State and USAID - FY 2013 Budget

Washington, DC

February 13, 2012

The President’s FY 2013 Budget for the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) strengthens U.S. national security, advances America’s economic interests, and elevates America’s global leadership through diplomacy and development. It supports U.S. businesses, protects Americans at home and abroad, and stops the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It supports our allies and partners, prevents conflict, promotes democracy, and reflects our core values.

Making up just 1 percent of the U.S. Government’s overall budget, the Department of State/USAID budget totals $51.6 billion. The request provides the most cost-efficient way to ensure diplomats and development experts have the resources necessary to address complex threats to our national security and promote our economic renewal.

Overview of the President’s Budget proposal for State/USAID

• Includes $43.4 billion for the core budget, which funds the long-term national security mission of the Department and USAID.
• Provides $8.2 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) to support the extraordinary and temporary costs of civilian-led programs and missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
• Supports U.S. engagement with the government and people of 190 countries across the globe.
• Builds upon our commitment to job creation at home and economic statecraft by giving our people the tools to better help American companies compete overseas; build future trading partners; and facilitate legitimate travel by U.S. citizens and international businesspeople and tourists.
• Continues to fulfill the Administration’s commitment to elevating development as a core pillar of US foreign policy through targeted investments with measurable returns, consistent with the principles in the President’s Policy Directive on Global Development (PPD-6) and the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR).
• Supports the President’s new commitment to treat 6 million people with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2013.
• Proposes a new Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund to better position the United States to quickly respond to dramatic changes in the region and incentivize reforms.
• Devotes resources where they are most needed to achieve foreign policy and development goals, reflecting hard trade-offs. Specifically, this budget:

o Reduces funding for Europe and Eurasia by 18 percent to reflect the successful transition of a number of countries to market-based democracies and eliminates the stand alone Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia account.

o Reflects over $100 million in FY 2012-FY 2013 administrative savings through administrative reforms.

o Enhances consular resources in areas with high demands for visas, including Brazil and China, generating tourism in the U.S. and new business opportunities for American companies. This work will be funded out of fees generated by the increase in visa applications.

o Limits the Department’s planned expansion of the Foreign Service by extending the timeframe for the goal of a 25 percent increase while focusing modest staff growth on highest priority programs and countries.

o Scales back funding for overseas construction for one year, despite ongoing need for newer, more secure diplomatic facilities.

o Normalizes the Development Leadership Initiative (DLI) within USAID Operating Expenses and does not request additional USAID Foreign Service positions for FY 2013.

• Supports major changes outlined in the QDDR and PPD-6 by allocating resources to goals with the greatest impact:

o Reorganizes to establish three new State Department bureaus focusing on high-priority issues of counterterrorism and energy, and reorganizes and renames the Conflict and Stabilization Operations bureau to better fulfill conflict prevention missions;

o Continues to expand the application of science, technology, and innovation in USAID and State Department programs to ensure the most efficient and effective use of assistance funding; and

o Encourages whole-of-government approaches to development in emerging global markets, especially in the Partnership for Growth countries of El Salvador, the Philippines, Ghana, and Tanzania.

Supporting our Work in Frontline States ($11.9 billion):

“Improving governance, creating economic opportunity, supporting civil society is vital to solidifying our military gains and advancing our political and diplomatic goals.”-Secretary Clinton, June 2011

• Iraq: $4.8 billion ($4.0 billion OCO and $770 million core)

o $2.0 billion in assistance, including $1.8 billion to fund police training and military assistance programs transitioned from the Department of Defense (DoD). Investments in health, education, and private sector development continue to decline as these programs transition to the Government of Iraq.

o $2.7 billion in operations funding supports the Embassy and three consulates as well as public outreach programs to strengthen ties with the Iraqi people.

o This is approximately 10% less than in FY-12.

• Afghanistan: $4.6 billion ($3.2 billion OCO and $1.4 billion core)

o $2.5 billion in assistance for counterterrorism-related programs, economic growth, reconciliation and reintegration, and capacity building, as well as to support progress in governance, rule of law, counternarcotics, agriculture, health, and education.

o $2.1 billion supports the expansion of the diplomatic and interagency presence, the extraordinary costs of security in a conflict zone, and public diplomacy programs to build long-lasting bridges with civil society.

• Pakistan: $2.4 billion ($959 million OCO and $1.5 billion core)

o $2.2 billion in assistance to strengthen democratic and civil institutions that provide a bulwark against extremism, and support joint security and counterterrorism efforts, including $800 million for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund.

o $197 million supports the U.S. government’s civilian presence, as well as programs for engagement with civil society.

• Other Frontline States-Related Costs: $95 million OCO. $95 million provides funding for additional USAID administrative costs and the cost to administer the Iraq military assistance program.

