U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia Honored for Commercial Diplomacy

Published on October 7, 2016

The U.S. Departments of State and Commerce have for the first time ever recognized one overseas commercial diplomacy team whose effective cooperation has advanced U.S. commercial and economic objectives. The award was presented jointly in a ceremony at the State Department on September 29 by Commerce Department Assistant Secretary Arun Kumar and State Department Assistant Secretary Charles Rivkin to a team from the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Benjamin Joy Award was created to highlight and promote inter-agency collaboration and honor commercial diplomacy excellence. The winning team, led by former U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Patricia M. Haslach, includes Deputy Chief of Mission Peter H. Vrooman, Senior Foreign Commercial Service Officer Tanya Cole, Trade and Investment Promotion Officer Gaia Self, Commercial Specialist Tewodros Tefera, and Advocacy Center Regional Manager Nnaji Campbell. The embassy’s leadership and innovation advanced U.S. business interests in Ethiopia and created a model for U.S. missions to support fair competition and increase U.S. exports in Africa.

USCIB Vice President Shaun Donnelly, a retired U.S. ambassador who has also worked recently with Commerce and State on commercial diplomacy policy under the auspices of the American Academy of Diplomacy, represented USCIB at the awards ceremony. Several leading USCIB member companies also attended.

The winner was selected from 43 nominations from U.S. embassies and consulates around the world. The award’s namesake, Benjamin Joy, was an early exemplar of U.S. commercial and economic diplomacy, appointed in 1792 by President George Washington as the first American consul and commercial agent to India. Today, there are more than 200 diplomatic outposts helping to strengthen America’s economic reach and positive economic impact.

More details on the award are available in the State Department press release and in the remarks at the ceremony by Assistant Secretary Rivkin.

Execs Meet With Labor Secretary to Promote Apprenticeships

Published on October 7, 2016

US Labor Secretary Thomas Perez (second from right) at the Global Apprenticeships Network board meeting in Washington, D.C.

Youth unemployment worldwide has reached crisis proportions. Businesses are often unable to find the skills they need among new graduates, and around the world 621 million youth are not engaged in employment, education or training. What’s more, 51 percent of millennials are underemployed, and student debt is growing.

Obtaining an apprenticeship as a first job allows the young person to benefit from “earning while learning,” which can lead to a lifetime of productive employment. U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez has called apprenticeship “the other college, except without the debt.”

A business-led coalition spearheaded by CEOs representing some of the world’s largest companies, employer associations, and major international organizations have come together through the Global Apprenticeships Network (GAN) to create skills for business and jobs for youth.

gan_group — Secretary Perez (front row, center) met with CEOs and other private-sector representatives, including USCIB President Peter Robinson and IOE Secretary General Linda Kromjong (first row, far right), and BIAC Secretary General Bernhard Welschke (second row, second from right).

USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson joined GAN CEOs and Secretary Perez at a series of events on October 6 at the White House in Washington, D.C. Also present were Linda Kromjong, secretary general of the International Organization of Employers, and Bernhard Welschke, secretary general of Business at OECD.

Coincident with the GAN meetings in Washington, Adecco Group CEO Alain Dehaze published a column on LinkedIn entitled “Employment: A Call to Action for the Next President of the United States.”

Click here to read more about the days events. You can also view a recap on the GAN’s website.

New Survey Finds Worsening Global Shortage of Trade Finance

Published on October 7, 2016

Business executives have identified a sharp decrease in the availability of financing for cross-border trade, according to the latest annual survey of global trade finance from the International Chamber of Commerce. According to the survey — which received 357 responses from 109 countries worldwide — 61 percent of respondents reported a global shortage of trade finance . Only 52 percent of respondents reported an increase in trade finance activity, compared to 63 percent in 2015 and 80 percent in 2012. Furthermore, the perceived shortfall came predominantly from regional and global banks — 78 percent and 56 percent respectively, compared to 41 percent of national banks.

ICC Secretary General John Danilovich said: “We must emphasize the importance of trade finance. It is often forgotten – trade finance has dropped off the international agenda. We need to do more to communicate its central importance to the global economy.”

USCIB Welcomes Selection of Guterres as New UN Secretary General

Published on October 7, 2016

Mr. Antonio Guterres former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees addressed the press at the stakeout after the casual meeting with member states — Antonio Guterres of Portugal. UN Photo/Manuel Elias

New York, N.Y., October 7, 2016 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents American business views to the United Nations and other international bodies, applauded the selection of Antonio Guterres of Portugal as the next UN secretary general, succeeding Ban Ki-moon.

