The President’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request includes $60.4 billion for the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), $1.9 billion or 3 percent above the Fiscal Year 2022 Request, and $7.4 billion or 14 percent above FY 2021 enacted levels. Reflecting the priority that the Biden-Harris Administration places on global leadership, as well as the President’s belief that diplomacy and development are vital tools for advancing U.S. interests at home and abroad, the resources included in this Budget Request will advance the foreign policy agenda of the United States and deliver results for the American people.
At the Department of State and USAID, the Budget would:
Support Ukraine and Our Allies and Partners in the Region: The Request includes $1.6 billion to support Ukraine against Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified invasion and assist other countries across Europe and Central Asia threatened by regional insecurity. The Request provides significant assistance to our allies and partners while building their capacity to counter actions from malign actors.
Affirm U.S. Alliances and Renew U.S. International Leadership: The Request maintains longstanding commitments to key partners; advances peace, prosperity, and security across the Indo-Pacific and Europe; expands diplomatic and development initiatives in Africa and Asia; and positions us to effectively compete with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia. The Request includes $4 billion to support U.S. commitments to international organizations and affirms U.S. leadership at a moment when our competitors are seeking to expand their influence.
Address the Climate Crisis: The Request has $2.3 billion to support U.S. leadership in addressing the existential climate crisis through diplomacy; scaled-up international climate programs that accelerate the global energy transition to net zero by 2050; support to developing countries to enhance climate resilience; and the prioritization of climate adaptation and sustainability principles in Department and USAID domestic and overseas facilities. This total includes over $1.6 billion for direct programming for climate mitigation and adaptation and over $650 million for the mainstreaming of climate considerations across development programs. Our goal is to deliver climate co-benefits and outcomes in sectors such as agriculture and food security, water and sanitation, and global health.
Advance American Leadership in Global Health, Including Global Health Security and Infectious Disease Response and Preparedness: The Budget Request includes $10.6 billion to bolster U.S. leadership in the face of an enduring COVID-19 pandemic and other global health challenges, $525 million above the FY 2022 Request. U.S. leadership is critical to the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment, and we are supporting a $2 billion contribution this year with an intended pledge of $6 billion over three years, to save lives and continue the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, and to support the Global Fund’s expanded response to COVID-19 and global health strengthening. This total also includes $1 billion to prevent, prepare for, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks, including the continued expansion of Global Health Security Agenda capacity-building programs and contributions for a multilateral financial intermediary fund for health security and pandemic preparedness.
The Budget also invests in the global health workforce and systems to enhance countries’ abilities to provide core health services, improve health systems resiliency, and respond to crises. In addition to Request for $60.4 billion in annual discretionary appropriations, the Budget includes $6.5 billion in mandatory funding for State and USAID over five years to make transformative investments in pandemic and other biological threat preparedness globally in support of U.S. biodefense and pandemic preparedness strategies and plans. The pandemic preparedness funding will strengthen the global health workforce, support pandemic preparedness research and development, advance global research and development capacity, and support health security financing to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to future COVID variants and other infectious disease outbreaks.
Address Food Insecurity and Foster Inclusive and Sustainable Agriculture-led Economic Growth: The conflict in Ukraine is exacerbating food insecurity around the world. In support of the President’s pledge to alleviate global food insecurity, we are providing over $1 billion in bilateral agriculture and food security programming. These investments are key to increasing access for communities, including those across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, to nutritious food, strengthening their resilience to shocks and stresses, and lifting them from entrenched poverty.
Champion an Open and Secure Digital and Technological Ecosystem: The Budget invests more than $350 million to expand reliable and affordable internet access through the development and deployment of secure digital and technological infrastructure. The Budget will improve international cybersecurity practices and promote the adoption of policies that support an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable internet. These resources will further develop programming across sectors, in support of the State Department’s new Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, and USAID’s digital development strategy. State and USAID will also seek to close the digital gender gap in low- and middle-income countries by increasing women and girls’ access to information communication technologies and address online harassment and abuse globally.
