USGLC

America’s Global Economic Leadership:
A Strategic Return on U.S. Investments

In today’s interconnected world, America’s economic prosperity is directly tied to the global economy.

The reasons are simple: 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the United States, and international trade supports 41 million American jobs. This means that the United States cannot turn its economic sights inward and hope to thrive, and American businesses cannot sell only to a domestic audience and expect to compete globally.

America’s global economic leadership generates an enormous return on investment that helps create millions of good and quality jobs here at home. Our nation’s diplomats and development workers help build stability in developing countries, tackle the root causes of violence, and create business-friendly environments for American companies to flourish.

Top Facts

  • 11 of our 15 top export markets today are former recipients of U.S. foreign assistance.
  • American diplomats and Foreign Commercial Service Officers have facilitated more than $18 billion in investments in overseas markets for hundreds of U.S. companies since 2011.
  • U.S. development financing by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has supported more than $200 billion of American private investment, generating $80 billion in U.S. exports and supporting more than 280,000 American jobs.
  • For every $1 the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) invested in its programs, the agency generated $85 in exports by American businesses.
  • The initial U.S. commitment of $7 billion to Power Africa leveraged over $40 billion in private sector commitments.

Key Recommendations

  • Increase and streamline opportunities for partnership between American businesses and the State Department and U.S. development agencies on global challenges.
  • Expand U.S. trade and development finance tools – that come at no net cost to the American taxpayer – to boost their ability to help American businesses compete in fast growing economies when commercial finance is unavailable.
  • Extend America’s capacity to engage in commercial diplomacy by growing the cadre of Foreign Service Officers trained in economics to ensure U.S. companies can compete in the global marketplace.
  • Sustain a strong and effective International Affairs Budget to ensure diplomacy and development can meet today’s global challenges and deliver the best possible value for American taxpayers.

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