“The selection of Prime Minister Guterres is a welcome signal of agreement among Security Council members on the urgent need to address the refugee crisis and other pressing global issues, many of which will require significant input and assistance from the private sector,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson. “His leadership at the helm of the United Nations will be essential to developing robust international frameworks that business needs in order to innovate and thrive.”

The Security Council’s selection of Guterres, the former Portuguese prime minister who served for 10 years as UN high commissioner for refugees, will be formally voted on by the UN General Assembly next week.

USCIB Chairman Harold McGraw III, who also serves as honorary chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, added: “The American business community understands the importance of multilateral cooperation, whether on trade, investment or climate change, and we know the UN system is the anchor for this essential collaboration. We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the UN to successfully address global problems to provide increased economic growth and prosperity across the world.”

Robinson also expressed appreciation for the outgoing UN secretary general’s achievements and dedication to partnering with business. “Throughout the UN deliberations on sustainability and climate change, Secretary General Ban has consistently sought to work with the private sector, recognizing that today’s economic and environmental challenges require private sector solutions and investment,” he said.

Companies of all sizes and from all sectors have already pledged to respond to the refugee crisis through a series of initiatives – from funding campaigns to delivering essential training programs. USCIB’s global network is encouraging companies to do more where they can, based on their own assets and capabilities.

Separately, USCIB welcomed the entry into force of the Paris Agreement, the global pact on climate agreed at last year’s COP21 summit. USCIB and its global business network have provided significant substantive input to the UN climate negotiations since their inception, and they are working to develop a formal channel for private-sector views and solutions to the agreement going forward.

About USCIB:
USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing the International Chamber of Commerce, the International Organization of Employers, and Business at OECD, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, VP communications, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

U.S. Business Hails Paris Climate Pact’s Imminent Entry Into Force

Published on October 6, 2016

New York, N.Y., October 6, 2016 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents American business views to the United Nations and other international bodies, applauded the crossing of a key threshold for entry into force of the landmark Paris Climate Agreement, following its ratification by a critical mass of the world’s greenhouse gas-emitting nations. Looking ahead to the next major UN climate meeting in Marrakesh next month, USCIB called on UN member governments to work with the private sector in implementing the historic pact.

“This is a major accomplishment, and it paves the way for greater cooperative action to effectively address climate change in the years ahead,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson. “To do so will require close collaboration between governments and the private sector, from which so many of the technological innovations and investments to deal with climate change will come. USCIB and our global business partners have contributed mightily to this effort, and we are fully prepared to ramp up business support and engagement once effective systems of private-sector consultation are put in place at the national and international levels.”

Agreed at the COP21 Summit in the French capital last December, the Paris Agreement sets out a global plan for reducing heat-trapping emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from 2020 onward, with long-term targets through the end of the century. It is built on nationally determined pledges by nearly all countries. Yesterday, the European Parliament reached consensus on EU-wide ratification, pushing the needed number of countries and collective emissions past the threshold for entry into force.

Unlike its predecessor, the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris accord engages all countries in climate action under an international cooperative framework on mitigation, adaptation and resilience. It requires periodic reporting and review of governmental actions, based on a foundation of national pledges and actions, while calling on countries to set progressively more ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets at five-year intervals.

“USCIB members were on hand at COP21 in unprecedented numbers to demonstrate their commitment and stake in the accord, and we are confident that this engagement will continue,” said Robinson. “USCIB is ready to strengthen its involvement with the UN process to build long-term cooperation for practical and cost-effective results.”

In its over 20 years of involvement in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, USCIB has emphasized that the linchpin for successful implementation will be private sector involvement at national and global levels, according to Norine Kennedy, USCIB’s vice president for environment and energy.

“Governments will look to business for technical advice, as well as finance, investment and implementation, and we are ready to step up,” Kennedy said. “Important unfinished business remains in elaborating the Paris Agreement and building its support structure, which would be made stronger with business input. In particular, the agreement will need to provide more clarity on how markets and the private sector can contribute.”

About USCIB:
USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing the International Chamber of Commerce, the International Organization of Employers, and Business at the OECD, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, VP communications, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

Business Involvement Essential to Address Climate Change

Published on September 28, 2016

At the meeting of OECD Environment Ministers in Paris, business shared views on how to address major environmental challenges related to climate change and the transition to a circular economy. Taking place one year after the UN Special Summit on Sustainable Development and the Paris climate change conference, the high-level meeting offered an important opportunity to identify concrete areas of implementation to achieve tangible progress in these vital areas.

