with the region.

The United States is building strong partnerships to address regional security threats. The United States will work with international partners to ensure that Syrian chemical weapons are removed and eliminated and that Syria complies with the Chemical Weapons Convention, UN Security Council resolutions, and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons requirements. We will continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to affected communities inside Syria and in neighboring countries, and to work to achieve a negotiated political solution that ends the violence in Syria and begins a political transition. The United States will continue our unwavering commitment to Israel's security.

Egypt continues to face economic and political instability, while Jordan struggles to handle an influx of refugees from Syria even as it simultaneously addresses dire economic challenges, including an energy crisis.

Build strong partnerships to address regional security threats:

U.S. strategic partnerships, globally and within the region, enhance our security efforts on counterterrorism and nonproliferation. We will continue to work with the P5+1 (the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, and China, facilitated by the European Union), the broader international community, and international organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure that Iran complies with its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Building upon the work at the NATO Summit in Wales, Jeddah Conference, and U.N. General Assembly meetings in September 2014, we will continue to strengthen the global coalition formed to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) through humanitarian and security assistance to partner countries in the region threatened by ISIL. This also includes coordinating broad efforts to counter terrorist financing the flow of foreign fighters within and through the region.

The United States seeks to achieve a comprehensive agreement that fully resolves the international community’s concerns with Iran’s nuclear program. Syria’s accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention was a major accomplishment. In cooperation with like-minded international partners, we have dismantled one of the largest remaining chemical weapons arsenals in the world and eliminated those weapons as a strategic threat to Israel. We will continue to work to achieve a negotiated solution that ends the violence in Syria and begins a political transition.

In addition, U.S. security cooperation and assistance to our partners will cover all aspects of counterterrorism, including legal frameworks and rights-respecting security approaches. We will undertake efforts to prevent and mitigate extremism, sectarian conflicts, and mass atrocities; and we will counter Iran's destabilizing activities in the region. We will also emphasize our work with states undergoing democratic transitions to assist them in establishing the capacity to provide a stable and rights-respecting domestic security environment.

The Syrian regime could resist a negotiated settlement to its current situation. Terrorist organizations may take advantage of regional instability, fragile security environments in transition countries, and ongoing conflicts to launch attacks. Governments backsliding on democratic transitions could further endanger long-term regional stability. We must continue to undermine the violent extremist narrative by encouraging states to establish democratic and accountable institutions thereby supporting our needs to advance our broader regional security priorities.

Promote economic growth, job creation, open markets, and energy security:

The United States will address economic marginalization through the promotion of economic growth, job creation, open markets, and energy security. Economic growth and inclusive prosperity fueled by private sector development, increased investment, and inclusive employment are fundamental to regional stability and to counter the terrorist narrative. The free flow of energy resources to the global economy is critical to promoting economic prosperity. Sound regulatory, economic, education, and health policies are needed for enduring private sector expansion and stable employment. Achieving these goals requires coordination with partners to design and implement reforms. We will need to partner with governments and the private sector in the region as they develop economic incentives, protect critical infrastructure, and achieve local backing for reforms. We will support implementation of projects that increase access to finance for small and medium enterprises. We will encourage sound fiscal and economic policies and improved regulation to attract private investment and spur growth. We also will support development of improved regulatory and rules-based markets to attract foreign investors to the region, including U.S. businesses.

Setbacks to the global economic recovery, particularly in European markets, could have negative effects in the region. Regional conflicts, security deterioration, and increased acts of terrorism would deter investment, undermine growth, and threaten energy supplies. The influx of Syrian refugees into neighboring countries could have a crippling effect on the respective country’s financial stability. We will work to sustain the positive synergies and mutual reinforcement between security, democratic political reforms, and economic growth.

