Economic Security

Economics and security are colliding more now than at any time in the post-war era. The use of economic tools for geopolitical and strategic purposes is creating headaches for policy makers and the private sector alike. How to navigate this new world and support international allies and partners while protecting national domestic interests and industry is increasingly challenging. USSC is a first mover in this space, providing timely and well-informed analysis and practical solutions that assist Australia and the US to respond to economic security dynamics.

The collision of economics and security brings significant new challenges for all levels of Australian and US society.

About the program

Economics and security are colliding more now than at any time in the post-war era. With countries constrained from engaging in direct confrontation, they are increasingly turning to trade, economic tools, and financial and technology flows to gain strategic advantage.

The use of economic tools for geopolitical and strategic purposes is creating headaches for policy makers and the private sector alike. How to navigate this new world and support international allies and partners while protecting national domestic interests and industry is increasingly challenging.

USSC is working with government, industry, and academia on these complex and rapidly evolving problems and supports the Australia-US relationship through timely and well informed analysis and practical solutions in this space.

In particular, a defining feature of the Economic Security Program is its power to convene the right stakeholders to have conversations around difficult, cross-cutting issues and distilling ways forward.

Focus areas of the program include:

Public-private partnerships to finance national security
Diversifying and creating resilient supply chains in strategic areas
Regional economic architecture and investment
Energy, workforce, and industry
Connecting Australian state governments to regional and international economic developments

The United States Studies Centre's Economic Security Program commenced in 2023. Prior to this, the Centre was home to the International Economy and Trade and Investment programs focused on the trade, investment and economic relationships between Australia and the United States.