[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 125 (Thursday, June 30, 2022)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 39323-39328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14198]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 125 / Thursday, June 30, 2022 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 39323]]


                Memorandum of June 26, 2022

                
Partnership for Global Infrastructure and 
                Investment

                Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and 
                Agencies

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and to establish my Administration's policy 
                and approach to executing the Partnership for Global 
                Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), it is hereby 
                ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. Infrastructure is critical to 
                driving a society's productivity and prosperity. When 
                done well, infrastructure connects workers to good 
                jobs; allows businesses to grow and thrive; facilitates 
                the delivery of vital services; creates opportunities 
                for all segments of society, including underserved 
                communities; moves goods to markets; enables rapid 
                information-sharing and communication; protects 
                societies from the effects of climate change and public 
                health crises or other emergencies; and supports global 
                connection among nations. Infrastructure comes in many 
                forms and sizes, from the large-scale energy systems 
                that power inclusive economies, to the local healthcare 
                networks that contribute to global health security, to 
                the range of innovative infrastructure developed 
                through investments from financial institutions and 
                small- and medium-sized enterprises. My Administration 
                is making an urgent, once-in-a-generation investment in 
                domestic infrastructure that will create jobs, help 
                address the climate crisis, and help the Nation recover 
                from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic--
                and the same focus is needed around the globe.

                Internationally, infrastructure has long been 
                underfunded, with over $40 trillion in estimated need 
                in the developing world--a need that will only increase 
                with the climate crisis and population growth. Many 
                low- and middle-income countries lack adequate access 
                to high-quality financing that meets their long-term 
                infrastructure investment needs. Too often, financing 
                options lack transparency, fuel corruption and poor 
                governance, and create unsustainable debt burdens, 
                often leading to projects that exploit, rather than 
                empower, workers; exacerbate challenges faced by 
                vulnerable populations, such as forced displacement; 
                degrade natural resources and the environment; threaten 
                economic stability; undermine gender equality and human 
                rights; and put insufficient focus on cybersecurity 
                best practices--a failure that can contribute to 
                vulnerable information and communications technology 
                networks.

                The underinvestment in infrastructure is not just 
                financial, but also technical. Delivering high-quality 
                infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries must 
                include helping to establish and improve the necessary 
                institutional and policy frameworks, regulatory 
                environment, and human capacity to ensure the 
                sustainable delivery of services to communities; 
                defining strong engineering, environmental, social, 
                governance, and labor standards; and structuring 
                projects to attract private investment. Through the 
                PGII, the United States and like-minded partners will 
                emphasize high-standards and quality investments in 
                resilient infrastructure that will drive job creation, 
                safeguard against corruption, guarantee respect for 
                workers' organizations and collective bargaining as 
                allowed by national law or similar mechanisms, support 
                inclusive economic recovery, address risks of 
                environmental degradation, promote robust 
                cybersecurity, promote skills transfer, and protect 
                American economic prosperity and national security. The 
                PGII will also advance values-driven infrastructure 
                development that is carried out in a transparent

[[Page 39324]]

                and sustainable manner--financially, environmentally, 
                and socially--to lead to better outcomes for recipient 
                countries and communities.

                There is bipartisan support for international 
                infrastructure development. The Congress passed the 
                Better Utilization of Investments Leading to 
                Development Act of 2018 (BUILD Act) (Division F of 
                Public Law 115-254, 132 Stat. 3485) with bipartisan 
                support to mobilize private-sector dollars to support 
                economic development in low- and middle income 
                countries, which can include support for projects to 
                build infrastructure, creating first-time access to 
                electricity, starting businesses, and creating jobs. 
                The BUILD Act institutionalized the United States' 
                commitment to private sector-funded development by 
                establishing the United States International 
                Development Finance Corporation (DFC), authorized a 
                higher exposure cap for the DFC than the exposure cap 
                for the former Overseas Private Investment Corporation, 
                and provided new tools to engage entrepreneurs and 
                investors to help low- and middle-income countries 
                access private resources to generate economic growth. 
                These investments help ensure that our partners are 
                stronger, create opportunities for people around the 
                world, and reduce the need for future United States 
                foreign aid.

