U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs

The #BlueDotNetwork welcomes its newest member - Government of Montenegro! Montenegro’s membership in the Blue Dot Network demonstrates its commitment to quality #infrastructure and our common goal to raise infrastructure standards globally. We look forward to working with Montenegro to raise awareness of the value of BDN certification for quality infrastructure projects in Montenegro and around the world.

We’re still enjoying the celebratory atmosphere from yesterday's 25th-annual Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence ceremony at the State Department! This year's winners represent the best of what the U.S. private sector brings when it invests and operates in foreign countries.  We at the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs are proud to work daily with and on behalf of companies to model and celebrate the values of creativity, stewardship, equal opportunity, sustainability, and respect for human rights.  U.S. companies are ambassadors in their own right of the approach that makes U.S. business the partners of choice in the world economy.  Microsoft Newmont Corporation RIZOME BAMBOO Bank of America Koster Keunen: https://lnkd.in/gAf8FWrf Parker Clay: https://lnkd.in/gT2sdpyU U.S. Embassy in the Philippines U.S. Embassy Bogotá, Colombia U.S. Consulate General Mumbai

Remember to join us 1:20 pm EST Tuesday, Oct. 22 on the U.S. Department of State's youtube channel (https://lnkd.in/gDwMrkh3) and at www.state.gov to watch this year’s 25th annual Secretary’s Award for Corporate Excellence ceremony! Will we see you there?  

In their own words: Since 1999, the U.S. Secretary of State has awarded the Secretary’s Award for Corporate Excellence to U.S. firms that represent that highest level of corporate responsibility and community membership.  Here’s a look back at previous secretaries and what they had to say about the companies they’ve honored. 2024 Winners: Microsoft Newmont Corporation RIZOME BAMBOO Bank of America Koster Keunen: https://lnkd.in/gAf8FWrf Parker Clay: https://lnkd.in/gT2sdpyU

ITSI is moving fast.  You may have missed some of our updates from the past month, but we’re here to catch you up.  Suffice to say, semiconductor supply chains are already seeing the benefit of the hard work our partners and the US government are putting in.      Aug. 25: Costa Rica launched its workforce development partnership with Arizona State University.  They’ll aim to help Costa Rica boost its training of skilled technicians in the assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) portion of the semiconductor value chain via tools like ASU’s ATP Workforce Accelerator.   Sept. 5: The Second Americas Partnership Semiconductor Symposium, hosted in Mexico City, highlighted the important work Western Hemisphere partners are already doing to strengthen the semiconductor ecosystem and supply chain. Department Chief Economic Chad Bown and Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and The Environment Amb. Lisa Kubiske told attendees that their work was at the forefront of powering the world economy. “I don’t have to tell this audience the importance of resilient supply chains. Diverse and resilient semiconductor supply chains are critical for the economic prosperity and well-being of people in the Americas and around the world.”     Sept. 9: We welcomed our latest partner India to the ITSI network.  India is our latest key partner in ensuring the global semiconductor supply chain keeps pace with the global digital transformation currently underway.  This new partnership underscores the potential to expand India’s semiconductor industry to the benefit of all ITSI nations.      Sept. 11: Vietnam launched its ASU partnership on workforce development. “This initiative is a significant step in strengthening Vietnam’s semiconductor industry and fostering collaboration between our country and the United States,” said Minister Nguyen Chi Dzung, Ministry of Planning and Investment “By investing in workforce development and public policy, we aim to solidify Vietnam’s position as a vital player in the global semiconductor supply chain.”    Sept. 24: The OECD Semiconductor Informal Exchange Network, or SIEM, convenes its seventh meeting, this time in London. The main outcome? Developing a database that identifies key characteristics of the semiconductor ecosystem, which will help policymakers understand the geographic distribution of semiconductor manufacturing capacity and the interdependencies between companies and economies.      Sept. 25: Philippines joins ASU’s workforce program.   https://lnkd.in/gPwpvnAx   Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, India AmCham Costa Rica

Millennium Challenge Corporation grants like this one with Sierra Leone reflect our commitment to fostering economic development around the world. Protection of democratic rights and economic stability mean a safer, more secure world in which people can thrive and achieve their goals.   Learn more about our initiatives and partnerships in this area here: https://lnkd.in/gynsZ9kg

On Sept. 19 we released the annual Fiscal Transparency Report. https://lnkd.in/gQismvrP What is it? It's a study where we take stock of 139 governments and the Palestinian Authority by providing a window into how these governments budget and spend. Why do this, you ask? Fiscal transparency helps citizens hold their elected leaders and public officials accountable and facilitates better-informed public debate. We review every country that receives foreign assistance from the US government to ensure both their citizens and US taxpayers can find out how that money is being spent.

Through the International Technology Security & Innovation Fund, we're working with our partners in Vietnam and Arizona State University to build a resilient semiconductor supply chain worldwide.

Did you know that today is #HungerActionDay ?  Part of fighting hunger is tackling climate change, improving agricultural productivity, and helping farmers use the latest technologies. #Farmcraft is a great way for young people around the world to join in. Sign up for our Fall Challenges at nasef.org/farmcraft  and join the 21,000 students across the world taking action. Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations

Here's the kind of cooperative development ITSI partners can look forward to thanks to our new pact with Arizona State University. The United States believes it is critical for our partners and allies to work together to diversify critical supply chains and collaborate on technologies of the future to support our shared economic growth, security, and democratic values.