Arlington, VA – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency issued its annual report for fiscal year 2020, encompassing new initiatives, sector areas of focus, global success stories, and the Agency’s continuing work to promote American business and quality infrastructure in emerging markets. USTDA is the only federal agency that is Congressionally mandated to engage with the U.S. private sector in infrastructure projects at the critical early stages when design and technology options are drafted, defined and determined.
“In every way, 2020 was a year to remember. For USTDA, it was also a time of extensive success, novel approaches, creative design and, in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic, challenges like no other. But through it all, the Agency planned, prepared and prevailed in its core mission and fundamental responsibilities,” said Todd Abrajano, USTDA’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agency.
The annual report details USTDA’s investments through a unique blend of tools that ensure U.S. industry can access the high-growth emerging markets where they can expand American exports and create new jobs in its priority sectors of agribusiness, energy, healthcare, information and communications technology, and transportation. Also highlighted in the report are the programs critical to the mission of the Agency, including USTDA’s new Global Infrastructure Resilience Initiative, the Global Procurement Initiative and its domestic outreach program, Making Global Local.
All of this contributed to the Agency’s return on investment in 2020: on average, for every $1 invested in its programs, $112 in U.S. exports were generated.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
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Bucharest, Romania – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to Romania’s nuclear energy authority, Societatea National Nuclearelectrica (SNN), for technical assistance to support the development of small modular reactor (SMR) solutions in Romania.
“USTDA is an ideal partner for Romania as it seeks cutting-edge civil nuclear energy technology for its future energy needs,” said Todd Abrajano, USTDA’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agency. “Our assistance will build stronger ties between our respective industries and create new business opportunities for U.S. industry in an important market.”
USTDA’s technical assistance will support Romania’s efforts to include SMR technology in its national energy strategy. The assistance will identify a short list of SMR-suitable sites, assess SMR technology options and develop site-specific licensing roadmaps. SNN selected Illinois-based Sargent & Lundy to carry out the assistance.
Chief Executive Officer of SNN, Cosmin Ghita, noted: “In addition to the current development of Reactors 3 and 4, SNN is also interested in assessing the development of small modular reactors as a long-term solution to further develop the Romanian nuclear industry. We are interested in features like flexibility, modularity and higher efficiency that could provide advantages for both the energy system and businesses after 2035. The grant awarded by USTDA will allow us to further explore siting and technology compatibility with the proper technical assistance and have this assessment process initiated in due time for further decision-making.”
U.S. Ambassador to Romania, Adrian Zuckerman said: “Today’s signing of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s grant to Nuclearelectica is a very important stride forward for strengthening our bilateral energy cooperation and, more importantly, for Romania’s future economic development.”
USTDA’s support for the civil nuclear energy sector dates back to 1993, when the Agency financed several feasibility studies to facilitate power plant upgrades and modernization in Eastern Europe.
Since 1992, USTDA has supported more than 100 projects in Romania.
Illustrations courtesy of NuScale Power, LLC
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank to bring high-quality infrastructure solutions to sub-Saharan Africa.
“USTDA and The Trade and Development Bank are building upon a strong foundation of collaboration and partnership,” said Todd Abrajano, USTDA’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agency, who signed the MOU on USTDA’s behalf. “USTDA’s three decades of project preparation expertise in Africa is a perfect complement to TDB’s record of providing customer-focused and innovative financing solutions.”
The MOU outlined areas of mutual cooperation in the agribusiness, energy, healthcare, information and communications technology, and transportation sectors. USTDA and TDB agreed to collaborate on project preparation facilities targeted at bankable feasibility studies with gap financing tools up to financial close, and possible facilitation of trade missions.
Signing the MOU on TDB’s behalf was Admassu Tadesse, Acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, who remarked: “This cooperation will be instrumental in fostering value-addition for [African] exports, which will drive tangible triple bottom-line impacts in our Member States. Together with USTDA, we look forward to boosting U.S. investment and trade with our region.”
Since 1992, USTDA has funded more than 225 activities across Eastern and Southern Africa.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Arlington, VA – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality to support the transformation of the city’s digital infrastructure. USTDA’s grant will fund technical assistance to expand Istanbul’s data center and establish an Analytics Center of Excellence (ACoE).
“USTDA’s partnership with Istanbul will support data-driven policy making and help the city meet the data management needs of tomorrow,” said Todd Abrajano, USTDA’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agency. “Under our U.S.-Turkey Next Generation Cities Initiative, USTDA’s support for this project will create opportunities for U.S. companies to partner with Istanbul and develop innovative smart city solutions and state-of-the-art digital infrastructure.”
USTDA’s technical assistance will transform Istanbul’s capacity for data-driven policymaking, allowing the municipality to deliver enhanced city services and meet its growing data management needs. The ACoE will allow Istanbul to streamline and cultivate big-data and data analytic skills among employees across municipal departments. This project will complement and build on USTDA’s previous grant to support the transformation of Istanbul’s traffic flow and transportation network.
“The U.S. Mission to Turkey is proud to partner with the city of Istanbul as they transform their data management and digital infrastructure,” said U.S. Ambassador to Turkey David M. Satterfield. “The U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s continued support and commitment to smart cities development in Turkey helps our Turkish partners transform their cities to meet the needs of citizens, anticipate future challenges and develop innovative solutions.”
“I find it very valuable that such cooperation can be established and maintained, especially during the current pandemic,” said Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. “I hope this project, to be carried out under the roof of the Municipality, sets an example for digital transformation in cities all over the world. I look forward to undertaking many more projects and successful collaborations with USTDA in the near future. I wholeheartedly believe that this Istanbul digital transformation project will be an example and a leading project in the field of innovative and technological transformations of cities.”
Since 1992, USTDA has funded more than 135 activities in Turkey. This project advances USTDA’s U.S.-Turkey Next Generation Cities Initiative.
U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit https://ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project/.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency extended its deadline for initial proposals to expand the Agency’s grant-based support for feasibility studies, technical assistance, pilot projects and expert training to advance the U.S.-Southeast Asia Aviation Cooperation Program (SEA ACP). USTDA will now accept initial proposals through January 26, 2021 at 5:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time. Initial proposal requirements can be found here.
The SEA ACP is a public-private partnership that works with aviation stakeholders in Southeast Asia to design programs that promote technical, policy and commercial cooperation in civil aviation. SEA ACP is industry-led and government-supported, with cooperation from USTDA, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Department of Commerce.
Potential activities that USTDA will support will match the needs of Southeast Asian countries with the technical innovation of U.S. companies. Countries of the Pacific Islands are also eligible.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