                In a similar spirit, in 2018 the Congress passed the 
                AGOA and MCA Modernization Act (Public Law 115-167, 132 
                Stat. 1276), authorizing the Millennium Challenge 
                Corporation (MCC) to make concurrent regional compacts 
                under specified conditions, which can include 
                investments in regional infrastructure. This new 
                authority builds on the MCC's record of delivering 
                complex infrastructure projects that result in the 
                delivery of vital services for communities and 
                sustainable, inclusive economic growth. In addition, 
                recognizing the need for access to high-quality, fair, 
                and transparent financing for United States exporters 
                and foreign buyers, the Congress also reauthorized the 
                Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) for 7 
                years in 2019. The EXIM's reauthorization legislation 
                also took steps to advance American leadership in 
                transformational exports, which can include support for 
                goods and services necessary for open, secure, 
                reliable, and interoperable information and 
                communications technology.

                The United States and its partners have a long history 
                of providing high-quality financing and technical 
                support for infrastructure projects throughout the 
                world. However, the lack of a comprehensive approach 
                for coordinating infrastructure investments with like-
                minded partners often leads to inefficiencies and 
                missed opportunities for coordinated investments to 
                deliver at scale. Greater flexibility, speed, and 
                resources, combined with expanded internal coordination 
                within the United States Government, will provide 
                opportunities for the United States Government and 
                United States companies to better meet the 
                infrastructure needs of low- and middle-income 
                countries around the world. At the same time, greater 
                coordination with G7 and other like-minded partners 
                will increase efficiency and catalyze new financing to 
                advance a shared vision of values driven, high-quality, 
                and sustainable infrastructure around the world.

                Four key priorities relating to infrastructure will be 
                especially critical for robust development in the 
                coming decades: climate and energy security, digital 
                connectivity, health and health security, and gender 
                equality and equity. Economic prosperity and 
                competitiveness will largely be driven by how well 
                countries harness their digital and technology sectors 
                and transition to clean energy to provide 
                environmentally sustainable and broadly shared, 
                inclusive growth for their people. Countries not only 
                will need new and retrofitted infrastructure, secure 
                clean energy supply chains, and secure access to 
                critical minerals and metals to facilitate energy 
                access and transitions to clean energy, but also will 
                need significant investments in infrastructure to make 
                communities more resilient to diverse threats, from 
                pandemics to malicious cyber actors, to the increasing 
                effects of climate change. Further, the COVID-19 
                pandemic has highlighted the unequal infrastructure 
                needs in the developing world and has 
                disproportionately affected low- and middle-income 
                countries and regions, particularly with respect to the 
                health sector.

[[Page 39325]]

                In the developing world, the pandemic has also set back 
                the economic participation of women and members of 
                underserved communities and has reversed decades of 
                progress toward ending poverty, with global extreme 
                poverty rising for the first time in more than 20 years 
                due to COVID-19. The pandemic has highlighted the need 
                for expanded investments in and high-quality financing 
                for strengthened health systems to both fight the 
                current pandemic and prepare for future health crises.

                It is therefore the policy of the United States to 
                catalyze international infrastructure financing and 
                development through the PGII, which is designed to 
                offer low- and middle-income countries a comprehensive, 
                transparent, values-driven financing choice for 
                infrastructure development to advance climate and 
                energy security, digital connectivity, health and 
                health security, and gender equality and equity 
                priorities. The PGII will mobilize public and private 
                resources to meet key infrastructure needs, while 
                enhancing American competitiveness in international 
                infrastructure development and creating good jobs at 
                home and abroad. In this effort, the United States is 
                working in close partnership with G7 and other like-
                minded partners toward infrastructure financing and 
                infrastructure development that are sustainable, clean, 
                resilient, inclusive, and transparent, and that adhere 
                to high standards.

