Announced by President Donald Trump in Vietnam in November 2017, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) goal is to advance a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region in which all nations are sovereign, strong and prosperous. The U.S. Government (USG) has defined the region as spanning from the west coast of the U.S. to the west coast of India, thereby encompassing East Asia and the Pacific and South Asia. The IPS consists of three pillars: governance, economic, and security. For the economic pillar, an open Indo-Pacific means open trade and investment — marked by free, fair and reciprocal trade and open, market-based investment environments — and open connectivity — including open sea lanes, airways, and cyberspace — to drive regional integration and economic growth.
As part of the economic pillar, the U.S. Government seeks to contribute to strengthening the digital economy and connectivity within the Indo-Pacific Region. One of the most significant digital programs is the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership (DCCP), a whole-of-government initiative to promote an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet. Launched on July 30, 2018, DCCP furthers the U.S. vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific to ensure peace, stability, and growing prosperity in the region. Under DCCP, USAID plays a leading role by leveraging our technical capabilities and on-the-ground relationships to advance an open digital economy and the expansion of secure, market-driven, and rules-based internet use.