Report on Countries That Are Candidates for Millennium Challenge Account Eligibility in Fiscal Year 2017 and Countries That Would Be Candidates but for Legal Prohibitions, 60390-60392 [2016-21057]
Download as PDF
60390
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 170 / Thursday, September 1, 2016 / Notices
ERISA Advisory Council, U.S.
Department of Labor, Suite N–5623, 200
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington,
DC 20210. Statements also may be
submitted as email attachments in rich
text, Word, or pdf format transmitted to
good.larry@dol.gov. It is requested that
statements not be included in the body
of an email. Statements deemed relevant
by the Advisory Council and received
on or before September 20 will be
included in the record of the meeting
and will be available to anyone by
contacting the EBSA Public Disclosure
Room. Do not include any personally
identifiable information (such as name,
address, or other contact information) or
confidential business information that
you do not want publicly disclosed.
Individuals or representatives of
organizations wishing to address the
Advisory Council should forward their
requests to the Executive Secretary or
telephone (202) 693–8668. Oral
presentations will be limited to ten
minutes, time permitting, but an
extended statement may be submitted
for the record. Individuals with
disabilities who need special
accommodations should contact the
Executive Secretary by September 20,
2016 at the address indicated.
Signed at Washington, DC this 26th day of
August, 2016.
Judith Mares,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employee
Benefits Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016–21015 Filed 8–31–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–29–P
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE
CORPORATION
[MCC FR 16–04]
Report on Countries That Are
Candidates for Millennium Challenge
Account Eligibility in Fiscal Year 2017
and Countries That Would Be
Candidates but for Legal Prohibitions
Millennium Challenge
Corporation.
AGENCY:
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
ACTION:
Notice.
Section 608(a) of the Millennium
Challenge Act of 2003 requires the
Millennium Challenge Corporation to
publish a report that identifies countries
that are ‘‘candidate countries’’ for
Millennium Challenge Account
assistance during FY 2017. The report is
set forth in full below.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:14 Aug 31, 2016
Jkt 238001
Dated: August 25, 2016.
Thomas G. Hohenthaner,
Acting VP/General Counsel and Corporate
Secretary, Millennium Challenge Corporation.
determination and selection for compact
negotiation (section 608(d) of the Act).
This report is the first of three
required reports listed above.
Report on Countries That Are
Candidates for Millennium Challenge
Compact Eligibility for Fiscal Year 2017
and Countries That Would Be
Candidates but for Legal Prohibitions
Candidate Countries for FY 2017
The Act requires the identification of
all countries that are candidate
countries for FY 2017 and the
identification of all countries that would
be candidate countries but for specified
legal prohibitions on assistance. Under
the terms of the Act, sections 606(a) and
(b) set forth the two income tests
countries must satisfy to be candidate
countries.1 However, for FY 2016, those
categories were defined by MCC’s FY
2016 appropriations act, the Department
of State, Foreign Operations, and
Related Programs Appropriations Act,
2016 (the FY 2016 SFOAA), which is
found at Division K of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114–
113). Specifically, the FY 2016 SFOAA
used the same definitions that have
been used since the FY 2012
appropriations act and defines low
income candidate countries as the 75
poorest countries as identified by the
World Bank and provided that a country
that changes during the fiscal year from
low income to lower middle income (or
vice versa) will retain its candidacy
status in its former income category for
the fiscal year of transition and the two
subsequent fiscal years. Assuming these
definitions will be used again for FY
2017, MCC is using them for purposes
of this report.2
Under the redefined categories, a
country will be a candidate country for
FY 2017 if it:
Meets one of the following tests:
Has a per capita income that is not
greater than the World Bank’s lower
middle income country threshold for
Summary
This report to Congress is provided in
accordance with section 608(a) of the
Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, as
amended, 22 U.S.C. §§ 7701, 7707(a)
(the Act).
