On September 14, 2005, President Bush stated, “The advance of freedom and security is the calling of our time. It is the mission of the United Nations. The United Nations was created to spread the hope of liberty, and to fight poverty and disease, and to help secure human rights and human dignity for all the world’s people. To help make these promises real, the United Nations must be strong and efficient, free of corruption, and accountable to the people it serves.”

Engagement with international organizations extends the influence and implementation of U.S. Government policies, and increases the effectiveness and accountability of multilateral programs. Various international organizations act as multipliers to share the burden of addressing challenges, including peacekeeping, development, criminal justice capacity building, and humanitarian assistance. Such organizations allow for a multilateral approach to addressing concerns, which in some instances may be more effective than unilateral action, e.g., sanctions on proliferators. International organizations can work in countries where the United States does not have extensive programs. They also may offer otherwise unavailable technical expertise to address global challenges, e.g., coordinating satellite launches, monitoring country performance in implementing international commitments, and coordinating a tsunami warning system. They can also facilitate agreements among many countries simultaneously, as in aviation and maritime safety and security standards.

We pursue multilateral diplomacy, advance U.S. positions with foreign officials and officials of international organizations, and offer financial support of international organizations which further U.S. values and objectives. In addition, we listen to, inform, and attempt to persuade foreign publics to influence their governments to work with us through robust public diplomacy efforts.

Strategic Priorities

We have one overriding priority: to pursue transformational diplomacy through results-driven, transparent, accountable, and efficient international organizations.

Reforming Organizations: We will promote results-driven, transparent, accountable, and efficient organizations to increase the probability of successfully implementing priorities. The United States will also promote administrative and management reforms that ensure good stewardship of resources by supporting results-based management, internal oversight, ethics, accountability, and responsible allocation of resources to priority programs and activities. Other priority tasks are finding highly qualified individuals for international organization positions, and increasing American citizen employment in those organizations where Americans are currently not equitably represented. (Strategic Goal Linkages: 1, 2, 3, and others)

Supporting Multilateral Action in Pursuit of Peace and Security: The United States will act in concert with other nations to prevent the proliferation of WMD, protect the United States and others against terrorism and international organized crime, and persuade warring sides to create peace and establish stability. We will act to reduce threats through adoption of resolutions, statements, and conventions; effective sanctions regimes and monitoring mechanisms; special political missions; and peacekeeping operations. We will also encourage countries to act in accordance with their international obligations, and to consider becoming parties to international conventions and protocols to which they are not already a party. Conflict resolution entails not only peacekeeping, but also post-conflict peacebuilding to promote democratic values, respect for human dignity, respect for rule of law, human rights, reconciliation, and pluralism, and to create an environment in which sustained development can occur. Therefore, we will work with others to help countries move from immediate post-conflict situations to longer-term stability and development. (Strategic Goal Linkages: 1, 2, 4, and others)

Placing Multilateral Diplomacy at the Service of Democracy, Human Rights, and Freedom: The United States promotes democratic principles, democracy education, election monitoring, good governance, free press, the free flow of ideas, and respect for human rights and human dignity. International organizations should offer help to countries seeking assistance to reinforce rights and foster freedom. The United States believes that stronger coordination among democratic countries may help to strengthen the work of international organizations in promoting democracy, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and respect for the dignity of all human beings including the most vulnerable. (Strategic Goal Linkage: 2)

Helping Those in Need: We will work closely with international organizations, other countries, donors, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees, internally displaced persons, and others affected by crises, as well as coordinate efforts to prevent and mitigate disasters. U.S. priorities are: to reduce the number and severity of international health threats, such as avian influenza, HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria; promote disease prevention, care, and treatment; and reduce the burden of chronic or non-communicable diseases. We feed vulnerable, hungry people through the World Food Program. Promoting education, especially literacy programs, is another high priority. (Strategic Goal Linkages: 3 and 5)

Advancing Results-Oriented Development and Economic Freedom: We will help the world’s developing countries to eradicate poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The United States will promote policies based on the Monterrey Consensus and the principles of the MCA, and encourage open markets and trade liberalization. We will support the efforts of developing countries to mobilize domestic resources, attract investment, and participate in the international trading system. This includes working to advance the Doha Development Agenda, promoting implementation of the report of the UN Commission on the Private Sector, and encouraging entrepreneurship. We seek to improve the quality and impact of aid through measures such as commitments in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and focusing on development results. Other important priorities are promoting good governance, intellectual property protection, market-based solutions, setting of empirically valid standards, and establishment and enforcement of anti-corruption measures. Management of the environment and natural resources in ways that sustain productivity, growth, and a healthy population is another U.S. objective. We also will seek to enhance U.S. and international energy security. (Strategic Goal Linkage: 4)

We believe that a multilateral approach offers important opportunities and advantages for advancing U.S. foreign policy and assistance priorities, including significant cost sharing, leverage, legitimacy, access, expertise, and coordination.

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