Promote improved, democratic governance, empowered and effective civil society, and respect for the rule of law and human rights:

The United States will continue to support democratic governance, civil society, and respect for the rule of law and human rights. Responsive, inclusive, and accountable governance serves as the strongest foundation for long-term regional stability. Governments and societies that are more inclusive, equitable, and representative are better positioned to address challenges and to partner with the United States. We will, therefore, promote government institutions that are democratic, responsive to citizens, respect minority rights, and deliver public services transparently and equitably; legislatures that represent constituent interests; and expanded opportunities for meaningful political participation by all citizens. Many civil society groups in the region lack capacity. We will support the development of civil society that is effective, empowered, and able to interact constructively with government. And we will work to strengthen and improve legal systems and weak government institutions in the region, expand access to justice, promote greater respect for human rights, and empower women, minorities, and other marginalized groups.

Factors beyond the U.S. government's control may affect our efforts in the region. The Syrian regime could resist a negotiated settlement to the conflict. Terrorist organizations may take advantage of regional instability, fragile security environments in transition countries, and ongoing conflicts to launch attacks. Governments rejecting or backsliding on reform could further endanger long-term regional stability. Other factors that may affect our efforts include setbacks to the global economic recovery, particularly in European markets, that could have negative effects in the region. Regional conflicts, security deterioration, and increased acts of terrorism could deter investment, undermine growth, and threaten energy supplies. The influx of Syrian refugees into neighboring countries also places added financial costs and demands on the infrastructure in hosting communities, as well as on social services, such as education and health care.

Countries in the region face serious challenges, including stagnant growth and lack of economic opportunity; internal and cross-border conflicts and associated refugee flows; resource scarcity; religious and ethnic tension and discrimination; and a demographic youth bulge. We are convinced that responsive and accountable governments are more capable of addressing those challenges, and are committed to use our engagement, influence, and assistance to help address them.

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Rebalance to the Asia-Pacific through Enhanced Diplomacy, Security Cooperation and Development

Statement:No Data Available

Description:

Strategies for Achieving the Objective

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Prevent and Respond to Crises and Conflict, Tackle Sources of Fragility, and Provide Humanitarian Assistance to Those in Need

Statement:No Data Available

Description:

Despite the worldwide reduction of deaths from armed conflict since the end of the Cold War, more than 1.5 billion people live in fragile or conflict-affected states or countries trapped in cycles of violence. Fragility and conflict impede development and undermine U.S. interests worldwide. When states in crisis cannot control their territory, protect their people, or support economic growth, the resulting instability disrupts the people’s well-being and fosters environments ripe for violent extremists, armed factions, weapons proliferation, and crime. Fragile countries are especially vulnerable to shocks, such as natural disasters and economic crises, and their spillover effects. Complex emergencies may arise that put demands on scarce humanitarian assistance resources.

The U.S. government leads the international community in responding to crises, conflicts, and natural disasters. An estimated 45 million people worldwide, primarily women and children, have been uprooted from their homes due to conflict and persecution. Each year, natural disasters displace tens of millions more and climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of events such as hurricanes and drought. U.S. humanitarian assistance aims to save lives, alleviate suffering, and minimize the costs of conflict, crises, disasters, and displacement. This requires that the United States respond urgently to emergencies, and make concerted efforts to address hunger, resolve protracted humanitarian situations, and build the capacity to prevent and mitigate the effects of conflict and disasters.

Most natural disasters such as drought or floods cannot be prevented. However, the U.S. government aims to enhance the resilience of countries so that they can respond and recover as quickly as possible. Strengthening resilience enables our humanitarian assistance to start the rebuilding and transition to long-term political, economic, and social investments that will consolidate and protect future development gains.

Strategies for Achieving the Objective

The United States will convene stakeholders, marginalize spoilers, and catalyze local efforts aimed at preventing and responding to crisis and conflict. U.S. diplomacy will support peace and reconciliation efforts at the national, regional, and local levels; and it will encourage parties to negotiate solutions, to manage peaceful transitions, and to hold accountable perpetrators of mass atrocities. To strengthen fragile states, U.S. diplomacy and development will promote inclusive economic growth, job creation, and the sound policies needed for sustainable private sector expansion and stable employment. The U.S. will direct resources to support local initiatives and to build the capacity of civil society actors so they can successfully advocate for peaceful change. The U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP) demonstrates that integrating women and gender considerations into peacebuilding processes promotes democratic governance and long-term stability. As such, we will strengthen women's rights, leadership, and substantive participation in peace processes, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, transitional processes, and decision-making institutions in conflict-affected settings. Finally, we will multiply the impact of our efforts by engaging the UN and partner governments, and will strengthen partnerships with the private sector and experts outside of government.

The United States will expand and improve U.S. government activities that lead to effective strategies, policies, diplomacy, and development programs that avoid negative impacts ("Do no harm") on conflict dynamics, and create the potential to manage and mitigate sources of violent conflict. The United States will promote learning agendas, and share lessons learned and best practices. And through interagency collaboration, policy development, enhanced professional training, and evaluation, the United States will institutionalize a gender-sensitive approach to our diplomatic and development activities in conflict-affected environments.

UN peacekeeping operations represent the international collective will to promote peace and reconciliation. The United States will continue as the largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. The United States will use its contributions to promote effective operations, including strengthening mandates to address the needs and vulnerabilities of women and children in conflict and post-conflict zones. The United States will also continue to support regional and sub-regional organizations and their member states as they seek to provide a cost-effective regional capacity for conflict management and crisis response.

The U.S. government will support country transitions out of fragility and political instability by fostering more inclusive, responsive, accountable, and democratic institutions. The United States will support and strengthen institutions, especially those relating to safety and justice, to manage and mitigate sources of violent conflict, including gender-based violence. The United States will support civil society actors that advocate and work toward greater civilian security.

The U.S. government will advocate policies and norms that prevent violence and protect vulnerable populations. The United States will press to strengthen norms concerning the protection of civilians, to prevent, mitigate, and redress mass atrocities, to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, and to empower women's participation in political transitions and peace processes.

The U.S. government will provide needs-based humanitarian assistance through flexible and timely funding for persons affected by crises, conflicts, and natural disasters. Through collaboration with other donors and host countries, the United States will find solutions to displacement, promote disaster risk reduction and climate

change adaptation, and will foster resilience. In line with the NAP, the United States will respond to the needs of women and children in conflict-affected disasters and crises, including by providing safe, equitable access to humanitarian assistance.

The U.S. government will promote rapid and well-planned humanitarian responses through support to the United Nations, Red Cross organizations, and Non-governmental organizations; mobilize and partner with other donors and host governments; and engage the international humanitarian community to maximize the effectiveness of humanitarian aid.

Factors beyond U.S. government control that may affect our efforts include shocks to the global economic system; political, social, or economic instability; long-standing ethnic, religious or other societal group tensions; sovereignty issues that lead governments to restrict humanitarian operations within their borders; reluctance of foreign partners to share information, regulations on protection of national security information, and privacy concerns; and natural disasters and extreme weather. Factors the United States seeks to influence include endemic or institutionalized corruption; inadequate or nonexistent control of borders and sovereign territory; actors (state and non-state) with violent and/or destabilizing agendas; weak or dysfunctional national, regional, or local civil and military institutions; mismatches between the span of transnational criminal activity and the applicability of national laws and enforcement systems; partners' resources, capabilities, quality of their laws, and strength of their judicial/legal institutions; insufficient institutional capacity for economic development, environmental regulation and oversight; persistent gender inequality and gender-based violence; and allies and/or partners' views on the need to act on security issues.