The Act authorizes the provision of
assistance for global development
through the Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) for countries that
enter into a Millennium Challenge
Compact with the United States to
support policies and programs that
advance the progress of such countries
to achieve lasting economic growth and
poverty reduction. The Act requires
MCC to take a number of steps in
selecting countries with which MCC
will seek to enter into a compact,
including determining the countries that
will be eligible countries for fiscal year
(FY) 2017 based on (a) a country’s
demonstrated commitment to (i) just
and democratic governance, (ii)
economic freedom, and (iii) investments
in its people; (b) the opportunity to
reduce poverty and generate economic
growth in the country; and (c) the
availability of funds to MCC. These
steps include the submission of reports
to the congressional committees
specified in the Act and the publication
of notices in the Federal Register that
identify:
The countries that are ‘‘candidate
countries’’ for FY 2017 based on their
per capita income levels and their
eligibility to receive assistance under
U.S. law and countries that would be
candidate countries but for specified
legal prohibitions on assistance (section
608(a) of the Act);
The criteria and methodology that the
MCC Board of Directors (Board) will use
to measure and evaluate the relative
policy performance of the ‘‘candidate
countries’’ consistent with the
requirements of subsections (a) and (b)
of section 607 of the Act in order to
determine ‘‘eligible countries’’ from
among the ‘‘candidate countries’’
(section 608(b) of the Act); and
The list of countries determined by
the Board to be ‘‘eligible countries’’ for
FY 2017, identification of such
countries with which the Board will
seek to enter into compacts, and a
justification for such eligibility
PO 00000
Frm 00053
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
1 Sections 606(a) and (b) of the Act provide that
a country will be a candidate country for purposes
of eligibility if it (1) has a per capita income equal
to or less than the historical ceiling of the
International Development Association eligibility
for the fiscal year involved (the ‘‘low income
category’’) or (2) is classified as a lower middle
income country in the then most recent edition of
the World Development Report for Reconstruction
and Development published by the International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development and has
an income greater than the historical ceiling for
International Development Association eligibility
for the fiscal year involved (the ‘‘lower middle
income category’’); and is not ineligible to receive
U.S. economic assistance under part I of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (the Foreign
Assistance Act), by reason of the application of the
Foreign Assistance Act or any other provision of
law.
2 If the language relating to the definition of low
income candidate countries is not enacted or is
changed for MCC’s FY 2017 appropriations act,
MCC will revisit the selection process once the FY
2017 appropriations act is enacted and will conduct
the selection process in accordance with the Act
and applicable provisions for FY 2017.
E:\FR\FM\01SEN1.SGM
01SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 170 / Thursday, September 1, 2016 / Notices
such fiscal year ($4,035 gross national
income per capita for FY 2017); and is
among the 75 lowest per capita income
countries, as identified by the World
Bank; or
Has a per capita income that is not
greater than the World Bank’s lower
middle income country threshold for
such fiscal year ($4,035 gross national
income per capita for FY 2017); but is
not among the 75 lowest per capita
income countries as identified by the
World Bank;
And
Is not ineligible to receive U.S.
economic assistance under part I of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as
amended (the Foreign Assistance Act),
by reason of the application of the
Foreign Assistance Act or any other
provision of law.
Due to the provisions requiring
countries to retain their former income
classification for three fiscal years,
changes from the low income to lower
middle income categories or vice versa
for FY 2017 will go into effect for FY
2020. Countries transitioning to the
upper middle income category do not
remain in the candidate pool.3
Pursuant to section 606(c) of the Act,
the Board identified the following
countries as candidate countries under
the Act for FY 2017. In so doing, the
Board referred to the prohibitions on
assistance to countries for FY 2016
under the FY 2016 SFOAA.
Candidate Countries: Low Income
Category
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Benin
Bhutan
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Central African Republic
3 In FY 2017, the World Bank updated its
estimates of gross national incomes per capita
resulting in Georgia graduating to upper middle
income status after having been a low income
candidate country as recently as FY 2015.
Previously, Paraguay graduated to upper middle
income status after having been a low income
country for FY 2014. Both have transitioned to
upper middle income status without the benefit of
gradual reclassification. Further, in FY 2016,
Mongolia experienced a similar reclassification to
upper middle income status, removing its gradual
reclassification benefit. Although Mongolia has reentered the candidate pool for FY 2017, it does so
as a lower middle income country and does not
retain the gradual graduation benefit it would have
had if it had not exited from the candidate pool for
FY 2016. As a result, the removal of Georgia,
Mongolia, and Paraguay from the low income
category due to their classification as upper middle
income countries means that there are only 72 low
income countries for FY 2017 (eight of which are
legally prohibited).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:14 Aug 31, 2016
Jkt 238001
Countries That Would Be Candidates
but for Legal Provisions That Prohibit
Assistance
Countries that would be considered
candidate countries for FY 2017, but are
ineligible to receive United States
economic assistance under part I of the
Foreign Assistance Act by reason of the
application of any provision of the
Foreign Assistance Act or any other
provision of law, are listed below. This
list is based on legal prohibitions
against economic assistance that apply
as of July 22, 2016.
