Coordinating Development Strategy Essential to Protect our National Security

Washington, DC — The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition today released the following statement from Executive Director Liz Schrayer on the new Presidential Study Directive on U.S. Global Development Policy:

“The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition applauds President Obama for his Presidential Study Directive on U.S. Global Development Policy as another step toward making our civilian-led tools of development and diplomacy stronger and more effective.

“The USGLC called for a comprehensive global development strategy as part of our “Putting Smart Power to Work” report last spring, recommending the Administration take an across-the-board look at all U.S. development efforts as a necessary and important step toward establishing such a strategy.

“This Presidential Directive, along with President Obama’s strong FY10 International Affairs Budget request and the State Department’s Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), demonstrates the Administration’s continued commitment to a smart power foreign policy approach to address the global challenges of the 21st century.

“The USGLC stands ready to work with the National Security Council and the National Economic Council on this new Directive and with the State Department on the QDDR in creating a seamless process for a comprehensive global development strategy.”

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The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (www.usglc.org) is a broad-based influential network of 400 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic and community leaders in all 50 states who support a smart power approach of elevating development and diplomacy alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.