Programs to encourage good governance

The President is authorized to establish programs that combat corruption, improve transparency and accountability, and promote other forms of good governance in countries described in paragraph (2). A country described in this paragraph is a country that is eligible to receive assistance under subchapter I of this chapter (including part IV of subchapter II of this chapter) or the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989 [22 U.S.C. 5401 et seq.]. In carrying out paragraph (1), the President shall give priority to establishing programs in countries that received a significant amount of United States foreign assistance for the prior fiscal year, or in which the United States has a significant economic interest, and that continue to have the most persistent problems with public and private corruption. In determining which countries have the most persistent problems with public and private corruption under the preceding sentence, the President shall take into account criteria such as the Transparency International Annual Corruption Perceptions Index, standards and codes set forth by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Monetary Fund, and other relevant criteria. Assistance provided for countries under programs established pursuant to paragraph (1) may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law that restricts assistance to foreign countries. Assistance provided under a program established pursuant to paragraph (1) for a country that would otherwise be restricted from receiving such assistance but for the preceding sentence may not be provided directly to the government of the country. Subparagraph (A) does not apply with respect to— The programs established pursuant to subsection (a) shall include, to the extent appropriate, projects and activities that— Projects and activities under the programs established pursuant to subsection (a) may include, among other things, training and technical assistance (including drafting of anti-corruption, privatization, and competitive statutory and administrative codes), drafting of anti-corruption, privatization, and competitive statutory and administrative codes, support for independent media and publications, financing of the program and operating costs of nongovernmental organizations that carry out such projects or activities, and assistance for travel of individuals to the United States and other countries for such projects and activities. Amounts made available to carry out the other provisions of subchapter I of this chapter (including part IV of subchapter II of this chapter) and the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989 [22 U.S.C. 5401 et seq.] shall be made available to carry out this section.