Improving Global Human and Economic Security ($14.7 billion):

“We need to continue shifting our approach and our thinking from aid to investment, investments targeted to produce tangible returns... Wise investors choose their investments carefully, they manage for risks, and they amplify their impact by trying to draw even more participants to the table”-Secretary Clinton, Busan Aid Effectiveness Forum, November 2011

• $9.3 billion for critical interventions in health, food security, and climate change, as outlined in the PPD as presidential initiatives:

o $7.9 billion for the Global Health Initiative (GHI), including $5.4 billion for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The budget supports President Obama’s call for an AIDS-free generation with the goal of providing lifesaving treatment to six million people globally by the end of 2013. The request also includes $2.5 billion for USAID managed programs that build on significant progress to date and focus resources on key areas where the United States can make a marked difference in the struggle against pandemics and disease, including saving mothers and children through high-impact interventions such as malaria prevention and child vaccination programs.

o $1.0 billion for the global hunger and food security initiative, Feed the Future, to reduce poverty, hunger, and under-nutrition through sustainable investments in agriculture-focused economic growth. Together with the Department of Treasury’s contribution to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, this funding will enable the United States to reach millions of beneficiaries. The request supports implementing country-owned strategies that integrate the efforts of smallholder farmers, the private sector, governments, and civil society and provides them with the tools to achieve sustainable results.

o $469.5 million for Global Climate Change to address the environmental, economic, and social ramifications of global climate change through programs that develop clean energy economies; combat deforestation; and help vulnerable countries build resilience to withstand extreme weather and rising sea levels.

• $4.0 billion in humanitarian assistance to provide life-saving interventions for victims of conflict, natural disasters, and persecution, including $1.4 billion for food aid, $1.7 billion to aid refugees and conflict victims, and $960 million for disaster assistance.
• $1.3 billion to support development investments in the world’s poorest and most unstable nations, helping to stabilize societies and open new markets for U.S. goods.

Strengthening Partnerships and Preventing Conflict ($14.6 billion):

“American leadership must be as dynamic as the challenges we face. We have to be ready to adapt and innovate, and that might mean leveraging new groups of nations to work on specific issues.” – Secretary Clinton, Speech on American Global Leadership at the Center for American Progress, October 2011

• $770 million for a new Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund to respond strategically to the historical changes taking place across the region. The Fund will incentivize long-term economic, political and trade reforms—key pillars of stability—by supporting governments that demonstrate a commitment to undergo meaningful change and empower their people.
• $5.1 billion in military assistance to support ongoing partnerships worldwide, including $3.1 billion for Israel, $1.3 billion for Egypt, $300 million for Jordan, and approximately $400 million for 70 other strategic partners around the world. This budget also provides $93.1 million in the International Military Education and Training account to promote regional stability and defense capabilities through professional military education and training.
• $2.7 billion in economic and transition assistance to help strengthen and stabilize developing countries and countries in transition from conflict. This includes investing in building governing capacity, reform, and conflict mitigation in recently independent South Sudan; supporting continued democratic development in Liberia; post-earthquake reconstruction in Haiti; and encouraging reform in Burma.
• $4.1 billion in contributions to international organizations (voluntary and assessed) to support cooperation and security in accordance with U.S. law:

o $1.5 billion to meet U.S. obligations to nearly 50 international organizations, including the United Nations.

o $2.1 billion to support the US share of international peacekeeping missions, including critical operations in Somalia, Sudan and Darfur, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Haiti, and Liberia.

o $535.9 million for voluntary contributions to international organizations, including UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Development Program (UNDP), and to peacekeeping missions worldwide in order to diminish and resolve conflict, enhance partner countries’ capabilities to participate in peacekeeping operations and address counterterrorism threats, and reform professional military forces.

• $531.7 million for anti-terrorism and non-proliferation programs including support for programs that counter violent extremism and terrorist finance, and address the humanitarian threat posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
• $932.5 million for rule of law, police development, and counterdrug programs worldwide, including protecting our borders and repelling the reach of criminal organizations and gang violence.
• $56.5 million for Conflict Stabilization Operations to provide rapid responders to crisis regions, support conflict prevention efforts, and stabilize crises and set the conditions for the transition to long-term peace. These funds will support overseas deployments and the management of the civilian response corps for expeditionary operations.

• $75 million to address emergent national security challenges, including through the existing Complex Crisis Fund ($50 million), and the new Global Security Contingency Fund ($25 million) introduced in FY 2012, which integrates Defense and State resources to address security crises.
• $254 million to support bilateral international commissions, foreign affairs foundations and research centers. This includes academic institutions such as the Asia Foundation, exchange programs that include Eisenhower Fellowships, and multilateral organizations such as the International Fisheries Commission.

Supporting America’s Global Presence ($10.4 billion):

“Leading through civilian power saves lives and money. With the right tools, training, and leadership, our diplomats and development experts can defuse crises before they explode and create new opportunities for economic growth.” – Secretary Clinton, December 2010

• $6.5 billion to support civilians in embassies, missions, and consulates around the world (not including the Frontline States), as well as at our headquarters in Washington. The request includes the following priorities:

o $507.4 million for public diplomacy to engage foreign audiences and win support for U.S. foreign policy goals, programs that include engaging with civil society in transition countries such as Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt (including the Frontline States, the total Public Diplomacy Request is $541.7 million).

o $1.4 billion in security for diplomatic personnel, information and facilities at our worldwide posts.

o $4.5 billion to fund other requirements, including staffing, operations and programs for our bureaus, envoys, and more than 270 posts overseas and in the United States, and funding for 121 new positions (83 Foreign Service and 38 civil service) in high priority programs and regions.

