Trade and National Security: 
Renewing US Leadership Through Economic Strength
 
Please note: registration for this event is now closed.

Our global trade agenda is at a critical juncture. But the fate of the pending mega-regional trade agreements—and whether Congress approves Trade Promotion Authority—will affect far more than commercial policy. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) are not simply means to boost sustainable economic growth, but a once-in-a-generation opportunity to renew the global order, strengthen American alliances, and reinforce shared norms and values globally. 

Join us for the launch of the Atlantic Council’s new Trade and National Security initiative on Thursday, April 23, featuring keynote remarks from Secretary of State John Kerry. 

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Confirmed speakers*: 

  • The Hon. John Kerry, Secretary of State, US Department of State
  • Ms. Caroline Atkinson, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, White House
  • H.E. Kim Beazley, AC,Ambassador of Australia to the United States
  • Gen. James L. Jones, Jr., Founder, Jones Group International; Former National Security Advisor and Supreme Allied Commander, Europe
  • Mr. Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council
  • The Hon. Paula Dobriansky, Senior Fellow, JFK Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; Former Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs

Key topics to be addressed:

  • How can promoting international trade benefit US national security objectives?
  • What role should Congress play as the trade agenda moves forward?
  • How is the trade agenda viewed on Capitol Hill? What are the realistic prospects for TPA, TPP, and TTIP?
  • How could TPP deepen alliances in Asia and Latin America and provide for future stability across the Pacific?  
  • How could TTIP reassure and reinforce US alliances with Europe in the face of an increasingly assertive Russia and an unsteady Middle East?
  • How can trade and investment support democratic systems, help partner countries’ economies, and counter rising political extremism?
  • What are the geopolitical consequences of failing to conclude TPP or TTIP for the US and partner countries?

                
The conference will take place on Thursday, April 23 from 8:15-11:45 a.m. at the Atlantic Council (1030 15th Street, NW 12th floor). We hope you can join us.

This event will be open to the press and on-the-record.