Manila, Philippines – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for technical assistance to upgrade its digital infrastructure and enhance citizen services for millions of Filipinos. USTDA’s assistance continues a successful, decades-long partnership that has advanced priority information and communications technology infrastructure across the Philippines.
“USTDA is supporting an ambitious effort by the Bureau of Internal Revenue to identify and deploy the most innovative ICT solutions in support of its vital mission. Our assistance will help the Bureau meet its data and cybersecurity needs as it navigates an increasingly complex technology environment,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Acting Director. “Our involvement in this project will also create opportunities for American firms to support the Philippine government’s digital transformation goals.”
USTDA’s technical assistance will create a digital strategy roadmap, workforce development plan and implementation plan for an in-house data center that will collectively enhance BIR’s e-filing and e-payment systems. By building a platform for more efficient and transparent revenue collection, USTDA’s grant will enhance the Philippines’ tax reform and long-term digital transformation efforts.
U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John C. Law, who signed the grant on behalf of USTDA, said, “This grant in support of BIR’s digital transformation efforts will lead to improved network performance, increased information security, reduced costs, and greater transparency, all of which are vital to BIR’s tax administration duties.”
BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay acknowledged the steadfast support of the USTDA, articulating that the technical assistance “will be invaluable as BIR undertakes the complex review and assessment of its ICT infrastructure, including the strategic roadmap to modernize BIR systems and infrastructure, aligned with and responsive to the BIR mission and mandate of the incessant pursuit of improving tax compliance and raising more revenue for the government.”
“I thank the people and the government of the United States, represented here today by Chargé d’ Affaires John Law, for supporting our efforts to harmonize the Bureau’s information and communications technology infrastructure,” added Carlos G. Dominguez, Philippine Secretary of Finance. “Your support will make the Bureau of Internal Revenue a more effective agency. It will keep the agency abreast with the rapidly advancing financial technologies. It will dramatically improve the agency’s organizational capacity and collection efficiency.”
Since 1992, USTDA has funded more than 140 activities in the Philippines.
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
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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.
Arlington, VA – Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. appointed Enoh T. Ebong as the Acting Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. The appointment meant a return to USTDA where from 2004 to 2019, Ms. Ebong had served in a variety of roles, most recently as the Agency’s General Counsel, and Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer. As Acting Director, Ms. Ebong leads an agency that partners with the U.S. private sector to develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in emerging economies, while supporting U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services.
“It is an honor to return to USTDA. The opportunity to lead the Agency comes at a critical moment when the world is turning to the United States for leadership on clean energy and climate-smart infrastructure, as well as safe and secure ICT solutions,” said Ms. Ebong during her swearing-in ceremony. “The Agency is one of the most effective, targeted and proven tools within the U.S. government. I’ve long believed in USTDA’s mission and program, which are fully aligned with the President’s vision of strengthening our economy and addressing climate as an essential component of American foreign policy and national security.”
Prior to her return to USTDA, Ms. Ebong served as the Head of Strategic Partnerships at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, where she drove the development of strategic partnerships to expand access to education, health, financial empowerment and entrepreneurship.
Prior to joining USTDA in 2004, Ms. Ebong practiced law at the Boston office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris and Popeo, P.C., representing public and private companies in public offerings, financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance issues.
Ms. Ebong earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, a Master of Arts in Communication from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Arts in History, with Honors, from The University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She is a member of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bar.
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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 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.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
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
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
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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