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Overcome Global Security Challenges through Diplomatic Engagement and Development Cooperation

Statement:No Data Available

Description:

Today, the United States faces diverse and complex security challenges. Hostile nation states, violent extremists, transnational organized crime, unaccountable or abusive governance, weak rule of law, and inter- and intra-state conflict all affect civilian security, international stability and prosperity, and directly threaten U.S. interests and foreign policy objectives. To meet these challenges, we must secure the world’s most dangerous weapons and material; prevent the rise of criminal and insurgent groups; mitigate the effects of transnational crime; dismantle al-Qa’ida, its affiliates and adherents, and other terrorist organizations and deny them new recruits; strengthen rule of law globally; counter threats posed in cyberspace; reaffirm and support the balance between individual rights and collective security; and empower women to play an equal role in solving global security problems.

Many of today’s threats cannot be solved by a single state, making U.S. global leadership and multilateral cooperation ever more crucial. This objective encompasses our efforts to counter violent extremism and build the counterterrorism capacities of partner nations’ law enforcement entities, and promote regional peace and security through our diplomatic engagement and security assistance to partner nations.

Strategies for Achieving the Objective

In order to overcome these global security challenges, the Department of State and USAID will advance the Security Sector Assistance Presidential Policy Directive (PPD-23), helping partner countries build and sustain the capacity and effectiveness of institutions to provide security, safety, and justice for their people, and to contribute to efforts that address common security challenges. The Department and USAID efforts include pursuit of arms control and nonproliferation; reduction of transnational organized crime and strengthening rule of law (ROL); countering the drivers of recruitment and radicalization to violence; and securing cyberspace. The Department and USAID will cooperate with other federal agencies and international coalitions; foreign governments and their security and justice services, and multilateral organizations. Our strategy also entails cooperation with state and local partners and civil society.

The Department and USAID will balance assistance appropriately, supporting governments when interests converge and political will is present, when governments are accountable to their people and are committed to partnering with civil society for change, and as a check on abuse. To counter violent extremism, the United States will focus on the drivers of violent extremism.

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Strengthen America’s Efforts to Combat Global Health Challenges

Statement:No Data Available

Description:

U.S. efforts to improve global health advance our broader development goals and national security interests, and are a concrete expression of our humanitarian values. The State Department and USAID use diplomacy and foreign assistance programs to address U.S. government goals of creating an AIDS-free generation, ending preventable child and maternal deaths, and reducing the threat of infectious diseases. The U.S. government partners with multilateral institutions, donor nations, and other organizations to encourage and empower developing countries to build strong, sustainable health care systems. Expanding health care capacity abroad is essential to long-term development. Health is the largest component of U.S. development assistance.

U.S. investments that result in healthier people make for stronger, more prosperous, and more stable countries; they enhance international security and trade; and they ensure a safer, more resilient America. Despite successes in addressing health challenges in recent decades, in some places progress remains far too slow. Much remains to be done to strengthen health systems in developing countries and address HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal and child mortality. In 2012, 6.6 million children under the age of five died, many from preventable causes. Infectious, life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria are exacerbated by malnutrition and poor access to health services. Infectious disease outbreaks, whether naturally caused, intentionally produced, or accidentally released, remain among the foremost dangers to human health and the global economy. Many countries have limited capacity to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to these threats.

Strategies for Achieving the Objective

The U.S. government has more than 10 years of experience in helping countries to rapidly expand HIV prevention, treatment, and care services through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR's current strategy, PEPFAR 3.0 - Controlling the Epidemic: Delivering on the Promise of an AIDS-Free Generation, showcases PEPFAR’s design to support the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)ambitious 90-90-90 global goals: 90 percent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status; 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy; and 90 percent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression by 2020. This new focus requires a shift in business practices, pivoting to a data-driven approach that strategically targets geographical areas and populations where we can achieve the most impact for our investments. The PEPFAR 3.0 strategy makes clear that the United States' commitment to this goal will remain strong, comprehensive, and driven by science. Importantly, this framework emphasizes impact, efficiency, sustainability, partnership, and human rights as core agendas to create an AIDS-free generation.

