Notice of Entering Into a Compact With the State of Belize, 74997-74998 [2024-20752]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 178 / Friday, September 13, 2024 / Notices
2020 (85 FR 58393, 9/18/2020), 29 CFR
part 1960 (Basic Program Elements of
for Federal Employee Occupational
Safety and Health Programs), and 41
CFR part 102–3.
Signed at Washington, DC, on September 9,
2024.
James S. Frederick,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2024–20808 Filed 9–12–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–26–P
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE
CORPORATION
[MCC FR 24–05]
Notice of Entering Into a Compact With
the State of Belize
Millennium Challenge
Corporation.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
provisions of the Millennium Challenge
Act of 2003, as amended, the
Millennium Challenge Corporation
(MCC) is publishing a summary of the
Millennium Challenge Compact
(Compact) between the United States of
America and the State of Belize.
Representatives of the United States of
America and the State of Belize
executed the Compact on September 4,
2024. The complete text of the Compact
has been posted at: https://
www.mcc.gov/resources/doc/compactbelize/.
SUMMARY:
(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 7709 (b)(3))
Dated: September 9, 2024.
Peter E. Jaffe,
Vice President, General Counsel, and
Corporate Secretary.
Summary of Belize Compact
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Overview of MCC Belize Compact
MCC has signed a five-year, $125
million compact with the government of
Belize aimed at reducing poverty
through economic growth. The Compact
seeks to assist Belize in addressing two
binding constraints to economic
growth—low quality of education and
high cost of electricity. The Compact
will address these constraints through
two primary projects—the Education
Project and the Energy Project.
Background and Context
Belize is a small, diverse, coastal
nation with a population of 397,483
(2022). As a stable democracy located at
the crossroads of the Caribbean and
Central America, Belize maintains
strong commercial and educational ties
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:53 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 262001
to the Caribbean and has increasingly
strengthened ties with Central America.
While Belize’s economy has
historically relied on the export of forest
products, sugar, and fruit, tourism began
to expand rapidly in the 1990s,
contributing to robust real per capita
income (‘‘PCI’’) growth averaging 4.3%
for the next decade. However, from 2004
to 2019 real PCI growth was near zero.
In 2020, Belize experienced a sharp fall
in tourism revenue and real PCI fell by
16%, which caused Belize to be
classified as a lower middle-income
country. The economy has since
rebounded. As of 2018, 52% of the
population had income below the
Belizean general poverty line, with four
socioeconomic groups
disproportionately affected: Maya
populations, rural households, women,
and youth.
Country Selection and Ongoing
Eligibility
MCC’s Board of Directors selected
Belize as eligible to develop a compact
in December 2021. In selecting Belize
for a compact, MCC’s Board made the
decision to partner with a country that
has demonstrated a clear commitment to
democratic governance and tackling
development challenges.In the year
following its selection, Belize was
reclassified by the World Bank as an
upper middle-income country and
exited MCC’s candidate country pool.
The Board has since repeatedly affirmed
its support for Belize continuing to
develop a compact with MCC, and the
country has continued to demonstrate
its commitment to the principles of
democratic governance that underpin
MCC’s eligibility criteria and scorecard.
Constraints Analysis
In April 2022, the Government of
Belize selected two binding constraints
to economic growth for further program
development in the education and
energy sectors.
The education sector has a severe
shortage of post-primary graduates as
well as skilled workers in key
industries. The Belize education system
does not produce a sufficient number of
individuals with the types of
competencies needed by the labor
market. Shifts in Belize’s economic and
employment landscape have increased
the demand for workers with higher
levels of qualifications and 21st century
skills. However, over half of Belize’s
labor force currently does not have any
form of post-primary education
resulting in the first binding constraint
for the Compact: low quality of
education that leads to a shortage of
trained professionals in all industries.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
74997
In the energy sector the cost of
wholesale electricity is higher than it
should be compared to a wellfunctioning competitive electricity
market. The primary driver of high
electricity rates is the elevated cost of
purchasing wholesale power, which
results in the second binding constraint
for the Compact: high cost of electricity
that drives up input costs for all
industries.
The Government of Belize has shown
strong country ownership and
commitment to the Compact through
their engagement on the technical
design of the projects, their repeated
commitment and preliminary progress
on policy reforms, and their
commitment of counterpart funding for
the implementation and long-term
sustainability of the compact objectives.