Chad
Comoros
Cote d’Ivoire
Democratic Republic of Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Ethiopia
Gambia
Ghana
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Honduras
India
Kenya
Kiribati
Kyrgyz Republic
Lao PDR
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Micronesia
Moldova
Morocco
Mozambique
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Republic of Congo
Rwanda
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Swaziland
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Candidate Countries: Lower Middle
Income Category
Armenia
Cabo Verde
El Salvador
Indonesia
Kosovo
Mongolia
Timor Leste
Tongo
Tunisia
Ukraine
PO 00000
Frm 00054
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
60391
Prohibited Countries: Low Income
Category
Bolivia is subject to foreign assistance
restrictions pursuant to section 706(3) of
the Foreign Relations Authorization Act,
FY 2003 (P.L. 107–228), regarding
adherence to obligations under
international counternarcotics
agreements and other counternarcotics
measures.
Burma is subject to foreign assistance
restrictions, including restrictions
pursuant to section 570 of the FY 1997
Foreign Operations, Export Financing,
and Related Programs Appropriations
Act (P.L. 104–208), which prohibits
assistance to the government of Burma
until it makes measurable and
substantial progress in improving
human rights practices and
implementing democratic governance.
Eritrea is subject to foreign assistance
restrictions, including restrictions due
to its status as a Tier 3 country under
the Victims of Trafficking and Violence
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C.
§§ 7101 et seq.).
North Korea is subject to foreign
assistance restrictions, including
restrictions pursuant to section 7007 of
the FY 2016 SFOAA, which prohibits
direct assistance to the government of
North Korea.
South Sudan is subject to foreign
assistance restrictions pursuant to
section 7042(i)(2) of the FY 2016
SFOAA, which prohibits, with limited
exceptions, assistance to the central
government of South Sudan until the
Secretary of State certifies and reports to
Congress that such government is taking
effective steps to end hostilities and
pursue good faith negotiations for a
political settlement of the internal
conflict; provide access for
humanitarian organizations; end the
recruitment and use of child soldiers;
protect freedoms of expression,
association, and assembly; reduce
corruption related to the extraction and
sale of oil and gas; and establish
democratic institutions, including
accountable military and police forces
under civilian authority.
E:\FR\FM\01SEN1.SGM
01SEN1
60392
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 170 / Thursday, September 1, 2016 / Notices
Sudan is subject to foreign assistance
restrictions, including restrictions
pursuant to section 7042(j) of the FY
2016 SFOAA, which prohibits (with
limited exceptions) assistance to the
government of Sudan.
Syria is subject to foreign assistance
restrictions, including restrictions
pursuant to section 7007 of the FY 2016
SFOAA, which prohibits direct
assistance to the government of Syria.
Zimbabwe is subject to foreign
assistance restrictions, including
restrictions pursuant to section
7042(k)(2) of the FY 2016 SFOAA,
which prohibits (with limited
exceptions) assistance for the central
government of Zimbabwe unless the
Secretary of State certifies and reports to
Congress that the rule of law has been
restored, including respect for
ownership and title to property, and
freedoms of expression, association, and
assembly.
Countries identified above as
candidate countries, as well as countries
that would be considered candidate
countries but for the applicability of
legal provisions that prohibit U.S.
economic assistance, may be the subject
of future statutory restrictions or
determinations, or changed country
circumstances, that affect their legal
eligibility for assistance under part I of
the Foreign Assistance Act by reason of
application of the Foreign Assistance
Act or any other provision of law for FY
2017.
‘‘Magnetic Field Response Sensor for
Conductive Media,’’ NASA Case No.
LAR–16571–3, to Remcal Products
having its principal place of business in
Warrington, PA. The fields of use may
be limited to, but not necessarily limited
to, nondestructive evaluation and
testing of manufactured products
(including molded plastic parts, rubber
parts, extruded parts and machined
parts) using hand-held probes and/or
custom-designed test assemblies. The
patent rights in these inventions have
been assigned to the United States of
America as represented by the
Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The prospective partially exclusive
license will comply with the terms and
conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR
404.7.
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION
The prospective partially
exclusive license may be granted unless,
within fifteen (15) days from the date of
this published notice, NASA receives
written objections including evidence
and argument that establish that the
grant of the license would not be
consistent with the requirements of 35
U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR. 404.7.
Competing applications completed and
received by NASA within fifteen (15)
days of the date of this published notice
will also be treated as objections to the
grant of the contemplated partially
exclusive license.
Objections submitted in response to
this notice will not be made available to
the public for inspection and, to the
extent permitted by law, will not be
released under the Freedom of
Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.