• $1.5 billion to fund USAID operations, including USAID core staffing and security requirements in the Frontline States, and funding for the Implementation and Procurement Reform Initiative of USAID Forward.
• $1.6 billion for security-related construction, major facility rehabilitation, and operational requirements at embassies, consulates, and missions worldwide. Supports the construction of new embassy compounds in Chad, the Hague, and fit-out of the U.S. Mission’s wing of the new NATO headquarters nearing completion in Brussels. Also continues the $270 million capital maintenance cost-sharing program initiated in FY 2012.
• $83.3 million for investment in essential modernization of information technology through the Department of State’s Capital Investment Fund.
• $587.0 million for exchange programs that give U.S. citizens broad exposure to the world and help foreign students better understand the United States. Scholarship programs and cultural exchanges such as the Fulbright Program advance U.S. national interests by preparing the next generation of leaders to work together to tackle global challenges.
• $200 million for activities including financial oversight work of inspector general, support of American citizens for repatriation loans, and the protection of foreign missions and officials in the United States. These programs also fund a wide-range of other activities, including support for the evacuation of American citizens from nations in crisis.

The Central America Regional Security Initiative: Enhanced Levels of Cooperation and Coordination

Fact Sheet

Bureau of Public Affairs

February 6, 2012

“We'll work closely with regional partners like Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Canada, and international partners like Spain, the European Union and the Inter-American Development Bank. This has to be a coordinated effort that draws on the unique expertise of different countries and institutions.” – President Barack Obama

The Five Goals of CARSI in Central America: 1. Create safe streets for the citizens of the region; 2. Disrupt the movement of criminals and contraband to, within, and between the nations of Central America; 3. Support the development of strong, capable, and accountable Central American governments; 4. Re-establish effective state presence, services and security in communities at risk; and 5. Foster enhanced levels of coordination and cooperation between the nations of the region, other international partners, and donors to combat regional security threats.

CARSI – An Integrated, Collaborative Regional Security Program 
The Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) responds to these threats and supplements the strategies and programs the nations of Central America are implementing on their own and in cooperation with other countries. CARSI is coordinated with other nations, international financial institutions, the private sector, civil society, and the Central American Integration System (SICA). It is a coordinated approach that draws upon the expertise and efforts of like-minded donors supporting the citizen safety goals of Central American countries.

Seven Unique Nations Facing Common Threats and Challenges
Although each of the countries of Central America faces unique threats to its citizens, many challenges require regional coordination and cooperation. Central American governments share a desire to break the power, violence, and impunity of the region’s drug, gang, and criminal organizations and strengthen law enforcement and judicial institutions so they can advance the rule of law, resist corruption, and prevent the spread of organized crime. Central America also seeks greater cooperation with other countries, such as the United States, Colombia and Mexico, for support in securing the region’s borders and countering criminal activities originating outside Central America.

U.S. Assistance – Fostering Cooperation – Encouraging Coordination
The United States is moving quickly to help build the capacity of Central American states individually and collectively to arrest and reverse a rapidly deteriorating security environment that jeopardizes citizen safety and the rule of law. A wide range of donors, governments, international financial institutions, and multilateral entities are working to address the Central American security crisis and other development priorities. As efforts to improve the security situation in Central America expand, and donor budgets become strained, the United States, the countries of Central America, and other partners need to focus international assistance as effectively as possible to advance the region’s highest priority citizen safety objectives. The United States will forge consensus with our partners in the region, the Central American Integration System (SICA), donor nations, and international organizations to develop citizen safety goals and priorities, and to come to agreement on the effective coordination, rationalization, and streamlining of high-impact programs to make them effective and sustainable.

For more information related to the Central America Regional Security Initiative, please visit our website at http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/carsi/index.htm.

The Central America Regional Security Initiative: State Presence and Security in At-Risk Communities

Fact Sheet

Bureau of Public Affairs

February 6, 2012

“Every citizen, regardless of where the man or woman comes from, who their parents might be, what kind of village or family they came from, is entitled to his or her rightful share of social, political, economic and civic power.” – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Five Goals of CARSI in Central America: 1. Create safe streets for the citizens of the region; 2. Disrupt the movement of criminals and contraband to, within, and between the nations of Central America; 3. Support the development of strong, capable, and accountable Central American governments; 4. Re-establish effective state presence, services and security in communities at risk; and 5. Foster enhanced levels of coordination and cooperation between the nations of the region, other international partners, and donors to combat regional security threats.

CARSI – An Integrated, Collaborative Regional Security Program 
The Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) responds to these threats and supplements the strategies and programs the nations of Central America are implementing on their own and in cooperation with other countries. CARSI is coordinated with other nations, international financial institutions, the private sector, civil society, and the Central American Integration System (SICA). It is a coordinated approach that draws upon the expertise and efforts of like-minded donors supporting the citizen safety goals of Central American countries.

Communities at Risk
Gangs, narcotics traffickers, and organized criminal groups are making significant inroads throughout Central America – in many instances exerting control over entire communities and in vast areas of territory. Central American governments need more appropriate training, equipment, and political will to regain this lost territory and provide adequate levels of citizen safety, public services, and economic and social activity for citizens of the region. Although countries may suppress organized crime by stepping up law enforcement actions in areas with high criminal activity, few have developed long-term plans for a balanced prevention-intervention-law enforcement approach that addresses the root causes of criminal activity: a lack of access to basic services such as health care, high youth unemployment, insufficient educational opportunities, overburdened and inefficient justice systems, and increased levels of stress on families.

