SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY MAKES REMARKS AT WORLD CULTURAL ECONOMIC FORUM

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

World Cultural Economic Forum
Remarks
Reta Jo Lewis
Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs
New Orleans, LA

May 2, 2013
Good morning and thank you for that kind introduction.

Governors, mayors, ministers, ambassadors, and other esteemed guests representing cities and countries around the world, it is a sincere privilege to be here with all of you. We are grateful that Ambassador Sergey Kislyak of the Russian Federation, with whom I have had the privilege to work, and the Ambassadors of Canada and Bangladesh have joined us today.

I would like to thank Mayor Landrieu and the City of New Orleans and the U.S. Conference of Mayors for hosting this dynamic program dedicated to driving the creation of vibrant cities. I am delighted to bring greetings from Secretary of State John F. Kerry to each of you as you gather to explore new ways to harness the power of culture as a force for economic and social change. What better city than New Orleans to host this event. Over the years, the people of New Orleans have demonstrated the resilience of the American spirit. We have witnessed New Orleans City leaders work tirelessly to build a stronger and more secure community.

During your time in New Orleans, you will have the chance to experience all that Louisiana has to offer – its art, music, cuisine, history, and more. I expect you will build new partnerships, meet like-minded leaders, and find new ways to cultivate the unique culture of your own city. And, hopefully, you will leave New Orleans with a deeper understanding of our shared history and the ties that bind our cities together.

As the Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs, I lead the U.S. Department of State’s efforts to collaborate with state and local leaders and their counterparts abroad to foster economic, cultural, and educational relationships. My office is charged with building strategic peer-to-peer relationships with U.S. state and local officials and their foreign counterparts around the world.

In this context, pragmatic global partnerships between mayors from cities around the world that focus on solutions are essential to solving global challenges, such as climate change, human trafficking, poverty, food security, governance, and transnational crime.

U.S. foreign policy traditionally will be focused on nation-to-nation relationships. But the scope of what defines nation-to-nation conversations are shifting in the modern, more global, and more flattened world – rendering city-to-city, and state-to-state dialogues just as critical to the larger context of executing, implementing, and achieving a nation’s overarching diplomatic goals.

We understand that building peer-to-peer relationships between state and local elected officials has a direct effect on foreign policy that often goes unrecognized. Building these relationships and encouraging these engagements at the subnational level has the potential to be a force multiplier, expanding the reach and effectiveness of soft power.

Peer-to-peer relationships provide state and local leaders around the globe with an intimate glance into the American way of life, and, more importantly, into our democratic institutions and system of governance. Even at a more basic but equally important level, these interactions develop trust – an attribute essential to developing strong bilateral ties.

Confronting some of the most difficult global challenges will require innovative approaches to complex problems. Subnational engagement promotes the interchange of ideas and the adoption of best practices across different spheres. These peer-to-peer relationships between local leaders are critical if we are going to address difficult issues like climate change and urbanization.

One of the most serious challenges that we face today is the economy. When I started this job three and a half years ago, I reached out to local leaders in the United States who were engaging internationally, and asked them how the U.S. Department of State could assist them. The number one answer was to promote economic growth within their communities. Mayors and governors lead foreign trade missions because it is in their interest to do so. It is in the interest of our national economy to help local officials succeed in promoting their city or state, and ultimately making connections that lead to trade flows and economic growth which benefit all of us.

We have come to know that subnational engagement utilizes our state and local leaders as an extraordinary source of innovation, talent, resources, and knowledge. After all, it is the state and cities that are the engines of growth at the ground level where the transition from policy to practice becomes most visible.

Twenty-first century global challenges require us to work with new partners to collaborate and innovate globally to address common challenges. This is a core principal of subnational engagement, a strategy for creating partnerships for achieving modern diplomatic goals by including and engaging all the elements of our national power and leveraging all forms of our strength.

When former Secretary of State Clinton created the Office of Global Intergovernmental Affairs in 2010, she emphasized the need to utilize local leaders as a key component in the much needed, widespread, and deep-rooted efforts to take on our world’s greatest challenges. A key part of that charge is empowering subnational officials to lead their states and cities to a stable and secure future.

My job is to connect what the Federal Government does best with what state and local governments are doing and can do globally.

To that end, the Office of Global Intergovernmental Affairs, in conjunction with U.S. Embassies and bureaus, has led the negotiations and secured collaboration frameworks confirming commitments to prioritize subnational engagement with: Brazil (U.S.-Brazil Memorandum of Understanding to Support State and Local Cooperation), China (Memorandum of Understanding Supporting U.S.-China Subnational Cooperation), India (U.S.-India Conversation Between Cities), and Russia (Joint Statement on Strengthening U.S.-Russian Interregional Cooperation). In addition, we work closely with the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission.