[Notice (16–062)]
ADDRESSES:
[FR Doc. 2016–21057 Filed 8–29–16; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 9211–03–P
Objections relating to the
prospective license may be submitted to
Patent Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel,
NASA Langley Research Center, MS 30,
Hampton, VA 23681; (757) 864–3230
(phone), (757) 864–9190 (fax).
Notice of Intent To Grant a Partially
Exclusive License
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration.
ACTION: Notice of intent to grant
partially exclusive license.
AGENCY:
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
This notice is issued in
accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(e) and 37
CFR 404.7(a)(1)(i). NASA hereby gives
notice of its intent to grant a partially
exclusive license in the United States to
practice the inventions described and
claimed in U.S. Patent No. 7,075,295
entitled ‘‘Magnetic Field Response
Sensor for Conductive Media,’’ NASA
Case No. LAR–16571–1; U.S. Patent No.
7,589,525 entitled ‘‘Magnetic Field
Response Sensor for Conductive
Media,’’ NASA Case No. LAR–16571–2;
and U.S. Patent No. 7,759,932 entitled
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:14 Aug 31, 2016
Jkt 238001
DATES:
Robin W. Edwards, Patent Counsel,
Office of Chief Counsel, NASA Langley
Research Center, MS 30, Hampton, VA
23681; (757) 864–3230; Fax: (757) 864–
9190. Information about other NASA
inventions available for licensing can be
found online at https://
technology.nasa.gov.
Mark P. Dvorscak,
Agency Counsel for Intellectual Property.
[FR Doc. 2016–21018 Filed 8–31–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510–13–P
PO 00000
Frm 00055
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[Notice (16–061)]
Notice of Intent To Grant Partially
Exclusive License
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration.
ACTION: Notice of intent to grant
partially exclusive license.
AGENCY:
This notice is issued in
accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(e) and 37
CFR 404.7(a)(1)(i). NASA hereby gives
notice of its intent to grant a partially
exclusive license in the United States to
practice the invention described and
claimed in U.S. Patent Application
Serial No. 14/702,317 entitled ‘‘Foldable
and Deployable Power Collection
System’’, Case Number MFS–33182–1 to
Nexolve Corporation, having its
principal place of business in
Huntsville, Alabama (USA). The fields
of use may be limited to field(s) of use
in In-Space/High Altitude Power
Generation. The patent rights in these
inventions have been assigned to the
United States of America as represented
by the Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The prospective partially exclusive
license will comply with the terms and
conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR
404.7. NASA has not yet made a
determination to grant the requested
license and may deny the requested
license even if no objections are
submitted within the comment period.
DATES: The prospective partially
exclusive license may be granted unless,
within fifteen (15) days from the date of
this published notice, NASA receives
written objections including evidence
and argument that establish that the
grant of the license would not be
consistent with the requirements of 35
U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.
Competing applications completed
and received by NASA within fifteen
(15) days of the date of this published
notice will also be treated as objections
to the grant of the contemplated
exclusive license.
Objections submitted in response to
this notice will not be made available to
the public for inspection and, to the
extent permitted by law, will not be
released under the Freedom of
Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.
ADDRESSES: Objections relating to the
prospective license may be submitted to
Mr. James J. McGroary, Chief Counsel/
LS01, Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, AL 35812, (256) 544–0013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Sammy A. Nabors, Technology Transfer
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\01SEN1.SGM
01SEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 170 (Thursday, September 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60390-60392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21057]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION
[MCC FR 16-04]
Report on Countries That Are Candidates for Millennium Challenge
Account Eligibility in Fiscal Year 2017 and Countries That Would Be
Candidates but for Legal Prohibitions
AGENCY: Millennium Challenge Corporation.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 608(a) of the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 requires the
Millennium Challenge Corporation to publish a report that identifies
countries that are ``candidate countries'' for Millennium Challenge
Account assistance during FY 2017. The report is set forth in full
below.
Dated: August 25, 2016.
Thomas G. Hohenthaner,
Acting VP/General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Millennium Challenge
Corporation.
Report on Countries That Are Candidates for Millennium Challenge
Compact Eligibility for Fiscal Year 2017 and Countries That Would Be
Candidates but for Legal Prohibitions
Summary
This report to Congress is provided in accordance with section
608(a) of the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, as amended, 22 U.S.C.
Sec. Sec. 7701, 7707(a) (the Act).
