Ministerial Foreword
Scotland's relationship with the United States of America - as the world's foremost economy and as a global leader in science and education - will be pivotal to our prosperity over the years and decades ahead.
During my visits to the USA, I have witnessed the strength and depth of the relationship between our two nations: the USA is our largest overseas trading partner; our largest inward investor; and our largest tourism market. US students in Scotland form our second largest overseas group, and links between Scottish schools, colleges and universities and counterparts in the USA are developing all the time.
I have also perceived that there is scope to raise the level of our engagement still further, on many fronts. Further strengthening bilateral economic ties will bring significant new opportunities for job creation and growth in Scotland. There are already many examples of Scottish individuals and organisations succeeding in the USA, but there are many untapped opportunities that are yet to be harnessed.
Strengthening US-Scottish engagement will depend in the main on the efforts of private organisations and individuals on both sides of the Atlantic. The many Scottish-American organisations across the USA play an important role in maintaining and strengthening bilateral relations.
The role of government, through the Scottish Affairs Office in Washington, DC and through the activities of the many Scottish public-sector organisations active in the USA, is to create the enabling environment in which US-Scottish relations can flourish. Our financial support for direct air routes between Scotland and the USA is just one example of this. Scottish Development International's extensive support for Scottish firms doing business in and with the USA, and for US firms investing in Scotland, is another.
In addition to creating the right conditions for stronger engagement, the First Minister's initiative to promote Scotland's International Image is a key means of conveying an accurate impression of modern Scotland across the USA, to complement the traditional image of Scotland held dear by many Americans. Significant inroads have already been made on this front, particularly through the increasing impact of Tartan Week. The USA is also a key market for the Fresh Talent initiative, and we remain keen to attract Americans to live, work and study in Scotland.
Despite the important progress that has already been made, collectively, we can and must do more. The seven objectives set out in this document comprise an overarching strategy to guide Scottish public-sector activity in the USA over the years ahead. They lay the groundwork for a higher level of engagement between Scotland and the USA in the future, building on the deep foundations of friendship between our two nations.
Tom McCabe, MSP
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform