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 M. 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.
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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% |
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.
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.
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:
The Secretary of State appointed Kris M. Balderston as the Special Representative for Global Partnerships. Kris previously served as Secretary Clinton’s Deputy Chief of Staff when she represented the State of New York in the U.S. Senate. As the Secretary of State mentioned during the Special Representative's swearing in ceremony, "Kris and I have been through a lot together, and many of you have been along for the ride with us. From the White House to the Senate to the campaign trail and now to the State Department, I’ve always had absolute confidence in relying on Kris’s judgment, his talent, and just his good, old-fashioned common sense. And at every step of the way, he has helped to put together and support a great team, a team of people that really came together as part of an overall effort to really make a difference in the lives of those we served. He is uniquely qualified to be our Special Representative for Global Partnerships."
Located in suite 6817 of the Harry S Truman Building in Washington, D.C., the office has ten staff members. Jim Thompson serves as the Deputy Special Representative and he is joined by Gloria Cabe, Thomas DeBass, Lala Faiz, Robert Haynie, Rob Lalka, Jacob Moss, Deena Shakir, and Danny Shapiro. The Global Partnership Initiative focuses on two flagship partnerships for the Department of State, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves and Partners for a New Beginning, as well as diaspora engagement, and impact investing.