The Act authorizes the provision of assistance for global
development through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for
countries that enter into a Millennium Challenge Compact with the
United States to support policies and programs that advance the
progress of such countries to achieve lasting economic growth and
poverty reduction. The Act requires MCC to take a number of steps in
selecting countries with which MCC will seek to enter into a compact,
including determining the countries that will be eligible countries for
fiscal year (FY) 2017 based on (a) a country's demonstrated commitment
to (i) just and democratic governance, (ii) economic freedom, and (iii)
investments in its people; (b) the opportunity to reduce poverty and
generate economic growth in the country; and (c) the availability of
funds to MCC. These steps include the submission of reports to the
congressional committees specified in the Act and the publication of
notices in the Federal Register that identify:
The countries that are ``candidate countries'' for FY 2017 based on
their per capita income levels and their eligibility to receive
assistance under U.S. law and countries that would be candidate
countries but for specified legal prohibitions on assistance (section
608(a) of the Act);
The criteria and methodology that the MCC Board of Directors
(Board) will use to measure and evaluate the relative policy
performance of the ``candidate countries'' consistent with the
requirements of subsections (a) and (b) of section 607 of the Act in
order to determine ``eligible countries'' from among the ``candidate
countries'' (section 608(b) of the Act); and
The list of countries determined by the Board to be ``eligible
countries'' for FY 2017, identification of such countries with which
the Board will seek to enter into compacts, and a justification for
such eligibility determination and selection for compact negotiation
(section 608(d) of the Act).
This report is the first of three required reports listed above.
Candidate Countries for FY 2017
The Act requires the identification of all countries that are
candidate countries for FY 2017 and the identification of all countries
that would be candidate countries but for specified legal prohibitions
on assistance. Under the terms of the Act, sections 606(a) and (b) set
forth the two income tests countries must satisfy to be candidate
countries.\1\ However, for FY 2016, those categories were defined by
MCC's FY 2016 appropriations act, the Department of State, Foreign
Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2016 (the FY 2016
SFOAA), which is found at Division K of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113). Specifically, the FY 2016 SFOAA used the
same definitions that have been used since the FY 2012 appropriations
act and defines low income candidate countries as the 75 poorest
countries as identified by the World Bank and provided that a country
that changes during the fiscal year from low income to lower middle
income (or vice versa) will retain its candidacy status in its former
income category for the fiscal year of transition and the two
subsequent fiscal years. Assuming these definitions will be used again
for FY 2017, MCC is using them for purposes of this report.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Sections 606(a) and (b) of the Act provide that a country
will be a candidate country for purposes of eligibility if it (1)
has a per capita income equal to or less than the historical ceiling
of the International Development Association eligibility for the
fiscal year involved (the ``low income category'') or (2) is
classified as a lower middle income country in the then most recent
edition of the World Development Report for Reconstruction and
Development published by the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development and has an income greater than the historical
ceiling for International Development Association eligibility for
the fiscal year involved (the ``lower middle income category''); and
is not ineligible to receive U.S. economic assistance under part I
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (the Foreign
Assistance Act), by reason of the application of the Foreign
Assistance Act or any other provision of law.
\2\ If the language relating to the definition of low income
candidate countries is not enacted or is changed for MCC's FY 2017
appropriations act, MCC will revisit the selection process once the
FY 2017 appropriations act is enacted and will conduct the selection
process in accordance with the Act and applicable provisions for FY
2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the redefined categories, a country will be a candidate
country for FY 2017 if it:
Meets one of the following tests:
Has a per capita income that is not greater than the World Bank's
lower middle income country threshold for
[[Page 60391]]
such fiscal year ($4,035 gross national income per capita for FY 2017);
and is among the 75 lowest per capita income countries, as identified
by the World Bank; or
Has a per capita income that is not greater than the World Bank's
lower middle income country threshold for such fiscal year ($4,035
gross national income per capita for FY 2017); but is not among the 75
lowest per capita income countries as identified by the World Bank;
And
Is not ineligible to receive U.S. economic assistance under part I
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (the Foreign
Assistance Act), by reason of the application of the Foreign Assistance
Act or any other provision of law.
Due to the provisions requiring countries to retain their former
income classification for three fiscal years, changes from the low
income to lower middle income categories or vice versa for FY 2017 will
go into effect for FY 2020. Countries transitioning to the upper middle
income category do not remain in the candidate pool.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ In FY 2017, the World Bank updated its estimates of gross
national incomes per capita resulting in Georgia graduating to upper
middle income status after having been a low income candidate
country as recently as FY 2015. Previously, Paraguay graduated to
upper middle income status after having been a low income country
for FY 2014. Both have transitioned to upper middle income status
without the benefit of gradual reclassification. Further, in FY
2016, Mongolia experienced a similar reclassification to upper
middle income status, removing its gradual reclassification benefit.