MCC successfully concluded compact
negotiations with the Government of
Belize in mid-April and secured
approval for the $125 million
investment from the MCC Board of
Directors on June 26, 2024. The
Government of Belize and MCC signed
the Compact on September 4, 2024 in
Belize City, Belize.
Project Summaries
The projects and activities to be
completed are:
The Education Project ($73.8 million)
aims to equitably increase the number of
post-primary graduates with the
competencies relevant to labor market
demands by pursuing the following
activities and outcomes:
D Transforming Teaching and
Learning in Secondary Education
Activity aims to improve the numeracy,
literacy, and 21st century skills of
secondary graduates by improving the
capability and accountability of the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Science,
and Technology, managing authorities,
educators, and other actors in the
Belizean educational system for
providing inclusive, quality education.
D Access to and Progression through
Secondary Education Activity aims to
increase the percentage of primary
graduates that enroll in and complete
secondary school.
D Training and Transitioning to Work
Activity aims to improve the capability
of Technical and Vocational Education
and Training (TVET) providers to
deliver high quality training demanded
by the labor market as well as to provide
inclusive access to these training
opportunities.
The project focuses on inclusion and
equity by intentionally creating
opportunities across all three activities
for members of groups that have been
traditionally excluded in the Belizean
E:\FR\FM\13SEN1.SGM
13SEN1
74998
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 178 / Friday, September 13, 2024 / Notices
educational context, particularly
students living with trauma, those with
special education needs, immigrant
students, and indigenous students.
Additionally, special emphasis will be
placed on closing gender gaps facing
male students (in transition, retention,
and graduation) and female students (in
participation in workforce preparation).
The Energy Project ($21.7 million)
aims to reduce the wholesale cost of
electricity in real terms through
supporting the competitive procurement
of lower cost power purchase
agreements using energy alternatives
that would displace higher cost imports
by pursuing the following activity and
outcomes:
D Facilitating New Lower-Cost
Renewable Generation Activity is
designed to support Belize in
implementing its utility scale solar-
powered energy expansion plans and
maintaining the stability of the grid.
Policy Reform and the Compact
MCC and Belize jointly identified the
following key policy reform areas to
support the sustainability of the
proposed compact, the timing and
content of which was negotiated with
Belize and is included in the compact.
Key policy reforms of the Education
Project include reforming the Education
Act to require national student
assessments to meet minimum testing
requirements, school-level results to be
published, and a more rigorous
evaluation process for teacher licensing
and certification. Additional reforms
include increasing the compulsory
school age to 16 from 14, ensuring
access to free secondary education to all
primary graduates by offering free
education at all government schools
and, to ensure adequate geographical
coverage, select grant-aided schools, and
requiring each secondary school have a
dedicated school counselor.
Key policy reforms of the Energy
Project include the approval of
regulations governing the process for
competitive procurement for electricity
generation, limits on amendments and
extensions of power purchase
agreements to improve transparency and
protect consumers and revising the grid
code to clarify the interconnection
requirements for variable alternative
forms of energy.
Compact Overview and Budget
Below is a summary describing the
components of the Compact with Belize.
The anticipated budget for the overall
program is $165,650,000, with up to
$125,000,000 under the Compact and
$40,650,000 of contribution from Belize.
TABLE 1—BELIZE COMPACT PROGRAM BUDGET
[Million in US$]
Amount
MCC Funding by Compact Components
1. Education Project:
1.1 Transforming Teaching and Learning in Secondary Education ..........................................................................................
1.2 Access to and Progression through Secondary Education .................................................................................................
1.3 Training and Transitioning to Work .....................................................................................................................................
$41,045,000
16,256,000
16,500,000
Subtotal .................................................................................................................................................................................
73,801,000
2. Energy Project:
2.1 Facilitating New Lower-Cost Renewable Generation ..........................................................................................................
21,684,000
Subtotal .................................................................................................................................................................................
21,684,000
3. Monitoring and Evaluation ...............................................................................................................................................................
4. Program Administration and Oversight ...........................................................................................................................................
1,820,000
27,695,000
Total MCC Compact Funding .......................................................................................................................................................
125,000,000
Total Program Funding
Total MCC Compact Funding ..............................................................................................................................................................
Government of Belize Contribution .....................................................................................................................................................
125,000,000
40,650,000
Total Program ...............................................................................................................................................................................