                Sec. 2. Approach. In order to meet the enormous 
                infrastructure needs in the developing world, a new 
                approach to international infrastructure development 
                that emphasizes high-standards investment is needed. To 
                meet this challenge and seize this opportunity, the 
                PGII should:

                    (a) partner with low- and middle-income countries 
                to finance infrastructure across key sectors that 
                advances the four key priorities critical to 
                sustainable, inclusive growth: climate and energy 
                security, digital connectivity, health and health 
                security, and gender equality and equity;
                    (b) promote the execution of projects in a timely 
                fashion in consultation and partnership with host 
                countries and local stakeholders to meet their priority 
                needs and opportunities, balancing both short- and 
                longer-term priorities;
                    (c) pursue the dual goals of advancing prosperity 
                and surmounting global challenges, including the 
                climate crisis, through the development of clean, 
                climate-resilient infrastructure that drives job 
                creation, accelerates clean energy innovation, and 
                supports inclusive economic recovery;
                    (d) support the policy and institutional reforms 
                that are key to creating the conditions and capacity 
                for sound projects and lasting results and to 
                attracting private financing;
                    (e) boost the competitiveness of the United States 
                by supporting businesses, including small- and medium-
                sized enterprises in overseas infrastructure and 
                technology development, thereby creating jobs and 
                economic growth here at home;
                    (f) advance transparency, accountability, and 
                performance metrics to allow assessment of whether 
                investments and projects deliver results and are 
                responsive to country needs, are financially sound, and 
                meet a high standard;
                    (g) mobilize private capital from both the United 
                States private sector and the private sector in partner 
                countries;
                    (h) build upon relationships with international 
                financial institutions, including the multilateral 
                development banks (MDBs), to mobilize capital;
                    (i) focus on projects that can attract 
                complementary private-sector financing and catalyze 
                additional market activity to multiply the positive 
                impact on economies and communities;
                    (j) coordinate sources of bilateral and 
                multilateral development finance to maximize the 
                ability to meet infrastructure needs and facilitate the 
                implementation of high standards for infrastructure 
                investment;

[[Page 39326]]

                    (k) uphold high standards for infrastructure 
                investments and procurement, which safeguard against 
                bribery and other forms of corruption, better address 
                climate risks and risks of environmental degradation, 
                promote skills transfer, generate good jobs, mitigate 
                risks to vulnerable populations, and promote long-term 
                economic and social benefits for economies and 
                communities; and
                    (l) align G7 and other like-minded partners to 
                coordinate our respective approaches, investment 
                criteria, expertise, and resources on infrastructure to 
                advance a common vision and better meet the needs of 
                low- and middle-income countries and regions.

                Sec. 3. Execution. (a) A whole-of-government approach 
                is necessary to meet the challenge of international 
                infrastructure development, with executive departments 
                and agencies (agencies) working together with like 
                minded partners. The Special Presidential Coordinator 
                for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and 
                Investment shall be responsible for overseeing the 
                whole-of-government execution of these efforts and 
                serving as the central node for United States 
                coordination among the G7, as well as with other like-
                minded partners, the private sector, and other external 
                actors. While specific lines of effort and initiatives 
                may each have agency leads, such as on sourcing 
                critical minerals or identifying trusted 5G and 6G 
                vendors, whole-of-government policies should be 
                addressed through the Coordinator.

                    (b) Agencies shall, consistent with applicable law 
                and available appropriations, prioritize support for 
                the PGII and make strategic investments across the 
                PGII's key priorities of climate and energy security, 
                digital connectivity, health and health security, and 
                gender equality and equity.
                    (c) The PGII shall be executed through the 
                following key implementation efforts:

(i) The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), 
through the interagency process identified in National Security Memorandum 
2 of February 4, 2021 (Renewing the National Security Council System) (NSM-
2), shall submit a report to the President within 180 days of the date of 
this memorandum. The report shall include recommendations on United States 
Government actions to boost the competitiveness of the United States in 
international infrastructure development, and to improve coordination on 
international infrastructure development across relevant agencies.

(ii) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary 
of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Transportation, 
the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development (USAID), and the heads of other relevant agencies 
shall prioritize programming consistent with the policy and approach 
described in sections 1 and 2 of this memorandum to support timely delivery 
of international infrastructure development, particularly across the PGII's 
four key priorities, as appropriate and consistent with their respective 
authorities. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MCC, the CEO of DFC, the 
President of EXIM, the Director of the Trade and Development Agency (TDA), 
and the heads of other relevant independent agencies are encouraged to 
follow this same line of effort, as appropriate and consistent with their 
respective authorities.