U.S. Assistance – A Balanced Approach: Prevention, Intervention, & Law Enforcement
The United States is assisting Central American governments in re-establishing effective state presence in communities at risk. CARSI supports and fosters community policing initiatives, enhances citizen-based crime prevention programs, develops economic and social programs to provide alternative livelihoods and activities for at-risk youth, and provides academic and technical training to break the cycle of poverty that yields recruits for gangs, traffickers, and organized crime. By taking back the neighborhoods of the region, citizens will again be capable of participating in the social and economic opportunities that can help them rise out of poverty, provide new opportunities for Central America’s youth, and increase social inclusion for marginalized groups throughout civil society.

For more information related to the Central America Regional Security Initiative, please visit our website at http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/carsi/index.htm.

The Central America Regional Security Initiative: Strong, Capable, and Accountable Central American Governments

Fact Sheet

Bureau of Public Affairs

February 6, 2012

“Strengthening the rule of law, attacking criminal organizations head-on, rehabilitating those who do fall into criminality while preventing young people from doing that in the first place, rooting out corruption, and ensuring accountable and effective institutions are essential.” – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Five Goals of CARSI in Central America: 1. Create safe streets for the citizens of the region; 2. Disrupt the movement of criminals and contraband to, within, and between the nations of Central America; 3. Support the development of strong, capable, and accountable Central American governments; 4. Re-establish effective state presence, services and security in communities at risk; and 5. Foster enhanced levels of coordination and cooperation between the nations of the region, other international partners, and donors to combat regional security threats.

CARSI – An Integrated, Collaborative Regional Security Program 
The Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) responds to these threats and supplements the strategies and programs the nations of Central America are implementing on their own and in cooperation with other countries. CARSI is coordinated with other nations, international financial institutions, the private sector, civil society, and the Central American Integration System (SICA). It is a coordinated approach that draws upon the expertise and efforts of like-minded donors supporting the citizen safety goals of Central American countries.

Developing Institutional Capacity
One of the key objectives of CARSI is supporting the development of strong, transparent and effective Central American governments and institutions. The violence and impunity of the region’s drug, gang, and criminal organizations present overwhelming challenges to governments already struggling to develop and maintain effective institutions. Central America needs greater investment in rule of law institutions, sufficient government revenues to support social services for the citizens of the region, and the creation of a culture that resists corruption. These investments will build confidence in public officials and government institutions by Central American citizens.

U.S. Assistance – Working with Governments to Strengthen Governments
The United States, through CARSI and complementary U.S. assistance programs supports host nation efforts to conduct profound and self-sustaining democratic reform to their law enforcement, prosecutorial, judicial, prison, and related rule of law institutions to increase institutional transparency and protect government institutions from criminal penetration and influence. Strong, accountable government presence in communities at risk to gangs, traffickers, and crime is also a critical objective. CARSI is assisting host government efforts to develop community and neighborhood-based programs to address the social and economic causes of crime and violence, and to increase citizen participation with law enforcement and government institutions in such efforts. CARSI is supporting Central American nations in their efforts to assess and collect taxes equitably from citizens and businesses as a means of funding government programs that will enhance citizen safety, improve rule of law institutions, and provide basic services to citizens.

For more information related to the Central America Regional Security Initiative, please visit our website at http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/carsi/index.htm.

The Central America Regional Security Initiative: Disrupt the Movement of Criminals and Contraband

Fact Sheet

Bureau of Public Affairs

February 6, 2012

“...Our greatest threat has moved to Central America, where traffickers and criminal gangs now facilitate the flow of up to 95% of all cocaine reaching the U.S. and threaten the very governments themselves.” – Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement Affairs William Brownfield

The Five Goals of CARSI in Central America: 1. Create safe streets for the citizens of the region; 2. Disrupt the movement of criminals and contraband to, within, and between the nations of Central America; 3. Support the development of strong, capable, and accountable Central American governments; 4. Re-establish effective state presence, services and security in communities at risk; and 5. Foster enhanced levels of coordination and cooperation between the nations of the region, other international partners, and donors to combat regional security threats.

CARSI – An Integrated, Collaborative Regional Security Program 
The Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) responds to these threats and supplements the strategies and programs the nations of Central America are implementing on their own and in cooperation with other countries. CARSI is coordinated with other nations, international financial institutions, the private sector, civil society, and the Central American Integration System (SICA). It is a coordinated approach that draws upon the expertise and efforts of like-minded donors supporting the citizen safety goals of Central American countries.

The Illicit Movement of Goods and People Threatens the Security of the Region
Narcotics traffickers and other criminal organizations continue to establish trafficking routes to and through Central America, leading to rising domestic drug consumption in Central American countries. The widespread availability of firearms, including weapons trafficked into the region, increases the incidence of violent crimes. The expansion of transnational gangs and their networks across Central America creates communities of fear where gangs effectively control entire neighborhoods. Organized crime seeks to rob governments of taxes and import duties by circumventing legitimate trade routes, reducing the ability of the state to fund and provide basic services to its citizens. Much as the United States has recognized its need to secure its borders, so have the nations of Central America.

