[bestbits] Fwd: President Obama -- EO Global Connect

[Carolina Rossini]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bhardwaj, Manu
Date: Fri, Jun 24, 2016 at 12:50 PM
Subject: President Obama -- EO Global Connect
To: "Bhardwaj, Manu"
Cc: "Subramanyam, Suhas

Colleagues and Friends:



Terrific news from California.  At the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES)
in Silicon Valley, President Obama has just issued an Executive Order that
institutionalizes the Global Connect initiative for the next 5 years.  As
an EO from the President, it mandates that Global Connect becomes US Law
with implications that all U.S. development and financing agencies create
fully funded, long term PPPs for broadband globally and to promote economic
development.  The EO also highlights the linkage between connectivity and
entrepreneurship and how the goal of extending universal, affordable
connectivity to the rest of the world is a Presidential priority.  Full
text of the Executive Order at the White House website, see below link.



Since Global Connect’s launch only nine months ago, U.S. development and
financing agencies have surpassed the $1 billion mark in financing and
investment for global ICT and connectivity projects, bringing Internet
access to millions of people around the world. These efforts represent the
Obama Administration's commitment to closing the digital divide in
coordination with other countries, industry, major technologists, other
stakeholders. We are pleased that more than 40 countries now support and
are committed to the Initiative, which has three inter-related goals: (1)
to make internet access central to all development and growth initiatives,
(2) to work with multilateral development institutions to double public and
private lending for connectivity and digital technologies by 2020; and (3)
to harness the knowledge, skills, and resources of the tech community
itself to implement regional and global solutions for high-speed,
affordable broadband access.



We look forward to working with everyone this summer, fall and beyond at
all fora, including the Global Connect Stakeholders Conference in
October.  Pleased
with our very strong partnership with IEEE, World Bank, industry, NGOs and
all of you on these matters – ensuring that our global initiatives continue
to fully complement each other is essential and helps accelerate progress
towards universal connectivity.



Please don’t hesitate to contact Suhas or myself with any questions about
today’s Executive Order or the Global Connect initiative.



Many thanks,  Manu



*Full Text of the Executive Order and its Global Connect mandate*:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/06/24/executive-order-global-entrepreneurship.




Manu Bhardwaj

Senior Political Advisor, Office of Under Secretary

U.S. Department of State

(202) 647-7327





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*Carolina Rossini *
Vice President, International Policy and Strategy
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