165,650,000
[FR Doc. 2024–20752 Filed 9–12–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9211–03–P
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE
CORPORATION
[MCC FR 24–06]
Notice of Open Meeting
Millennium Challenge
Corporation.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:53 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 262001
In accordance with the
requirements of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, the Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) Economic
Advisory Council was established as a
discretionary advisory committee on
October 5, 2018. Its charter was most
recently renewed on September 30,
2022, for two additional years. The MCC
Economic Advisory Council serves MCC
solely in an advisory capacity and
provides advice and guidance to MCC
economists, evaluators, leadership of
the Department of Policy and
Evaluation, and senior MCC leadership
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4703
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regarding relevant trends in
development economics, applied
economic and evaluation methods,
poverty analytics, as well as modeling,
measuring, and evaluating development
interventions. In doing so, the MCC
Economic Advisory Council helps
sharpen MCC’s analytical methods and
capacity in support of the agency’s
economic development goals. It also
serves as a sounding board and
reference group for assessing and
advising on strategic policy innovations
and methodological directions in MCC.
E:\FR\FM\13SEN1.SGM
13SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74997-74998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-20752]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION
[MCC FR 24-05]
Notice of Entering Into a Compact With the State of Belize
AGENCY: Millennium Challenge Corporation.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Millennium Challenge
Act of 2003, as amended, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is
publishing a summary of the Millennium Challenge Compact (Compact)
between the United States of America and the State of Belize.
Representatives of the United States of America and the State of Belize
executed the Compact on September 4, 2024. The complete text of the
Compact has been posted at: https://www.mcc.gov/resources/doc/compact-belize/.
(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 7709 (b)(3))
Dated: September 9, 2024.
Peter E. Jaffe,
Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary.
Summary of Belize Compact
Overview of MCC Belize Compact
MCC has signed a five-year, $125 million compact with the
government of Belize aimed at reducing poverty through economic growth.
The Compact seeks to assist Belize in addressing two binding
constraints to economic growth--low quality of education and high cost
of electricity. The Compact will address these constraints through two
primary projects--the Education Project and the Energy Project.
Background and Context
Belize is a small, diverse, coastal nation with a population of
397,483 (2022). As a stable democracy located at the crossroads of the
Caribbean and Central America, Belize maintains strong commercial and
educational ties to the Caribbean and has increasingly strengthened
ties with Central America.
While Belize's economy has historically relied on the export of
forest products, sugar, and fruit, tourism began to expand rapidly in
the 1990s, contributing to robust real per capita income (``PCI'')
growth averaging 4.3% for the next decade. However, from 2004 to 2019
real PCI growth was near zero. In 2020, Belize experienced a sharp fall
in tourism revenue and real PCI fell by 16%, which caused Belize to be
classified as a lower middle-income country. The economy has since
rebounded. As of 2018, 52% of the population had income below the
Belizean general poverty line, with four socioeconomic groups
disproportionately affected: Maya populations, rural households, women,
and youth.
Country Selection and Ongoing Eligibility
MCC's Board of Directors selected Belize as eligible to develop a
compact in December 2021. In selecting Belize for a compact, MCC's
Board made the decision to partner with a country that has demonstrated
a clear commitment to democratic governance and tackling development
challenges.In the year following its selection, Belize was reclassified
by the World Bank as an upper middle-income country and exited MCC's
candidate country pool. The Board has since repeatedly affirmed its
support for Belize continuing to develop a compact with MCC, and the
country has continued to demonstrate its commitment to the principles
of democratic governance that underpin MCC's eligibility criteria and
scorecard.
Constraints Analysis
In April 2022, the Government of Belize selected two binding
constraints to economic growth for further program development in the
education and energy sectors.
The education sector has a severe shortage of post-primary
graduates as well as skilled workers in key industries. The Belize
education system does not produce a sufficient number of individuals
with the types of competencies needed by the labor market. Shifts in
Belize's economic and employment landscape have increased the demand
for workers with higher levels of qualifications and 21st century
skills. However, over half of Belize's labor force currently does not
have any form of post-primary education resulting in the first binding
constraint for the Compact: low quality of education that leads to a
shortage of trained professionals in all industries.
In the energy sector the cost of wholesale electricity is higher
than it should be compared to a well-functioning competitive
electricity market. The primary driver of high electricity rates is the
elevated cost of purchasing wholesale power, which results in the
second binding constraint for the Compact: high cost of electricity
that drives up input costs for all industries.
