FACT SHEET: USTDA Announces New Support for Indo-Pacific Partner Priorities
May 21, 2024
Press Release

For thirty years, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has been at the forefront of infrastructure development across the Indo-Pacific region, forming partnerships that have mobilized capital and brought U.S. private sector innovation to many of the region’s infrastructure priorities.

USTDA achieves its mission through grant funding for project preparation that provides the comprehensive analysis that infrastructure projects require to attract financing for their implementation. The Agency also funds partnership-building activities that help share knowledge, build relationships, and find U.S. solutions for the infrastructure challenges that USTDA’s partners face. In carrying out its mission, USTDA places particular emphasis on vital economic sectors including clean energy, transportation, digital, and healthcare infrastructure.

Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, USTDA has country representatives based in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Since its inception in 1992, USTDA has funded more than more than 700 infrastructure development activities in 23 Indo-Pacific countries to advance the region’s priorities.

At the 2024 Indo-Pacific Business Forum, USTDA announced new programming in its Indo-Pacific portfolio: 

DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Bangladesh: International Submarine Cable: USTDA awarded a feasibility study grant to Bangladeshi telecommunications company CdNet Communications Limited to expand reliable internet connectivity and quality across Bangladesh through the development of the Bangladesh International Submarine Cable (Bagha-1). This grant was signed at the 2024 Indo-Pacific Business Forum.
  • Philippines: Carrier-Neutral Internet Exchange Point Rollout: USTDA awarded a grant to Filipino company Responsible Internet Sustainability Effort, Inc. (RISE) for a feasibility study that will help internet service providers in the Philippines to strengthen the delivery of high-quality and resilient internet services, especially in underserved communities. The study will advance RISE’s efforts to expand carrier-neutral internet exchange infrastructure through its GetaFIX business unit. This grant was signed at the 2024 Indo-Pacific Business Forum.
  • Malaysia: Sepang District City Integrated Command Center: USTDA announced its approval of grant funding for a feasibility study to the Sepang City Council (MPS) to support the development of a city integrated command center (CICC) for Sepang District, a key economic hub in Malaysia. The CICC will enable Sepang District to leverage a large volume of smart city data to improve city operations, including faster emergency response, reduced traffic congestion, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The project will also help to link city data with that of neighboring areas to improve regional planning and coordination.
  • Thailand: Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Digital Infrastructure Regulatory Workshop Series: USTDA has approved funding for a series of workshops that will convene U.S. and Thai regulators and companies to advance digital accessibility in Thailand. The workshops will support the country’s alignment with international best practices for digital infrastructure regulations and spectrum management.

HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Vietnam: Southeast Asia Healthcare Workshop Series: In support of Vietnam’s groundbreaking efforts to strengthen the quality of healthcare by streamlining procurement of top-tier medical devices, in fall 2024USTDAwill convene U.S. and Vietnamese industry and regulators to collaborate on best practices, laws, regulations, standards, and policy development in the medical device space. This workshop is part of a series of healthcare workshops in Southeast Asia to advance digital health accessibility and innovation. USTDA hosted previous workshops in the Philippines and Thailand.

CLEAN ENERGY/CLIMATE-SMART INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Philippines: Advanced Grid Technologies & Renewable Energy Integration Reverse Trade Mission: USTDA has approved funding to support the modernization and buildout of electricity transmission and distribution networks in the Philippines by bringing a delegation of government officials and private sector utilities to the United States to observe innovations and best practices in smart grid technologies. These innovations can help to integrate renewable energy sources, increase service quality and resilience, and reduce technical losses and costs.
  • Vietnam: Power Cybersecurity Reverse Trade Mission: In September 2024,USTDA will host a delegation of Vietnamese utility officials focused on cybersecurity and data solutions for the power sector. The program will feature site visits and meetings with U.S. companies, utilities, and sector experts to observe U.S. innovations and best practices for grid technologies that can help promote more secure power infrastructure, integrate renewable energy sources, and increase resilience across Vietnam.

TRANSPORTATION

  • India: U.S.-India Aviation Summit: In June 2024, USTDA will host the seventh U.S.-India Aviation Summit to convene the U.S. and South Asian aviation industries to discuss new horizons and developments underpinning rapid aviation market growth in the region. In conjunction with the Summit, USTDA will host an airport roundtable to bring together U.S. and Indian airport operators to discuss the opportunities and challenges of airport growth.
  • Regional: TSA Symposium and Workshop Reverse Trade Mission: In June 2024, USTDA will bring a delegation of aviation security officials from Bangladesh, Fiji, Maldives, Mongolia, Philippines, Samoa, and Thailand to the United States to learn more about U.S. solutions and best practices for maintaining aviation security for the flying public. The visit will include private meetings, site visits, and attendance at the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s Training Symposium in Las Vegas. A follow-on workshop in fall 2024 will convene aviation security leaders from across the Indo-Pacific region to share insights and best practices on aviation security and build relationships with U.S. technology solution providers.