The establishment of these four historic agreements provides opportunities for state and local leaders to increase exports, foreign direct investment, tourism, and other economic activity to support job creation and global competitiveness. Additionally, these cooperative frameworks allow subnational leaders to form innovative partnerships for education and sustainability. Advancing global collaboration at the local level is a catalyst for positive economic impact in cities across the nation.

We also have facilitated opportunities for state and local participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum events in Kansas City, MO in 2010, and Cincinnati, OH in 2012. The AGOA events were attended by African ministers of trade, infrastructure, and energy, as well as African business leaders and entrepreneurs.

I am also in New Orleans this week to advance U.S.-Brazil subnational cooperation. My office and the State Department Bureau of Diplomatic Security are co-hosting a two-day Symposium on Security for Major Sporting Events. We convened security officials from the Brazilian states which will host the 2014 World Cup games and officials from eight U.S. federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies responsible for the organization and support of Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans to share best practices on the coordination of the largest annual sporting event in the United States. The recent tragedy in Boston reminds us of the importance of effective collaboration with local officials on the security of major events. The experience underscored the importance of heightened U.S.-Brazil cooperation on security.

Over the past three and a half years, I have worked closely with U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Thomas A. Shannon Jr., Mission Brazil and the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs to expand relationships between U.S. mayors and governors and their counterparts in Brazil to encourage collaboration in areas of mutual interest, such as education, cultural and technical exchange, economic growth, sustainable development, democracy, social inclusion, and preparation for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In April 2012, the United States and Brazil signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to Support State and Local Cooperation. This agreement affirms our mutual resolve to strengthen and expand cooperation and encourage peer-to-peer exchanges between subnational officials and local populations. These exchanges further enable local governments to bolster trade and investment, share ideas and best practices, and advance local priorities, while contributing to mutual understanding between our two countries.

In support of this agreement, I have traveled to Brazil and visited almost all of the host cities and states of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. My travels and direct contact with federal and local leaders have provided an excellent opportunity to bolster collaboration between local officials in Brazil and the United States. In addition, U.S.-Brazil cooperative efforts have focused on building economic opportunities for the U.S. private sector through Brazil’s unique position as host of these events.

At the request of Brazil’s Ministry of Sports, I traveled to Sao Paulo and Brasilia in November of last year with a dynamic delegation of sports and entertainment business leaders. The delegation’s collective and diverse experience enabled discussion on a variety of themes within the context of the mega-sporting events, including business opportunities, the creation of a positive legacy, the importance of community involvement, and racial and social inclusion. It also demonstrated the many possibilities for public and private sector engagement with the United States.

I returned to Brazil in March with a delegation of U.S. Government, private sector, and business leaders to further these discussions. We met with key interlocutors who are working actively to expand opportunities for partnerships between U.S. and Brazil state and local officials and the private sectors. Key meetings included discussions with: the Ministry of Foreign Relations; Agnelo Queiroz, Governor, Federal District of Brazil; the Minister of Justice, Special Secretariat for Security for Major Sporting Events; the Minister of Sports; and the leadership of the National Council of State Administration.

These meetings were a great opportunity to talk about the continued U.S. commitment to assisting Brazil in a wide range of areas which included the Brazilians’ interest in collaboration on security; youth development and training; women in sports; social and racial inclusion; accessibility; English language training; and cultural exchanges.

With approximately 400 days until the start of the World Cup, we are moving rapidly on several fronts to promote U.S.-Brazil cooperation to support the organization of mega-sporting events.

I will leave you today with a quote from John Kerry’s first foreign policy address as Secretary of State at the University of Virginia on February 20, 2013: "In today’s global world, there is no longer anything foreign about foreign policy."

Secretary Kerry believes that the everyday lives of the American people are more intertwined than ever before with the lives of citizens in countries throughout the world. No one nation can stand alone.

In the global challenges of diplomacy, development, economic security, and environmental security, we will feel our success or failure just as strongly as people in cities throughout the world who we will never meet.

We must understand and utilize the positive connection between culture, people, the economy, and diplomacy worldwide.

I thank you for your time today. I hope you take full advantage of this wonderful program and come away with a deeper understanding of the American people – and with enduring friendships that will strengthen the ties of our cities.

STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS DIPLOMACY SUPPORTS U.S SMALL BUSINESS ABROAD

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Diplomatic Support for Small Business Abroad
Remarks Reta Jo Lewis
Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs Washington Forum 2012; The Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel
State International Development Organizations
Washington, DC
April 12, 2012

Good afternoon and thank you Manny for that very kind introduction.
I am delighted to have the opportunity to meet with SIDO as you devote two days to engaging in rich and substantive dialogue on ways to expand trade and investment opportunities for your states.

I was enthused when I learned that SIDO requested that I discuss how U.S. diplomacy supports American small businesses abroad. This topic is particularly timely in light of Secretary Clinton’s doctrine of “economic statecraft,” which places economics at the center of our foreign policy agenda.
Secretary Clinton firmly believes that America’s foreign policy can champion U.S. businesses abroad and drive recovery here at home, and also help provide a strong foundation and effective economic tools that can strengthen and sustain America’s global leadership.

Given the Department of State’s far-reaching work overseas, she asked the Department leadership to identify ways to use our platforms and relationships abroad to strengthen the connection between diplomacy and economics. In other words, she asked the Department of State to answer the question of what we can do for business.

In furtherance of this agenda, Secretary Clinton hosted the first-ever Global Business Conference at the Department of State in February. Over 200 private sector representatives from more than 120 countries met with senior U.S. Government officials to focus on regional issues and how we can move forward together to seize opportunities, grow the global economy, and create American jobs.

These issues have not always been a traditional focus for the State Department. So why, you might ask, is the Secretary of State now spending as much time thinking about market swings as missile silos?

Well, to put it very plainly, Americans need jobs. And every $1 billion of goods we export supports more than 5,000 jobs here at home – even more in industries like telecommunications and aerospace. That is why President Obama announced the National Export Initiative in his 2010 State of the Union address and set the ambitious goal of doubling America’s exports by the end of 2014. And, we are very proud that we now expect to hit that target ahead of schedule.

We also understand that America’s economic strength and our global leadership are a package deal. You’re not going to have one without the other. Our power in the 21st century depends not just on the size of our military but also on what we grow, how well we innovate, what we make, and how effectively we sell.

Finally, we fundamentally believe that increasing trade and growing prosperity will benefit not just our own people, but people everywhere. Our economies are interdependent as never before. America’s economic renewal depends to a large degree on the strength of the global economy, and the global economy depends on the strength of America.
Secretary Clinton has made “Jobs Diplomacy” a priority mission at the State Department, with the clear goal of being the most effective diplomatic champions for prosperity and growth.

To achieve these goals, Secretary Clinton has developed a plan which begins with good people and good partners.

So, the Department of State is improving training for diplomats in economics, finance, and markets, and working more closely with colleagues across government to leverage the best possible skills and resources. Secretary Clinton has directed all of our senior diplomats to conduct business outreach and advocacy when they travel overseas. In addition, the Secretary created a new, unified under secretariat for economic growth, energy, and the environment.

Effective Jobs Diplomacy also requires partners on the ground with deep knowledge and extensive networks – and that is why American chambers of commerce and other bilateral trade associations are at the heart of our effort.

So we train our people, we find our partners, but the real questions is: Can Jobs Diplomacy deliver results that make a difference to Americans throughout the country, to the bottom line of companies and to the daily lives of U.S. citizens?
We are pursuing three lines of action to do just that: first, promoting U.S. businesses; second, attracting investment back to the United States; and third, leveling the playing field for fair competition.

Let’s start with how we advocate for U.S. companies trying to win contracts and make sales. This is not about picking winners and losers. It’s about helping all American companies put the best foot forward overseas to get a fair shot in every market.

The State Department is the face of the United States in over 190 countries and at 274 posts around the world. We fight for the rights of the business community. Over the past 60 years, we have helped establish the rules and institutions to safeguard healthy economic competition and spur unprecedented global growth.

For decades, our diplomats, trade negotiators, agriculture experts, and commercial service officers have worked hard to advocate for U.S. businesses. We have over 1,000 State Department economic officers around the world who strive to help American companies, large and small, compete, connect, and win.

We support American businesses overseas by providing commercial information and identifying market opportunities for American firms, advocating on their behalf and encouraging corporate responsibility. We answer questions from the business community and provide information on important issues such as corruption and bribery in overseas markets, export controls on sensitive equipment and technologies, and business-related visas for employees, partners, and clients of U.S. firms. The State Department Business Visa Center in Washington, D.C. assists businesses located in the United States by providing information about the application process for business visitor visa travel to the United States.