U.S. Assistance – Securing Borders and Facilitating Legitimate Trade
Through CARSI, the United States is working with the nations of Central America to secure the region’s borders and to deny territory to drug and arms traffickers, gangs, and other organized criminal organizations that are exploiting the region to further their illicit activities. CARSI provides border security training, technical assistance and advisors, equipment, and investigative support to identify and disrupt trafficking networks and to prevent the movement of criminals and illicit goods within the region. U.S. activities support host nations’ interdiction efforts at airports, at sea and land ports of entry, in the littoral waters and airspace of the region, and in the region’s remote areas between formal border crossings.

For more information related to the Central America Regional Security Initiative, please visit our website at http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/carsi/index.htm.

The Central America Regional Security Initiative: Safe Streets

Fact Sheet

Bureau of Public Affairs

February 6, 2012

“Everyone knows the statistics, the murder rates surpassing civil war levels, the citizens who rank insecurity as their top concern, the violence that burdens economic development and foreign direct investment, the threats to democracy, the impacts on society’s most vulnerable populations, especially women and children.” – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Five Goals of CARSI in Central America: 1. Create safe streets for the citizens of the region; 2. Disrupt the movement of criminals and contraband to, within, and between the nations of Central America; 3. Support the development of strong, capable, and accountable Central American governments; 4. Re-establish effective state presence, services and security in communities at risk; and 5. Foster enhanced levels of coordination and cooperation between the nations of the region, other international partners, and donors to combat regional security threats.

CARSI – An Integrated, Collaborative Regional Security Program 
The Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) responds to these threats and supplements the strategies and programs the nations of Central America are implementing on their own and in cooperation with other countries. CARSI is coordinated with other nations, international financial institutions, the private sector, civil society, and the Central American Integration System (SICA). It is a coordinated approach that draws upon the expertise and efforts of like-minded donors supporting the citizen safety goals of Central American countries.

Insecurity Diminishes Economic and Social Opportunity
The deteriorating security situation in Central America is evident on the streets and within the neighborhoods of the region and has led to a rapid decline in citizen safety. In addition to increases in all types of crime, the region has some of the world’s highest per capita murder rates. The sense of insecurity on the streets of Central America reduces economic opportunity for citizens as they avoid taking public transportation and conducting basic daily tasks, such as shopping at public markets, for fear of being the victim of random or targeted crimes. Declining state security deters businesses from investing in the region and limits economic growth for the countries of Central America. Criminal groups exploit limits in law enforcement capabilities in the region, weak rule of law institutions, and official corruption. Criminal groups exercise control over neighborhoods and territory through intimidation and reduce the ability of governments to provide basic services such as health care and education services, to their citizens.

U.S. Assistance – Ensuring Citizen Safety – Taking Back the Streets
Through CARSI, the United States is assisting the governments of the region in their effort to take back the streets and create an improved citizen security environment with safer communities and a culture of lawfulness. CARSI programs enable Central American governments to weaken the structure – and diminish the influence and violence – of drug cartels, gangs, organized crime, arms traffickers, and other transnational criminal organizations. Through CARSI, the United States is implementing sustainable, high-impact programs in law enforcement training and professionalization, anti-gang activities, equipping police and security forces, sharing information within the region for the investigation and disruption of criminal activities, and assisting in the interdiction of narcotics, firearms, bulk cash, and smuggling.

For more information related to the Central America Regional Security Initiative, please visit our website at http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/carsi/index.htm.

The Central America Regional Security Initiative: A Shared Partnership

Fact Sheet

Bureau of Public Affairs

February 6, 2012

“The U.S. is committed to citizen safety in Central America…We are doing everything we can in the fight against corruption and impunity, in providing the equipment and the support that law enforcement and the military require, and helping to build civil society to stand against the scourge of drug trafficking.” – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

Citizen Safety Under Siege
Within Central America, the deteriorating security situation threatens citizen safety. Narcotics traffickers continue to establish trafficking routes to and through Central America. The continued expansion of national and transnational gangs creates communities of fear where gangs are effectively in control. Organized crime—from extortion to corrupt acts by government officials—robs citizens of confidence in their ability to earn a livelihood, provide for their families, and trust public officials for solutions.

The Five Goals of CARSI in Central America: 1. Create safe streets for the citizens of the region; 2. Disrupt the movement of criminals and contraband to, within, and between the nations of Central America; 3. Support the development of strong, capable, and accountable Central American governments; 4. Re-establish effective state presence, services and security in communities at risk; and 5. Foster enhanced levels of coordination and cooperation between the nations of the region, other international partners, and donors to combat regional security threats.

CARSI – An Integrated, Collaborative Regional Security Program 
The Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) responds to these threats and supplements the strategies and programs the nations of Central America are implementing on their own and in cooperation with other countries. CARSI is coordinated with other nations, international financial institutions, the private sector, civil society, and the Central American Integration System (SICA). It is a coordinated approach that draws upon the expertise and efforts of like-minded donors supporting the citizen safety goals of Central American countries.