Reinvigorate U.S. Leadership in International Institutions: The Budget requests $4 billion, including an increase of nearly $400 million, to reduce peacekeeping arrears, continue the Administration’s efforts to lead through international organizations by meeting commitments to international organizations and pay contributions United Nations peacekeeping missions on time and in full. Strengthening international partnerships is critical to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, including global education, ending hunger and malnutrition, building more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems, and addressing other global challenges.
Defend Democracy Globally: In response to increasing authoritarianism around the world, the Request has more than $3.2 billion to advance democratization, protect universal human rights, bolster anti-corruption work, and increase programming that builds inclusive, legitimate, and effective governance – consistent with the commitments made during the President’s Summit for Democracy.
Revitalize Alliances and Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific: To strengthen and modernize America’s alliances and partnerships in a vital global region and affirm U.S. leadership in strategic competition, the Request includes $1.8 billion to implement the Indo-Pacific Strategy to support a free, open, connected, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific Region, and an additional $400 million for the Countering PRC Malign Influence Fund (CPMIF).
Continue Collaborative U.S. Leadership in Central America and Haiti: As part of a comprehensive strategy to advance systemic reform while addressing the root causes of irregular migration from Central America to the United States, the Budget invests $986.8 million in the region towards the President’s commitment to provide $4 billion in assistance for Central America over four years. Also, in response to deteriorating conditions and widespread violence in Haiti, the Budget invests $274.8 million to support Haiti’s recovery from political and economic shocks, such as increasing the capacity of the Haitian National Police, combating corruption, strengthening the capacity of civil society, and supporting services for marginalized populations. These investments will ensure that the U.S. is able to revitalize partnerships that build economic resilience, democratic stability, and citizen security in the region.
Support America’s Allies in the Middle East: The Budget fully supports the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding for $3.3 billion in military assistance, provides up to $1.45 billion in economic and security assistance for Jordan, and includes $1.4 billion to support the U.S. diplomatic and security partnership with Egypt. As part of the Administration’s commitment to advancing security, prosperity, and freedom for both Israelis and Palestinians, the Budget includes $219 million for critical assistance to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza.
Strengthen African Engagement: The Budget provides $7.8 billion for sub-Saharan Africa, including more than $250 million in support of the second U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit to strengthen ties with African partners based on principles of mutual respect and shared interests and values. These investments will strengthen collaboration, trade and investment, electrification, ecosystems for mutual growth and prosperity, and promote digital transformation in Africa.
Strengthen U.S. Leadership on Refugee and Humanitarian Issues: The Budget provides $10.45 billion in State and USAID resources to respond to the unprecedented humanitarian need arising from conflict and natural disasters around the world to serve over 70 countries and approximately 240 million people. The Budget continues to rebuild and strengthen the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Advance Equity and Equality Globally: The Budget provides $2.6 billion to advance gender equity and equality and to support underserved communities across a broad range of sectors. This includes $200 million for the Gender Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) Fund to advance the economic security of women and girls. This total also includes funding to strengthen the participation of women in conflict prevention, resolution, and recovery through the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security Act. To further implement the President’s Executive Order advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities, the Budget will better integrate equity through more inclusive policies, strategies, and practice including enhancing the ability of potential non-traditional partners to pursue federal opportunities and address the barriers they face in the federal award process, and new efforts to identify spaces to support and advance underserved population appropriate to the country context.
Invest in and Expand the Diplomatic and Development Workforce: The Budget will revitalize and expand the diplomatic and development workforce by providing $7.6 billion to recruit, retain, and develop the diverse, highly capable workforce needed to support efforts around the world and manage complex national security issues. It advances diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across both agencies through increasing investment in diversifying the foreign affairs workforce to reflect and draw on the richness and diversity of the United States, including through targeted fellowship programs. It also strengthens the Department’s cybersecurity posture and secure communications capability.
Sustain Diplomatic and Embassy Security: The Budget will sustain Diplomatic and Embassy Security funding at $5.8 billion to keep our people, buildings, and information around the globe safe and secure. This includes funding for Anomalous Health Incident (AHI) monitoring and research, countering the emerging threat of drones to diplomatic facilities, and strengthening our cybersecurity against malign actors.
Source: U.S. Department of State