(iii) The Secretary of State shall direct Chiefs of Mission to use all 
appropriate tools and to develop coordination mechanisms--including through 
Embassy Deal Teams--to address host country strategic infrastructure needs 
within the PGII's four key priority areas.

(iv) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Energy, 
the Administrator of USAID, the CEO of MCC, the CEO of DFC, the President 
of EXIM, and the Special Presidential Coordinator, shall develop a strategy 
for using Embassy Deal Teams to identify potential priority infrastructure 
projects for the PGII and refer promising opportunities to

[[Page 39327]]

relevant agencies for consideration, based on each agency's strengths and 
authorities.

(v) The Secretary of State, through the Special Presidential Coordinator 
and in consultation with the heads of other relevant agencies, shall 
coordinate diplomatic engagements to expand the PGII beyond the G7 to bring 
greater resources and opportunities for partnership.

(vi) The Secretary of State, through the Special Presidential Coordinator 
and in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of 
Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, the Administrator of USAID, the CEO of 
MCC, and the CEO of DFC, shall lead interagency efforts regarding 
international coordination on infrastructure development standards and 
metrics, including on labor and environment, and certification mechanisms, 
including through the Blue Dot Network.

(vii) The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Administrator of 
the Small Business Administration, the President of EXIM, the Director of 
TDA, and the Special Presidential Coordinator, shall develop and implement 
a strategy to boost the competitiveness of the United States and promote 
the use of United States equipment and services in international 
infrastructure development.

(viii) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of 
State, the CEO of MCC, the CEO of DFC, and the Special Presidential 
Coordinator, shall develop and implement a strategy to catalyze private-
sector investment and support low- and middle-income countries across the 
PGII's four key priority areas.

(ix) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of 
State, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, the Administrator of USAID, and the Special Presidential 
Coordinator shall develop a plan for engaging the MDBs to foster high-
quality infrastructure investment and increased private-capital 
mobilization for low- and middle-income countries, and shall coordinate 
with like-minded partners in the plan's execution. The CEO of DFC, in 
consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, 
the Administrator of USAID, and the Special Presidential Coordinator, is 
encouraged to develop a plan to enhance engagement with national and 
international development finance institutions to increase private-capital 
mobilization.

(x) The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the heads of 
other relevant agencies, shall develop and implement a strategy to promote 
high-quality, sustainable, and resilient transportation infrastructure in 
low- and middle-income countries, including through the launch of a 
comprehensive toolkit for national, subnational, and multilateral partners 
that emphasizes best practices in planning, finance, project delivery, 
safety, and maintenance.

(xi) The APNSA, through the interagency process identified in NSM-2 and in 
coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, 
shall identify potential legislative and administrative actions that could 
improve the ability of United States economic development and assistance, 
development finance, and export credit tools to meet international 
infrastructure development needs.

(xii) The APNSA, through the interagency process identified in NSM-2, shall 
lead biannual reviews to monitor the progress, metrics, and outcomes of the 
PGII's investments and projects; identify strategic opportunities across 
the PGII's four key priorities; and ensure that the execution of the PGII 
aligns with, and supports, broader strategic United States national 
security and economic objectives and values, including by supporting United 
States companies in international infrastructure development.

[[Page 39328]]

                Sec. 4. Definition. For purposes of this memorandum, 
                ``agency'' means any authority of the United States 
                that is an ``agency'' under 44 U.S.C. 3502(1), other 
                than one considered to be an independent regulatory 
                agency, as defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(5). ``Agency'' 
                also means any component of the Executive Office of the 
                President.

                Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this 
                memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
                affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent 
                with applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does 
                not, create any right or benefit, substantive or 
                procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any 
                party against the United States, its departments, 
                agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or 
                agents, or any other person.
                    (d) The Secretary of State is authorized and 
                directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal 
                Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, June 26, 2022

[FR Doc. 2022-14198
Filed 6-29-22; 11:15 am]
Billing code 4710-10-P