U.S. Assistance – Meeting the Threat – Building Capacity
The $361 million in U.S. CARSI assistance since 2008 supports the following priorities in the Central American countries of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama:

• Assist law enforcement and security forces to confront narcotics and arms trafficking, gangs, organized crime, and border security deficiencies, as well as to disrupt criminal infrastructure, routes, and networks;
• Build the capacity of law enforcement and the justice sector to serve citizens and to address regional threats; and
• Advance community policing, gang prevention, and economic and social programming for at-risk youth and communities disproportionately affected by crime.

For more information related to the Central America Regional Security Initiative, please visit our website at http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/carsi/index.htm.

U.S. Support to Regional Efforts To Counter the Lord's Resistance Army

Updated

Washington, DC

February 7, 2012

In May 2010, President Obama signed into law the Lord’s Resistance (LRA) Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, which reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to support regional partners’ efforts to end the atrocities of the LRA in central Africa. For more than two decades, the LRA has murdered, raped, and kidnapped tens of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. In 2011, the LRA reportedly committed over 250 attacks. As of August 2011, the United Nations estimates that approximately 440,000 people are displaced across Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and South Sudan as a result of LRA activity.

The United States’ comprehensive, multi-year strategy seeks to help the Governments of Uganda, CAR, the DRC, and South Sudan as well as the African Union and United Nations to mitigate and end the threat posed to civilians and regional stability by the LRA. The strategy outlines four key objectives for U.S. support: (1) the increased protection of civilians, (2) the apprehension or removal of Joseph Kony and senior LRA commanders from the battlefield, (3) the promotion of defections and support of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of remaining LRA fighters, and (4) the provision of continued humanitarian relief to affected communities. To advance this strategy, the United States has sent a small number of military advisers to the LRA-affected region to enhance the capacity of the national militaries to pursue senior LRA commanders and to protect civilians. The U.S. Embassies in the region are also working closely with bilateral and multilateral partners to advance the strategy, and the Department of State has deployed a field representative to augment this engagement.

The lines of effort in which the United States is engaged include:

Increasing Civilian Protection: The protection of civilians is a priority for the U.S. strategy. National governments bear responsibility for civilian protection, and the United States is working to enhance their capacity to fulfill this responsibility. The United States also strongly supports the United Nations peacekeeping missions in the DRC and South Sudan and the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the CAR. We continue to work with the United Nations to help augment its efforts in the LRA-affected region. At the same time, we are working with other partners on projects to help reduce the vulnerability of LRA-affected communities and increase their capacity to make decisions related to their own safety. To promote the protection of civilians, the Department of State and USAID are funding communication networks, including high-frequency radios and cell phone towers to enhance community-based protection in Bas- and Haut-Uele districts in the DRC.

Enhancing Regional Efforts to Apprehend LRA Top Commanders: On November 14, 2011, the United Nations Security Council commended ongoing efforts by national militaries in the region to address the threat posed by the LRA, and welcomed international efforts to enhance their capacity in this respect. The Council noted the efforts of the United States, which, since 2008, has provided over $40 million in critical logistical support, equipment and training to enhance counter-LRA operations by regional militaries. On October 14, 2011, President Obama reported to Congress that he had authorized a small number of U.S. advisors to deploy to the LRA-affected region, in consultation with national governments, to act as advisors to the militaries that are pursuing the LRA. The U.S. military advisors are working to help strengthen cooperation and information-sharing among regional forces, and to enhance the capacity of the militaries to fuse intelligence with effective operational planning.

Encouraging and Facilitating LRA Defections: Over the course of this conflict, more than 12,000 former LRA fighters and abductees have been reintegrated and reunited with their families through Uganda’s Amnesty Commission. The United States continues to support efforts across the affected countries to demobilize and reintegrate former LRA fighters and all those victimized by this conflict back into normal life. In Fiscal Year 2011, USAID provided nearly $2 million to support the rehabilitation of former abducted youth in CAR and the DRC and their reunification with their families. The United States is working with the United Nations, the African Union, and national governments in the region to enhance processes across the region to facilitate the safe return, repatriation, and reintegration of those who defect or escape from the LRA’s ranks.

Providing Humanitarian Assistance: The United States is the largest bilateral donor of humanitarian assistance to LRA-affected populations in CAR, the DRC, and South Sudan. In Fiscal Year 2011, the United States provided more than $18 million to support the provision of food assistance and implementation of food security, humanitarian protection, health, livelihoods initiatives, and other relief activities for internally displaced persons, host community members, and other populations affected by the LRA. The United States also continues to provide assistance to support the return of displaced people, reconstruction, and recovery in northern Uganda, where the LRA carried out its brutal campaign for nearly two decades until it fled Uganda in 2006. With the LRA’s departure and Ugandan and international recovery and development efforts, northern Uganda has undergone a significant post-conflict reconstruction and recovery in just a few years.

New START Treaty Implementation Update

Fact Sheet

Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance

February 5, 2012

Key Point: On February 5, 2011, the New START Treaty entered into force. From that day and every day that has followed, the Treaty has been contributing to U.S. national security.

Type One and Type Two Inspections The Treaty provides for 18 on-site inspections per year. There are two basic types of inspections. Type One inspections focus on sites with deployed and non-deployed strategic systems. Type Two inspections focus on sites with only non-deployed strategic systems. Each side is allowed to conduct ten Type One inspections and eight Type Two inspections annually.

