Office of Global Partnerships

On April 22, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, told the Global Philanthropy Forum that “the State Department is opening its doors to a new generation of public-private partnerships” with foundations, businesses, non-governmental organizations, universities, and faith communities through her new Global Partnership Initiative. Secretary Clinton has called for the United States to “lead by inducing greater cooperation among a greater number of actors and reducing competition, tilting the balance away from a multi-polar world and toward a multi-partner world,” as she described at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The Global Partnership Initiative, located in the Office of the Secretary of State, is being led by the Special Representative for Global Partnerships, Ambassador Elizabeth Bagley, and the Deputy Special Representative for Global Partnerships, Kris Balderston. Under the leadership of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Department of State has entered into new era of partnerships in American foreign policy, with a more comprehensive approach to diplomacy, development, and defense. Through the Global Partnership Initiative, the Department of State is developing strategic partnerships with private businesses, philanthropies, universities, faith communities, Diaspora groups, and individuals.

Background

As late as 1969, 70% of U.S. resource flows to the developing world took the form of Official Development Assistance. However, by 2005, 80% of U.S. resource flows to the developing world came from private capital. While resources are becoming more scarce relative to increasing demand, the private sector role in the international arena is increasing, making partnerships essential.

	1960s	2005
Public Flows	68%	16.8%
Private Flows	29%	83.2%

Conservative estimates of resource flows to the developing world show that they have increased by nearly $52 billion in the last two years, reaching approximately $164 billion in 2005.
U.S. FDI/Private Capital Flows and Remittances account for the largest categories of flows (at 42.1 percent and 25 percent, respectively).
Official Development Assistance (ODA) makes up the third largest category of flows with approximately 17 percent of the total. While the share of ODA has shrunk over the past twenty-five years, the total value has grown at an average annual rate of 5.5 percent, from $7.14 billion in 1980 to $27.6 billion in 2005.

Partnership definition

The Department defines a partnership as a collaborative working relationship with non-governmental partners in which the goals, structure and governance, as well as roles and responsibilities, are mutually determined and decision-making is shared. Successful partnerships are characterized by complementary equities, openness and transparency, mutual benefit, shared risks and rewards, and accountability.

Read the Department of State's Guide to Partnering with State

The Three C's

Through the Global Partnership Initiative, the Department of State acts as

A convener, bringing together people from across regions and sectors to work together on issues of common interest.

A catalyst, launching new projects, actively seeking new solutions, providing vital training and technical assistance to facilitate additional projects.

A collaborator, working closely with our partners to plan and implement projects – avoiding duplication, learning from each other, maximizing our impact by looking for best practices.

Types of partnerships

Potential partners can include U.S. and foreign government agencies, UN organizations, international/regional finance institutions, donor agencies, academic institutions, religious organizations, foundations, multinational corporations and other businesses, trade associations, unions, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, and individual major donors or investors.

U.S. Department of State public-private partnerships (PPP) assist in the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, education and training, improve access to potable water, advance public diplomacy, counter radical extremism, and enhance national security, among other applications.

The State Department’s partnerships includes activities targeting:

Energy policy and climate change
The fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa
Economic policy and trade promotion
Educational and cultural exchanges
Promoting Corporate Social Responsibility abroad
Human rights and labor issues
Security and counter-terrorism
Population and refugee resettlement
Democracy promotion
Volunteerism and interfaith service
Gender equality and women’s empowerment

State Department Partnership Case Studies

Global Connections and Exchange Program in Azerbaijan
FORTUNE/U.S. State Department Global Women's Mentoring Partnership
US-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research
English Access Microscholarship Program
The Landmarks of New York in Tokyo
2008 Breast Cancer Global Congress

Learn More about these Case Studies by clicking here

Global Partnership Initiative Staff

The ppSecretary of State]] has appointed Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, who previously served as a senior advisor to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and then as Ambassador to Portugal, to the role of Special Representative for Global Partnerships. The Deputy Special Representative for Global Partnerships and Managing Director of the Global Partnership Initiative is Kris M. Balderston, who served as Secretary Clinton’s Deputy Chief of Staff when she represented the State of New York in the U.S. Senate.

Located in suite 6817 of the Harry S Truman Building in Washington, D.C., the office is supported by seven staff members. Jim Thompson and G. Kevin Saba are Regional Directors in the office. Rob Lalka is a Class of 2008 Presidential Management Fellow and Anna Farber is a Class of 2009 Presidential Management Fellow, both serving the office as Global Partnerships Liaisons. Mary Holloway is the Office Management Specialist for the Global Partnership Initiative. Robert Haynie is a Booz Allen Hamilton team member who manages the Global Partnerships Clearinghouse and serves as Global Partnership Liaison and M. Karen Walker is with the GPI on a Franklin Fellowship as Global Partnerships Advisor.

Find out more about the GPI by visiting our website at http://www.state.gov/s/partnerships, writing to partnerships@state.gov, or calling the GPI at 202-647-2200.

References