In 2012, the U.S. government joined more than 175 countries and 400 civil society and faith organizations in pledging to end preventable child deaths worldwide by 2035, as part of the Call to Action for Child Survival. The Call to Action joins related efforts that have set ambitious goals to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, increase access to voluntary family planning, and accelerate improvements in malaria, nutrition, and water and sanitation. These renewed efforts have spurred strategic shifts in maternal and child health programming including: increasing efforts in those countries with the largest share of under-five deaths, focusing on reaching the most underserved populations, targeting the drivers of mortality through innovation and scalable interventions, and creating mutual accountability at all levels.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is a jarring reminder of the need for a greater capability in all countries to rapidly detect and respond to new or re-emerging public health threats that “spill over” in humans from animal populations. The Global Health Security agenda is an effort between the U.S. government, other nations, international organizations and public and private stakeholders, to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats and to promote global health security as an international security priority. The State Department, along with other U.S. government agencies, contributes to global health security by strengthening policies related to dual-use research of concern.

The U.S. government will use its influence in multilateral and bilateral arenas to focus attention on accelerating achievement of U.S. global health objectives and the UN Millennium Development Goals. Continued diplomatic leadership on global health in the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda will remain a U.S. priority. Supported by the State Department and USAID, our diplomats and development professionals will promote country-owned health systems and encourage shared responsibility for financing health systems with partner governments, other donors, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. Although U.S. positions on health in the Post-2015 Development Agenda have yet to be finalized, they will likely include a focus on creating an AIDS-free generation and ending preventable child and maternal deaths. The U.S. government is also considering incorporating new areas such as non-communicable diseases and a multi-sectoral focus on health system strengthening in the Post-2015 development goals.

Many external factors affect U.S. government efforts on country ownership and shared responsibility. A successful transition to country ownership depends on political stewardship by partner governments and the administrative and technical capabilities of numerous public and private institutions. Fiscal pressures on traditional donor countries will likely continue to negatively affect their ability to support multilateral initiatives. Steady economic growth in many regions, and particularly in Africa, will create opportunities for countries to direct more domestic resources toward their health sectors.

The U.S. government, through the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 and newly-signed Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2014, is committed to using its foreign assistance resources to help people and countries have reliable and sustainable access to an acceptable quantity and quality of water to meet their needs. USAID supports increased access to reliable and sustainable water supply and sanitation through funding for infrastructure development and through institutional and capacity development, strengthening of community-based systems, facilitation of private supply of products and services, improved management and governance, and mobilization of additional financing.

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FY 14-15 Priority Goal: Global Health

Statement:

Support the global effort to end preventable child and maternal deaths. By September 30, 2015, U.S. assistance to end preventable child and maternal deaths will contribute to reductions in under-five mortality in 24 maternal and child health U.S. Government-priority countries by 4 deaths per 1,000 live births as compared to a 2013 baseline.

Description:

USAID with its partners in the U.S. Government and the global community are committed to the goal of ending preventable child and maternal deaths. While many challenges remain, today, more than ever, we are equipped with the tools and knowledge to reach this goal. The health of mothers and children around the world is linked to improvements in maternal health, which inherently affect child health. Over the past two decades, there has been a nearly 50 percent reduction in maternal deaths, from 543,000 in 1990 to 287,000 in 2010. Meanwhile, the annual number of under-five deaths declined from 12.6 million in 1990 to 6.6 million in 2012. While under-five mortality is declining faster now than in the past two decades, with the annual rate of reduction more than tripling in 2005-2012 compared to the rate in 1990-1995, 18,000 children still die every day. The U.S. cannot act alone and in order to meet the Millennium Development Goal Four (Reduce Child Mortality) target by its agreed date of 2015, an additional 3.5 million children's lives above the current trend rate will need to be saved between 2013 and 2015.

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Agency Priority Goals

FY 14-15: Global Health

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