Jobs Diplomacy is not just about the giants of business. We are just as committed to helping small and medium-sized businesses. After all, that is where most of the jobs are in the United States. For example, when Iceland began looking for help converting its vehicles to electric power, our embassy championed a dynamic startup from Loveland, Ohio that does this work as well as anyone in the world. And in the end, the Ohio company won a contract worth $500 million and sold 1,000 electric SUVs.

The second focus of Jobs Diplomacy is helping to attract foreign direct investment – we call it “Global Investment” – into American communities. In order to make attracting and retaining foreign investment in the United States a priority across our government, President Obama launched last summer SelectUSA, a federal initiative to attract and retain foreign investment. The Departments of State and Commerce are working hand-in-hand on this program and we are already seeing results. Together we are looking for foreign companies and investors in the top 25 overseas markets to come to your states to make investments.

Several of our embassies have hosted programs for U.S. governors, and have supported promotional agendas for many states, cities and regions from across the United States. For example, the U.S. Commercial Service in Spain has developed the ServiceSolutionsUSA initiative which promotes business links between Spanish investors and American service providers, including lawyers, accountants and consultants. ServiceSolutionsUSA introduces Spanish investors to U.S. service providers as well as to state economic development offices from all 50 states. Many American service providers have already successfully supported Spanish investors in the United States, and this service is now being replicated at other U.S. Embassies.

In furtherance of the Secretary’s vision, the Office of Global Intergovernmental Affairs has leveraged U.S. state and local officials in our economic strategy in China and India, among other nations.

My office supported the establishment of the U.S. China Governors Forum in 2011 which brought together American and Chinese governors to discuss trade and investment, energy, the environment, agriculture, and education issues. And not long afterwards, one of the largest heavy equipment manufacturers in China announced a $60 million investment in Peachtree City, Georgia, with plans to add an additional $25 million across the state and hire 300 engineers in the next five years.

The U.S. Embassy and five Consulates in China work with our office, in cooperation with the Foreign Commercial Service and Foreign Agricultural Service, to provide tailored programs and services to U.S. governors visiting China. At the same time, Ambassador Gary Locke has made promoting U.S. exports and facilitating bilateral investment a top priority. In addition, the U.S. Mission to China works hard to counter the mistaken impression in China that the United States discriminates against Chinese investment.
We also collaborated with Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley on his historic trade mission to India in 2011. In preparation for the mission, our office, the U.S. Mission to India, including the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, worked closely with Governor O’Malley’s Office, the Maryland Secretary of State’s Office, and Signe Pringle, Program Director of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, who is here with us today. The mission opened new doors between the State of Maryland and India to strengthen trade and investment.

Two Indian companies plan investments in Maryland and eight Maryland businesses signed deals with Indian partners, with a combined total of nearly $60 million in business deals for the state and several additional deals worth millions still on the horizon.

We continue to work with city and state leaders to help them replicate these successes.
The third focus of Jobs Diplomacy is leveling the playing field for all, so American companies can compete and succeed everywhere. The United States is committed to a global economic system that is open, free, transparent, and fair. And we’re working to institutionalize those norms in regional and global trade agreements and institutions. We’re pushing for reforms that allow more people in more places to participate in the formal economy – especially women.

We stand up for entire industries. For instance, our team in Australia helped beat back unwarranted legal actions against American pork producers, leading to a significant increase in exports last year.
And, we stand up for small companies, like the bedding producer in Washington State that faced a crisis when Canadian regulators hit its products with a higher tariff. After the State Department, working closely with the Canadian Embassy, intervened, the Canadian regulators realized they had made a mistake and reversed their decision.

Big or small, we’re standing up for an economic system that benefits everyone. The State Department is here to help. So when businesses confront unfair regulations, when they need help cutting through red tape, of if they just want advice on local customs, they can come to the State Department.

To make this even easier, in key markets across the world, our ambassadors are now holding monthly conference calls with the U.S. business community.

We’re standardizing commercial information on all of our embassy websites so U.S. companies can find the answers they need in one place. This will complement the newly launched BusinessUSA website, a virtual one-stop for the services and information companies need to help them grow, hire, and export.

In addition, the State Department has established the Direct Line program which provides a unique opportunity for American businesses, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises, to engage directly via teleconference with U.S. ambassadors overseas. The program is open to American companies which are already in the country where the ambassador serves or which are interested in expanding their businesses into those countries.

So, these are all the ways in which Jobs Diplomacy is helping deliver results. And in the days and months ahead, we’re going to push even harder. We will not rest until the U.S. Government is the most effective champion of business and trade anywhere.
We look forward to working with you on your international needs.