An important component of the U.S. State Department’s economic mission, the Investment Climate Statements contain country-level information on a variety of issues important for U.S. businesses, such as market barriers, business risk and intellectual property rights. On July 5, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) hosted the State Department’s presentation of the statements’ key findings. USCIB Vice President for Investment and Financial Services Shaun Donnelly joined leaders from the State Department’s Economic and Business (EB) Bureau, and other investment experts for the launch event.

Scott Miller, Scholl Chair holder in International Business at CSIS and a former Chair of USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee, emceed the roll-out event. Kurt Tong, Acting Assistant Secretary in the EB Bureau, highlighted the improvements made in this 2016 version of the 170 country-by-country Investment Climate Statement reports, each laying out the legal and policy environment, opportunities and challenges U.S. investors encounter, whether in an established European market, a key emerging market like China or India, or in a smaller developing nation. Donnelly and other panelists then offered observations on the value of the reports for USCIB members and American business.

“Anyone considering investments in a new market overseas should definitely consult the relevant Investment Climate Statements and may want to follow up in more detail with the key staff in State’s Investment Office or in the particular US embassy which prepared the relevant country report,” Donnelly said.