On the Treaty’s first birthday, February 5, 2012, implementation is well underway and the process so far has been positive and pragmatic. The good working relationship we established during the negotiations in Geneva continues today. We are in constant communication with the Russians, which helps to make the process precise and efficient.

The United States and Russia kept pace with each other on inspections all year and we have both now conducted 18 inspections – the maximum number allowed under the Treaty each year.

The New START Treaty data exchanges are providing a very detailed picture of U.S. and Russian strategic forces, and the inspections enable each side to confirm the validity of that data. Of course, the Treaty’s verification regime is backed up by each side’s own national technical means (i.e., satellites and other monitoring platforms).

The United States and Russian Federation have exchanged over 1,800 New START notifications through the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers. The sides exchange information on numbers, locations, and technical characteristics of weapons systems and facilities that are subject to the Treaty. These notifications help to track movement and changes in the status of systems. For example, a notification is sent every time a heavy bomber is moved out of its home country for more than 24 hours.

In addition, every six months we exchange a comprehensive database. This gives us a full accounting of exactly where weapons systems are located, whether they are out of their deployment or operational bases and gone to maintenance, or have been retired. This semi-annual exchange, along with the mandatory treaty notifications that provide continuous updates, create a “living document” that gives us a comprehensive look into each other’s strategic nuclear forces.

The Parties have conducted three Treaty-required exhibitions. The Russian Federation exhibited the RS-24 mobile ICBM and its associated launcher in March 2011. That was the first time we had a chance to see the RS-24, the new Russian mobile missile with multiple warheads.

B-1B Demonstration Following the U.S. exhibition demonstrating that B-1B heavy bombers are no longer capable of employing nuclear armaments, these aircraft no longer count toward the central Treaty limits regarding deployed heavy bombers.

During the same time period, the United States exhibited the B-2A heavy bomber and conducted a one-time exhibition to demonstrate that B-1B heavy bombers are no longer capable of employing nuclear armaments.

Both Parties have conducted demonstrations of the equipment to be used during telemetry exchanges. Hammering out these technical details will help expedite the exchange of telemetric information. Under the Treaty, in 2012 the Parties may exchange telemetric information on ICBM and SLBM launches that occurred in 2011.

The Treaty’s Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC) held its first session in April 2011, and has since met two additional times. Under the Treaty, this implementing body must meet at least two times per year.

When the New START Treaty is fully implemented, it will result in the lowest number of deployed nuclear warheads since the 1950s, the first full decade of the nuclear age. Further, the limits on deployed and non-deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, SLBMs, and heavy bombers that can carry nuclear weapons will be well below previous limits. This Treaty represents a significant step forward in building a more stable, cooperative relationship with Russia.

United States-Brazil MOU on the Advancement of Women Focus Area: Advancing Women and Girls in STEM

Washington, DC

February 2, 2012

"I always hear stories about how we can’t find enough engineers, we can’t find enough computer programmers…And that’s why we’re emphasizing math and science. That’s why we’re emphasizing teaching girls math and science. We’ve got to lift our game up when it comes to technology and math and science. That’s, hopefully, one of the most important legacies that I can have as President of the United States." --President Barack Obama, April 2011

Under the Memorandum of Understanding on the Advancement of Women that Secretary Clinton and former Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim signed in March 2010, the United States and Brazil focus on recruiting, retaining, and advancing women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Jointly, the two countries have conducted numerous professional and educational exchange programs and events to advance the issue. We are seeking to institutionalize these exchanges, even as we build on their success through the development of mentoring and network-building programs.

Educational Exchanges

• Expansion of exchanges between high school girls in STEM – We hope to work with science and technology high schools in Washington, D.C., and New York City; these exchanges (including virtual exchanges) focus on retaining the interest of girls in STEM areas. Two Brazilian girls were selected to attend the annual global “National Youth Science Camp” in West Virginia in summer 2011, cosponsored by the Department of State.
• Expansion of exchanges for teacher and administrators in STEM – We identify ongoing opportunities for these exchanges (including virtual exchanges), such as a recent partnership between the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia and The Boeing Company to sponsor the travel of two female elementary school science teachers to a NASA Space Camp in July 2011.

Professional Exchange Programs

• Eight Brazilian women scientists traveled to the United States on a Voluntary Visitor Program to exchange and showcase best practices for engaging and retaining women in science. The scientists visited U.S. universities and scientific organizations that have progressive programs for women scientists. They also attended the 55^th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the theme of which was empowering women and girls through science and technology.
• Eight American women scientists traveled to Brazil, where they visited research institutions and scientific organizations. The scientists also attended Brazil’s Third National Conference on Women at the invitation of the Brazilian Women’s Ministry (SPM). The scientists participated as roundtable panelists at the opening of Embassy Brasilia's Science Corner at CNPq (National Council of Technological and Scientific Development). 

Meetings

• UN Commission on the Status of Women Side Event – Co-sponsored by the United States and Brazil, this side event, titled "Changing Mindsets to Promote Women and Girls in Science," showcased best practices in Brazil, India, and the United States from institutions that enhance opportunities for women and girls in science.
• "Changing Mindsets to Promote Women and Girls in Science" Symposium – Held at the Department of State, this symposium examined policies and programs that attract girls to STEM areas, keep them involved through college, and provide concrete tools for women to advance at every level of their careers. Partners included the National Science Foundation, NASA, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Academy of Sciences.