“Moving from words to action is critical, bearing in mind that green growth is not about curbing growth, but about making the two concepts mutually supportive,” said Russel Mills, Chair of the BIAC Environment and Energy Committee, who led the business delegation at the Ministerial meeting. Business must be recognized as an important provider of solutions and can make its contributions most effectively within a transparent and predictable policy framework that encourages market-based options and incentives. Concrete opportunities for partnerships must be encouraged at the international, national and local levels.

Business at OECD reiterated its support for further OECD work aiming to support climate measures at the lowest cost to society and to promote a supportive policy environment for innovation and investment across different sectors.

How and Why to Rethink Data Fow Restrictions

Published on September 28, 2016

Taking part in discussions on the latest developments in world trade at the World Trade Organization’s Public Forum in Geneva this week, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has signaled increasing business concern regarding countries that impose restrictions on cross-border data flows without considering the impact on their respective economies and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that make up 95 percent of enterprises globally.

In a new set of recommendations issued today at the Forum, ICC calls on policymakers to consider the detrimental effects to GDP growth from applying blanket restrictions and highlights the importance of creating trusted environments to better enable use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), and related data flows, on which companies of all sizes rely.

The flow of digital information is a key driver of economic development and inclusive growth by raising productivity, increasing efficiency, broadening participation in and facilitating access to markets not least for developing-economy businesses.

Over the last 10 years data flows are estimated to have raised world GDP by at least 10% and today exert a larger impact on GDP growth than trade in goods.

“The Internet and Internet-enabled services, which rely on cross-border data flows, are vital for companies across all sectors of the economy and are particularly critical for small- and medium-sized enterprises,” the ICC paper says. “Access to digital products and services, such as cloud applications, provides SMEs with cutting edge services at competitive prices, enabling them to participate in global supply chains and directly access customers in foreign markets in ways previously only feasible for larger companies.”

To help policymakers address negative implications for growth from blanket restrictions to data flows, the new ICC primer outlines seven steps that governments can take to ensure citizens and companies realize the full potential of the Internet as a platform for innovation and economic growth.

The recommendations are:

Build trust

This can be done by ensuring that users have appropriate control and practical mechanisms with regard to how personal data is used, and the companies to which they entrust their data should adopt recognised and applicable best practice to ensure that the data is appropriately secured as technology and services evolve.

Promote the establishment of a new trade principle

This should include the underlying objective of allowing the flow, storage, and handling of all types of data across borders, subject to privacy and security laws and other laws affecting data flow covered under GATS article XIV.

Be non-discriminatory

Certain compelling public policy issues – including privacy and security – are recognised as possible exceptions and may form a legitimate basis for governments to place some limits on data flows if they are implemented in a manner that is non-discriminatory, is not arbitrary, is least trade restrictive, and not otherwise a disguised restriction on trade.

Include relevant players and show consistency

Any limits on cross-border data flows for privacy and security objectives should be consistent with GATS obligations, and include all relevant players and are equally applied.

Promote coherence

This can be done through national rules and regulations that affect the movement of goods, services, and information across borders.

Support the Internet’s enabling role

Especially for SMEs to grow and participate in global trade.

Ensure any regulatory measures which limit data flows are necessary to accomplish the recognised and compelling public policy objective

Measures should be the least trade restrictive policy alternative needed to effectively address the issue, not be arbitrary or discriminatory, and not be disguised restrictions on trade in services.

Read Trade in the digital economy: A primer on global data flows for policymakers

Business Urges U.S. Government to Push Back Against Efforts to Expand ITU’s Jurisdiction

Published on September 27, 2016

New York, N.Y., September 27, 2016 – Representing a broad cross-section of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) released a statement today outlining business priorities for the upcoming World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly 2016 (WTSA-16). The meeting will convene from October 25 to November 3 in Tunisia to determine the work program of the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), which develops international recommendations for the telecommunication sector.

While USCIB appreciates the ITU’s role in developing international standards that promote the smooth functioning of global telecommunication networks, the business group opposes expanding the ITU’s remit to include Internet governance policy.

“We urge the U.S. government to push back strongly on efforts by some member states to use the WTSA-16 review of the ITU-T’s work program as an opportunity to expand the ITU’s jurisdiction to include various Internet governance issues,” USCIB said in the statement. “A multi-stakeholder framework has proved far more effective in addressing Internet policy matters against a dynamic technological backdrop than binding rules developed by an inter-governmental organization.”

The business community also expressed concern about proposals to expand the role of governments in fostering the Internet of Things (IoT), citing the danger that such an expansion of the ITU’s remit would “support government mandates that will stifle rather than promote the benefits of IoT.” USCIB stressed that there should be no mandates or regulation of emerging technologies.

