Hennebach Guest Lecture Series: Rising Economic Powers and the Global Economy

A small group of developing countries are transforming the global economic landscape. Led by China, India and Brazil, these rising economic powers pose varied challenges and opportunities for U.S. economic interests and leadership of the global economy. As these fast- growing and large economies account for rising shares of global GDP, manufacturing, and trade in commodities, the balance of global economic power is shifting away from the United States and Europe. The rising economic powers also raise significant policy issues regarding the direction of U.S. trade policy and negotiations, the multilateral institutions that have served as the foundation of an open and rules-based world economy and the availability of natural resources and commodities in the future. Mr. Raymond Ahearn is the Head of the International Trade and Finance Section at the Congressional Research Service (CRS). In this capacity, he supervises the work of 10 analysts who provide research and support to Congress on international policy issues. Mr. Ahearn began his career in the Economics Division of CRS in 1975. In 1988 he assumed the position of Spe- cialist in Trade Relations in the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division of CRS and in 1998 he began his current assignment. During 1993-1994 he served as Director of Trade Strategy for Japan in the Office of the United States Trade Representative. During his CRS career, he has authored a number of reports on bilateral and multilateral trade issues. His most recent reports include U.S.-European Union Trade Relations: Policy Challenges and Issues and Trade and the Americas. In addition to CRS reports, he has also written a number of articles that have been published in books, journals, and newspapers. Mr. Ahearn received a B.A. in political science from Union College (Schenactady, N.Y.) in 1971, an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School for Ad- vanced International Studies (SAIS) in 1973, and an M.A. in economics from George Washington University in 1980. He is also a 1991 graduate of the National War College in Washington, D.C. (http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/)