In 2020 every $1 USTDA invested in its programs generated $112 in U.S. exports. USTDA has facilitated $74 billion in U.S. exports since its founding in 1992, supporting 4,000 infrastructure activities in 139 countries.
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) for technical assistance to modernize the country’s banking infrastructure. USTDA’s grant, its first in the Solomon Islands, will develop an information and communications technology roadmap to support the deployment of new banking applications that will strengthen the central bank’s operations.
“USTDA is supporting an ambitious effort by CBSI to plan foundational investments in its digital infrastructure that can revolutionize how the country’s banks communicate with each other and their customers,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Acting Director. “Our involvement in this project will also create opportunities for American companies to partner with CBSI to ensure quality banking infrastructure that works for all Solomon Islanders.”
USTDA’s technical assistance will recommend upgrades to CBSI’s existing digital infrastructure and develop specifications and an implementation plan for deploying new banking applications. These efforts will improve CBSI’s operations and increase the availability, safety and security of financial services in the Solomon Islands.
“CBSI is currently reviewing its ICT infrastructure capability as part of its strategic positioning, not only to mitigate risks like cybersecurity, but also to conform to modern central banking standards,” said Dr. Luke Forau, CBSI Governor. “The support provided by the U.S. government through USTDA comes at the right time, especially when we are working toward constructing our new headquarters.”
Erin Elizabeth McKee, U.S. Ambassador to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, to the Solomon Islands, and to the Republic of Vanuatu, said: “Congratulations to the United States Trade and Development Agency and the Central Bank of the Solomon Islands on this important milestone – the first USTDA grant in Solomon Islands. The increased access to financial services that Solomon Islands citizens may gain through this grant shows the United States and Solomon Islands’ commitment to build a sustainable, inclusive, free and open economy that promotes growth and mutual prosperity.”
USTDA’s technical assistance supports the Biden Administration’s Small and Less Populous Island Economies Initiative, an effort to prioritize U.S. government cooperation with island countries and territories to counter COVID-19 economic challenges, promote economic recovery, respond to the climate crisis, and advance longer-term shared interests.
U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.
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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 infrastructure 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 has awarded a grant to South African internet service provider Jenny Internet (Pty) Ltd for a feasibility study to expand affordable internet across rural Southern Africa. Countries benefitting from USTDA’s assistance include Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Mozambique and South Africa. Jenny Internet selected California-based Connectivity Capital LLC to conduct the study.
“USTDA has extraordinary flexibility to support ambitious, region-wide projects such as this. Through our Access Africa initiative, USTDA is working with partners such as Jenny Internet to promote internet access in communities all across Africa,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Acting Director. “U.S. companies offer high-quality solutions that will allow our partner to expand its digital infrastructure in a manner this is more inclusive, secure and sustainable.”
USTDA’s feasibility study will assess the technical and economic viability of expanding affordable internet connections in Southern Africa utilizing wireless technologies to lower the cost of international data transmission. The study will also assess the viability of expanding Jenny Internet’s last-mile connectivity infrastructure across Southern Africa.
“This study will help prove the technology options for getting large amounts of bandwidth to hard-to-reach areas where fiber is cost-prohibitive and slow to deploy. We are excited to work with USTDA on this opportunity to test and deploy technology to help reach our vision of unlimited data access for every African home,” said Werner Stucky, Managing Director of Jenny Internet.
This project supports Access Africa, USTDA’s initiative to support the development of inclusive, secure, and sustainable ICT infrastructure across Africa, and the U.S. government’s Prosper Africa initiative to substantially increase two-way trade and investment between the U.S. and 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 infrastructure 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 – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a technical assistance grant to Algeria’s transmission system operator, Société Algérienne Gestionnaire du Réseau de Transport de l’Electricité (“GRTE”), to modernize its electricity grid and facilitate the country’s transition toward renewable energy. GRTE is a subsidiary of Sonelgaz, Algeria’s national electricity and gas company.