Domestic Finance for Development (DF4D): Helping Developing Countries Fund Their Own Development

Fact Sheet

Bureau of Public Affairs

January 27, 2012

“…corruption, lack of transparency, and poorly functioning tax systems are major barriers tolong-term growth in many developing countries.”

– Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

The primary goals of development assistance are to promote sustainable economic prosperity and to mitigate aid dependency. One way to accomplish these objectives is to empower developing countries to finance more of their own needs through mobilizing domestic public revenue, improving budget transparency, and fighting corruption. These steps would enable governments to allocate more revenue for public services and to strengthen investment climates for private sector engagement. They would also reassure citizens that their hard-earned tax money is not being wasted or misused.

What Is DF4D?

Domestic Finance for Development (DF4D) is a United States government policy initiative with the goal of achieving these aims. It seeks to:

• Strengthen the political will for reform within partner countries.
• Provide technical assistance, such as taxation expertise, in partner countries including through innovative public-private partnerships.
• Elevate the importance and interrelation of domestic resource mobilization, fiscal transparency, and anti-corruption efforts in public finance as key componentsfor sustainable economic development.

DF4D 2012 Activities

Volunteer Tax Expert Corps

This program seeks to supplement the existing work of bilateral and multilateral donors to improve tax administration and public financial management in partner countries. DF4D is partnering with public and private organizations to recruit an international cadre of volunteer tax experts to provide technical assistance, training, and advisory services to DF4D partner countries.

El Salvador

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is implementing a $7.6 million Fiscal Policy and Expenditure Management Program (FPEMP) with the Government of El Salvador. Over the next four years, FPEMP will advance El Salvador’s fiscal reform agenda by building capacity and improving systems for public expenditure management, tax revenue mobilization, and promoting private sector engagement. USAID is also creating a $2 million Revenue Challenge Fund to support improved tax collection at the municipal level. It will also provide resources to generate productive job opportunities and educational alternatives for at-risk youth.

Middle East and North Africa Open Governance Conference in Tunis

In support of the democratic transitions in North Africa, DF4D is partnering with the Government of Tunisia and the International Tax Dialogue to host an international open governance conference in May 2012. Regional finance ministers, tax administrators, and civil society and business representatives will discuss best practices in domestic resource mobilization, transparency, and anticorruption as key tools to strengthen institutions and promote private sector development.

South-South Partnerships

DF4D is also working with emerging market countries to explore best practices and triangular technical assistance and human capital development in DF4D partner countries.

During 2012, the U.S. Government plans to create DF4D partner programs in Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, and Zambia, in addition to the work in El Salvador and Tunisia. DF4D will partner with other countries, especially those receiving significant levels of U.S. assistance, which are willing to adopt reforms to mobilize domestic resources for development.

Where Are We Headed?

The U.S. Government is eager to collaborate with other organizations already active in this area. DF4D especially seeks private sector and civil society partners to take this initiative to the next level.

Email DF4D@state.gov for more details.

Corporate Social Responsibility: The OECD Guidelines and the U.S. National Contact Point

Fact Sheet

Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs

January 19, 2012

What are the Guidelines?

The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) have served for over 35 years as the only comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) instrument to be formally negotiated and endorsed by governments. The Guidelines are voluntary recommendations to foster sustainable development through responsible business conduct by MNEs. The focus areas are:

• Information Disclosure
• Human Rights
• Labor
• Environment
• Combating Bribery
• Consumer Interests
• Science and Technology
• Competition
• Due Diligence and Supply Chains

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) is home base for the Guidelines.

The Role of the U.S. National Contact Point

The United States and the other adhering governments (34 OECD members, plus non-OECD countries Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Peru, and Romania) have created national contact points (NCPs) to promote and implement the Guidelines’ recommendations. The U.S. NCP, located in EB, works closely with U.S. businesses, trade unions, civil society, and interagency partners.

The NCP has the following responsibilities:

• Promote awareness of the Guidelines to business, labor, NGOs and other members of civil society, the general public, and the international community.
• Work with other governments’ NCPs, foreign businesses, international labor and civil society organizations, often regarding the business activities of U.S.-incorporated MNEs overseas.
• Offer a forum for confidential discussion between business and stakeholders through:
  • Proactive Agenda: Bring business and civil society together to identify potential and emerging CSR-related risks for MNEs and discuss appropriate actions and responses.
  • Dispute Resolution: Facilitate dispute resolution, typically in a Specific Instance (complaint) submitted to the NCP by an NGO or other parties against an MNE, regarding allegations of nonobservance of the Guidelines.

The U.S. NCP offers itself as a resource to the business community, civil society, U.S. government agencies and U.S. Embassies around the world. The U.S. NCP is a part of EB’s Corporate Social Responsibility Team, which plays a key role in the Department’s engagement with U.S. business in promoting responsible private sector business practices.

Further Info:

U.S. NCP: www.state.gov/usncp; usncp@state.gov
OECD Guidelines text: www.oecd.org/dataoecd/43/29/48004323.pdf  
State Department CSR website: www.state.gov/e/eb/eppd/csr