USCIB supports the efforts of the U.S. government and other sector members at the WTSA-16 to underscore the value of the ITU in “developing important technical and voluntary telecommunications standards,” the statement added.

“Expanding its work program beyond its current remit would compromise the Sector’s ability to meet its current goals,” the statement concludes. “Moreover, such an expansion would negatively impact industry’s ability to address Internet governance-related issues and explore standards and best practices for emerging technologies that are more effectively addressed in existing multi-stakeholder policy-making and standards-setting bodies.”

About USCIB:

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, VP communications, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

USCIB Explains Business’s Role in the SDGs at Concordia Summit

Published on September 22, 2016

It is a fact that official development assistance alone will not be enough to raise the trillions of dollars needed to finance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Private investment, then, will be necessary for moving from the “billions-to-trillions” needed to realize the 2030 Development Agenda. Marshaling resources for the world’s development goals has become one of the most important issues of our time.

USCIB, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and several USCIB members participated in a strategic dialogue at the Concordia Summit in New York City on September 20 titled “The Private Sector’s Role in Achieving the SDGs.” USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson, ICC Secretary General John Danilovich and USCIB Vice President Ariel Meyerstein participated in a wide-ranging dialogue about how business can engage with the UN sustainable development agenda. USCIB members who participated in the dialogue include Bechtel, Citi, Coca-Cola, MasterCard, Novozymes, Pfizer and others.

The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda provides a terrific opportunity for the private sector to demonstrate the central role it plays in society. While government has been successful in outlining a visionary mission for global development, businesses have the unique ability to bridge the capacity gap to reach the impact and scale necessary to meed the SDGs. Partnership between the public and private sectors, at both the global and at national levels, is vital in creating an effective strategy and successfully implementing it to achieve these goals.

This strategic dialogue brought together leaders from across sectors and industries in a high-level working group to examine businesses’ role in providing technical know-how and fostering the spirit of innovation to fulfill the goals outlined by the United Nations. USCIB has been at the forefront of this initiative. Last year USCIB launched Business for 2030, an online platform showcasing business engagement with the SDGs. To date, Business for 2030 gathered 167 initiatives from 45 companies that cover 81 of the 169 SDG targets.

“We have been often struck at how misunderstood is business’s role in achieving sustainable development and particularly by the knowledge gap of what business was actively doing to help achieve sustainable development all over the world,” Robinson said. “Our hope is that Business for 2030 can make a small contribution to closing these information gaps, aggregating more information about business-led activities and perspectives on achieving the SDGs and hopefully stimulate more businesses to get involved as well as enhance the level and quality of cooperation between business and the UN community.”

During the dialogue, Danilovich explained the the successful implementation of the SDGs will depend upon three priorities: ending the “plague of protectionism” with regard to trade and investment, ensuring that enough trade finance is available to all businesses and finalizing the implementation of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement, along with other reforms in the multilateral trade agenda.

Since the launch of the SDGs, USCIB has advocated for a focus on good governance and the rule of law, inclusive economic growth, investment in infrastructure, policies to foster innovation, strong public-private partnerships and, above all, an open channel for business input into policy negotiations and implementation at the international and national levels.

“The truth of the matter is business needs the UN, and the UN needs business,” Robinson concluded. “Our challenge here today is to find new and creative ways to leverage each other’s experience and expertise, and make common cause in support of the SDGs.”

UN Report on Generic Drugs Disappoints Business Community

Published on September 22, 2016

A recent report published by the United Nations argues that low-income countries should be allowed to override pharmaceuticals patents so they can access a cheaper supply of generic drugs.

The U.S. Department of State issued a press release expressing disappointment with the report and arguing that intellectual property rights in the pharmaceutical industry are essential to medical innovation, which is fundamental to promoting global health.

“We believe that we can both increase access to medicines and support innovation for the development of new and improved drugs for the world’s most critical health challenges,” the statement said. “Indeed, there can be no access to drugs that have not been developed: support for innovation is essential.”

USCIB echoes these remarks and believes that increasing access to life-saving medicines is a complex matter, and countries have a wide array of policies and actions that may be appropriate in promoting the progressive realization of the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical health.

“Robust intellectual property rights support the development of innovative new treatments and drugs,” said Peter Robinson, USCIB president and CEO. “We’re disappointed that this new report fails to recognize the role intellectual property rights plays, and we remain committed to advancing access to new medicines while also fostering innovation and investment.”

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