“USTDA’s support of this project exemplifies our commitment to supporting climate-smart infrastructure around the globe,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Acting Director. “GRTE’s goal of a renewable energy future is a priority that USTDA is proud to support. USTDA’s assistance will also create opportunities for GRTE to benefit from cutting-edge American technologies as it embarks on its planned grid upgrades.”
The technical assistance will help GRTE plan the development of an automated distributed control system which will allow it to integrate renewable energy from solar and wind sources into its grid. This system will increase the efficiency of GRTE’s grid while strengthening its management of Algeria’s distributed power generation resources.
“Our partnership with USTDA will pave the way for us to modernize and digitalize our electricity network using the expertise of American companies that are leaders in this field,” said Mr. Nabil Yousfi, GRTE’s Chairman and CEO. “Our electricity transmission network will play an important role in Algeria’s transition toward green energy. USTDA’s technical assistance will help ensure that we have the right plan, and it will be an opportunity for our young engineers to gain valuable project planning experience.”
Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Algiers, Gautam Rana, said: “We are proud to support this opportunity to not only bolster the bilateral relationship between our two countries, but also to join in the efforts to secure reliable, clean, and renewable energy for the people of Algeria.”
This project advances the goals of USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, which connects U.S. industry to major clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects in emerging markets.
U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.
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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 infrastructure 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 announced grant funding to São Paulo’s public rail operator, Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos (CPTM), for a feasibility study to optimize the daily flow of its three million passengers using innovative information and communications technology solutions.
“Rail operators around the world are turning to big data analytics, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to improve their operational efficiency,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Acting Director. “USTDA’s assistance will utilize U.S. private sector expertise to help CPTM navigate a complicated field of options and identify the solutions that are right for them.”
USTDA’s assistance includes developing an implementation plan that will identify and prioritize various ICT technologies to transform CPTM’s current infrastructure. The proposed technologies will help CPTM identify risks, analyze travel demands, and reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.
“This feasibility study will give CPTM the opportunity to advance its mission of providing mobility with excellence,” said Pedro Moro, CPTM´s CEO. “Our cooperation with USTDA aligns with our strategic vision of improving citizens’ experiences through partnerships and innovation so that we can be the fundamental link in the intermodal passenger transportation chain in the State of São Paulo.”
U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded feasibility study should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.
This project advances the goals of USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, which connects U.S. industry to major clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects in emerging markets.
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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 infrastructure 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 – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced grant funding for technical assistance to help Beninese company Sherlock Grids SAS expand and improve clean energy access to rural communities across the country.
“This project embodies USTDA’s commitment to deploy innovative solutions that connect more of Africa’s citizens to clean, reliable power,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Acting Director. “By leveraging U.S. technologies, USTDA’s engagement will help mitigate the climate crisis while supporting Benin’s goal of universal electrification through solar power.”
Sherlock Grids will work with Washington, DC-based technology provider SparkMeter to analyze the feasibility of bringing solar-powered minigrids online for tens of thousands of Beninese. The project will also demonstrate the benefits of implementing a digitalized system to fully integrate and remotely manage multiple minigrids. The system will consist of smart meters, digital models of the minigrids and their distribution networks, and software for real-time outage management, asset management, and planning.
“Grid edge technologies are a powerful but underutilized tool in emerging markets. By developing a grid analytics platform for Sherlock Grids, the utility can provide its end users with reliable power and ensure financial sustainability for the project,” said Dan Schnitzer, CEO of SparkMeter. “We’re confident that USTDA’s forward-thinking investment in utility digitalization in Benin and throughout the region is a prelude to larger-scale investment within the minigrid sector.”
Tristan Kochoyan, CEO of Sherlock Grids, said: “As a social enterprise, what motivates us is the impact electricity can have on rural communities. This is also very much aligned with our minigrid operator business: the more useful and transformative our services are, the more electricity people will consume. Both technological and business model innovations are key to trigger this kind of virtuous circle of economic and social development. We strongly believe that what USTDA is helping us achieve in Benin can contribute to solving the electricity access crisis for millions more.”
This project supports the U.S. government’s Power Africa and Prosper Africa initiatives.
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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 infrastructure 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