The Government of Belize has shown strong country ownership and
commitment to the Compact through their engagement on the technical
design of the projects, their repeated commitment and preliminary
progress on policy reforms, and their commitment of counterpart funding
for the implementation and long-term sustainability of the compact
objectives. MCC successfully concluded compact negotiations with the
Government of Belize in mid-April and secured approval for the $125
million investment from the MCC Board of Directors on June 26, 2024.
The Government of Belize and MCC signed the Compact on September 4,
2024 in Belize City, Belize.
Project Summaries
The projects and activities to be completed are:
The Education Project ($73.8 million) aims to equitably increase
the number of post-primary graduates with the competencies relevant to
labor market demands by pursuing the following activities and outcomes:
[ssquf] Transforming Teaching and Learning in Secondary Education
Activity aims to improve the numeracy, literacy, and 21st century
skills of secondary graduates by improving the capability and
accountability of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and
Technology, managing authorities, educators, and other actors in the
Belizean educational system for providing inclusive, quality education.
[ssquf] Access to and Progression through Secondary Education
Activity aims to increase the percentage of primary graduates that
enroll in and complete secondary school.
[ssquf] Training and Transitioning to Work Activity aims to improve
the capability of Technical and Vocational Education and Training
(TVET) providers to deliver high quality training demanded by the labor
market as well as to provide inclusive access to these training
opportunities.
The project focuses on inclusion and equity by intentionally
creating opportunities across all three activities for members of
groups that have been traditionally excluded in the Belizean
[[Page 74998]]
educational context, particularly students living with trauma, those
with special education needs, immigrant students, and indigenous
students. Additionally, special emphasis will be placed on closing
gender gaps facing male students (in transition, retention, and
graduation) and female students (in participation in workforce
preparation).
The Energy Project ($21.7 million) aims to reduce the wholesale
cost of electricity in real terms through supporting the competitive
procurement of lower cost power purchase agreements using energy
alternatives that would displace higher cost imports by pursuing the
following activity and outcomes:
[ssquf] Facilitating New Lower-Cost Renewable Generation Activity
is designed to support Belize in implementing its utility scale solar-
powered energy expansion plans and maintaining the stability of the
grid.
Policy Reform and the Compact
MCC and Belize jointly identified the following key policy reform
areas to support the sustainability of the proposed compact, the timing
and content of which was negotiated with Belize and is included in the
compact.
Key policy reforms of the Education Project include reforming the
Education Act to require national student assessments to meet minimum
testing requirements, school-level results to be published, and a more
rigorous evaluation process for teacher licensing and certification.
Additional reforms include increasing the compulsory school age to 16
from 14, ensuring access to free secondary education to all primary
graduates by offering free education at all government schools and, to
ensure adequate geographical coverage, select grant-aided schools, and
requiring each secondary school have a dedicated school counselor.
Key policy reforms of the Energy Project include the approval of
regulations governing the process for competitive procurement for
electricity generation, limits on amendments and extensions of power
purchase agreements to improve transparency and protect consumers and
revising the grid code to clarify the interconnection requirements for
variable alternative forms of energy.
Compact Overview and Budget
Below is a summary describing the components of the Compact with
Belize. The anticipated budget for the overall program is $165,650,000,
with up to $125,000,000 under the Compact and $40,650,000 of
contribution from Belize.
Table 1--Belize Compact Program Budget
[Million in US$]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCC Funding by Compact Components
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Education Project:
1.1 Transforming Teaching and Learning in Secondary $41,045,000
Education..........................................
1.2 Access to and Progression through Secondary 16,256,000
Education..........................................
1.3 Training and Transitioning to Work.............. 16,500,000
---------------
Subtotal........................................ 73,801,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Energy Project:
2.1 Facilitating New Lower-Cost Renewable Generation 21,684,000
---------------
Subtotal........................................ 21,684,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Monitoring and Evaluation............................ 1,820,000
4. Program Administration and Oversight................. 27,695,000
---------------
Total MCC Compact Funding........................... 125,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Program Funding
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total MCC Compact Funding............................... 125,000,000
Government of Belize Contribution....................... 40,650,000
---------------
Total Program....................................... 165,650,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[FR Doc. 2024-20752 Filed 9-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9211-03-P