Although Mongolia has re-entered the candidate pool for FY 2017, it
does so as a lower middle income country and does not retain the
gradual graduation benefit it would have had if it had not exited
from the candidate pool for FY 2016. As a result, the removal of
Georgia, Mongolia, and Paraguay from the low income category due to
their classification as upper middle income countries means that
there are only 72 low income countries for FY 2017 (eight of which
are legally prohibited).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pursuant to section 606(c) of the Act, the Board identified the
following countries as candidate countries under the Act for FY 2017.
In so doing, the Board referred to the prohibitions on assistance to
countries for FY 2016 under the FY 2016 SFOAA.
Candidate Countries: Low Income Category
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Benin
Bhutan
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Cote d'Ivoire
Democratic Republic of Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Ethiopia
Gambia
Ghana
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Honduras
India
Kenya
Kiribati
Kyrgyz Republic
Lao PDR
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Micronesia
Moldova
Morocco
Mozambique
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Republic of Congo
Rwanda
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Swaziland
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Candidate Countries: Lower Middle Income Category
Armenia
Cabo Verde
El Salvador
Indonesia
Kosovo
Mongolia
Timor Leste
Tongo
Tunisia
Ukraine
Countries That Would Be Candidates but for Legal Provisions That
Prohibit Assistance
Countries that would be considered candidate countries for FY 2017,
but are ineligible to receive United States economic assistance under
part I of the Foreign Assistance Act by reason of the application of
any provision of the Foreign Assistance Act or any other provision of
law, are listed below. This list is based on legal prohibitions against
economic assistance that apply as of July 22, 2016.
Prohibited Countries: Low Income Category
Bolivia is subject to foreign assistance restrictions pursuant to
section 706(3) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, FY 2003
(P.L. 107-228), regarding adherence to obligations under international
counternarcotics agreements and other counternarcotics measures.
Burma is subject to foreign assistance restrictions, including
restrictions pursuant to section 570 of the FY 1997 Foreign Operations,
Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act (P.L. 104-
208), which prohibits assistance to the government of Burma until it
makes measurable and substantial progress in improving human rights
practices and implementing democratic governance.
Eritrea is subject to foreign assistance restrictions, including
restrictions due to its status as a Tier 3 country under the Victims of
Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.
7101 et seq.).
North Korea is subject to foreign assistance restrictions,
including restrictions pursuant to section 7007 of the FY 2016 SFOAA,
which prohibits direct assistance to the government of North Korea.
South Sudan is subject to foreign assistance restrictions pursuant
to section 7042(i)(2) of the FY 2016 SFOAA, which prohibits, with
limited exceptions, assistance to the central government of South Sudan
until the Secretary of State certifies and reports to Congress that
such government is taking effective steps to end hostilities and pursue
good faith negotiations for a political settlement of the internal
conflict; provide access for humanitarian organizations; end the
recruitment and use of child soldiers; protect freedoms of expression,
association, and assembly; reduce corruption related to the extraction
and sale of oil and gas; and establish democratic institutions,
including accountable military and police forces under civilian
authority.
[[Page 60392]]
Sudan is subject to foreign assistance restrictions, including
restrictions pursuant to section 7042(j) of the FY 2016 SFOAA, which
prohibits (with limited exceptions) assistance to the government of
Sudan.
Syria is subject to foreign assistance restrictions, including
restrictions pursuant to section 7007 of the FY 2016 SFOAA, which
prohibits direct assistance to the government of Syria.
Zimbabwe is subject to foreign assistance restrictions, including
restrictions pursuant to section 7042(k)(2) of the FY 2016 SFOAA, which
prohibits (with limited exceptions) assistance for the central
government of Zimbabwe unless the Secretary of State certifies and
reports to Congress that the rule of law has been restored, including
respect for ownership and title to property, and freedoms of
expression, association, and assembly.
Countries identified above as candidate countries, as well as
countries that would be considered candidate countries but for the
applicability of legal provisions that prohibit U.S. economic
assistance, may be the subject of future statutory restrictions or
determinations, or changed country circumstances, that affect their
legal eligibility for assistance under part I of the Foreign Assistance
Act by reason of application of the Foreign Assistance Act or any other
provision of law for FY 2017.
[FR Doc. 2016-21057 Filed 8-29-16; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 9211-03-P