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DURHAM— U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Admiral James Stavridis (USN Ret.) joined the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition along with over 175 leaders in the state to discuss how America’s engagement abroad spurs economic growth in New Hampshire and promotes our national security. Other speakers included University of New Hampshire President Mark Huddleston, New Hampshire Business & Industry Association President Jim Roche, Walmart’s Senior Director of Global Government Affairs Sarah Thorn, and Ambassador Richard Swett.

“Effective national security is about more than our strong armed forces. It is also about smart diplomacy, it’s about effective development assistance, and it’s about vigorous advocacy for human rights,” said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. “Despite all of the isolationist rhetoric in this election year, I believe that American leadership is critically important to support international institutions and to advance peace and prosperity in the world.”

Admiral James Stavridis (USN Ret.) said: “The question for us is which kind of world do we want to be in? We ought to think about how we can use our defense, development, and diplomacy triad effectively around the world— not just because it’s the right thing to do, which it is, but because it’s in our pragmatic interest to do so.”

New Hampshire is home to some of the largest global brands and organizations with rapidly growing international operations in emerging markets. Last year, New Hampshire exported $4 billion in goods and services overseas, and trade supported more than one in five local jobs, making U.S. international engagement a strategic economic issue for the state.

“Demonstrating our American values and global engagement is central to advancing our interests around the world,” said New Hampshire Business & Industry Association President Jim Roche.  “The development community is not the only one with a stake in these vital programs. Our local economy in New Hampshire is inextricably linked to the global economic trends around the world.”

USGLC President & CEO Liz Schrayer said: “Our world is more interconnected than ever before, and what happens overseas affects us here at home. American leadership around the world is critical, and the leaders here in New Hampshire get this. They understand how the small but strategic investment our nation makes in development and diplomacy is vital to keeping us safe and creating opportunity here in the Granite State.”

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The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (www.usglc.org) is a broad-based influential network of 500 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic, military, and community leaders in all 50 states who support strategic investments to elevate development and diplomacy alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.