82_FR_55341 82 FR 55119 - Notice of Entering Into a Compact With the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

82 FR 55119 - Notice of Entering Into a Compact With the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 222 (November 20, 2017)

Page Range55119-55121
FR Document2017-25198

In accordance with Section 610(b)(2) of the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, as amended, and the heading ``Millennium Challenge Corporation'' of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2017, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is publishing a summary of the Millennium Challenge Compact between the United States of America, acting through MCC, and the Republic of C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire. Representatives of MCC and C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire signed the compact on November 7, 2017. The complete text of the compact has been posted at: https://www.mcc.gov/ resources/doc/compact-cote-divoire.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 222 (Monday, November 20, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 222 (Monday, November 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55119-55121]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25198]


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MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION

[MCC FR 18-03]


Notice of Entering Into a Compact With the Republic of C[ocirc]te 
d'Ivoire

AGENCY: Millennium Challenge Corporation.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 610(b)(2) of the Millennium 
Challenge Act of 2003, as amended, and the heading ``Millennium 
Challenge Corporation'' of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2017, the Millennium Challenge 
Corporation (MCC) is publishing a summary of the Millennium Challenge 
Compact between the United States of America, acting through MCC, and 
the Republic of C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire. Representatives of MCC and 
C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire signed the compact on November 7, 2017. The 
complete text of the compact has been posted at: https://www.mcc.gov/resources/doc/compact-cote-divoire.

    Dated: November 15, 2017.
Jeanne M. Hauch,
Vice President and General Counsel, Millennium Challenge Corporation.

Summary of the C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire Compact

Overview of MCC C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire Compact

    MCC has signed a five-year, $524,740,000 compact with the 
Government of C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire that is aimed at reducing poverty and 
accelerating economic growth. The compact seeks to address two binding 
constraints to economic growth in C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire: (i) Low levels 
of basic, technical, and vocational skills; and (ii) barriers to moving 
goods and people, especially in Abidjan. The compact will address these 
constraints through two projects designed to support the 
diversification of the Ivoirian economy in its drive for emergence: (i) 
the Skills for Employability and Productivity Project (``Skills 
Project''); and (ii) the Abidjan Transport Project.

Background and Context

    After passing only five MCC policy indicators in fiscal year 2012, 
C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire began a systematic effort to improve its policy 
performance in order to qualify for MCC funding. As a result of those 
efforts, C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire has consistently passed the MCC scorecard 
since FY 2015, and in FY 2017 the country passed 14 indicators. In FY 
2015, MCC's Board of Directors selected C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire for a 
threshold program and in FY 2016, based on continued policy 
improvement, for development of a compact proposal. The compact is seen 
in C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire as the fruit of a long journey of sustained 
engagement with MCC and is poised to become a central pillar of the 
country's relationship with the United States.
    C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire is located in the coastal zone of West Africa 
and has a population of 22.7 million people, 41.5 percent of whom are 
under the age of 14, and a gross national income per capita of $1,420. 
With five major ethnic groups, a sizeable immigrant population making 
up a quarter of the population, and more than 60 local languages

[[Page 55120]]

spoken throughout the country, social cohesion has historically been 
fragile with deep divisions along national, ethnic, religious, and 
geographical lines. While Yamoussoukro is the official capital, Abidjan 
is the informal seat of government and home to approximately 19 percent 
of the population, making it the country's critical driver for economic 
growth.
    From independence in 1960 until 1979, C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire enjoyed 
strong economic growth and was seen by many as the economic, political, 
and cultural center of West Africa. However, the country's economy was 
largely dependent on a few main exports, notably cocoa. When the world 
market price for cocoa fell sharply in the 1980s, C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire's 
economy collapsed. The country struggled with political instability 
throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including a civil war from 2002 to 
2004, and a second civil war from March to April 2011. Since 2012, 
political stability has allowed the economy to recover from years of 
stagnation, with gross domestic product growth rates averaging nine 
percent per year over the past five years. Despite this recovery, there 
is a palpable sense among C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire's population that the 
fruits of recent growth have not been widely shared. Moreover, despite 
some recent diversification, the country remains overly dependent on 
the same narrow set of exports.

Compact Overview and Budget

    The compact is based on the premise that for C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire to 
achieve sustainable and inclusive growth--and escape the boom and bust 
cycle of the past--it must diversify its economy. MCC and C[ocirc]te 
d'Ivoire identified two constraints to economic growth that will be 
addressed in the compact: (i) Low levels of basic, technical, and 
vocational skills; and (ii) barriers to moving goods and people, 
especially in Abidjan. The compact will address these constraints 
through the Skills and Abidjan Transport Projects. C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire 
is committed to implementing these projects in a sustainable manner in 
order to
     Resolve critical youth education and unemployment issues;
     increase the competitiveness of Abidjan as the country's 
economic growth hub by improving the mobility of goods and people; and
     diversify its economy while promoting public-private 
partnerships.
    The compact is expected to allow C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire to resume its 
economic preeminence in West Africa and become a desired location for 
employment-intensive industries such as manufacturing and business 
process outsourcing, as well as help mitigate lingering socio-political 
issues.
    The budget for the compact is detailed below:

          Table 1--C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire's Compact Budget Summary
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Component                          Total  (US $)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Skills Project.......................................     154,950,000
1.1 Secondary Education Activity........................     111,300,000
1.2 Technical and Vocational Education and Training           35,000,000
 Activity...............................................
1.3 Project Management..................................       8,650,000
2. Abidjan Transport Project............................     292,340,000
2.1 Transport Infrastructure Activity...................     238,720,000
2.2 Transport Management and Planning Activity..........      53,620,000
3. Monitoring and Evaluation............................      12,700,000
3.1 Monitoring and Evaluation Activities................      12,700,000
4. Program Administration and Oversight.................      64,750,000
4.1 Program Administration and Oversight................      64,750,000
                                                         ---------------
  Total Program Budget..................................     524,740,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Project Summaries

Skills Project ($154,950,000)
    The Skills Project aims to (i) to increase the number of years of 
education received and improve the acquisition of quality, in-demand 
basic skills, including reading, math, and soft skills, for lower 
secondary students; and (ii) to improve the acquisition of quality, in-
demand technical skills and increase job-placement rates among 
graduates of compact-supported technical and vocational education and 
training (TVET) centers. The Skills Project is designed to equip those 
in Abidjan, as well as in two additional economic hubs, with skills to 
meet the demands of the private sector in an expanding and diversifying 
economy. Investments in the regions of Gb[ecirc]k[ecirc], in the 
center-north of C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire, and San Pedro, in the west of the 
country, will allow MCC funding to capitalize on opportunities to 
address the country's profound gender, socioeconomic, and geographic 
inequalities and to improve access to basic education, technical 
vocational training, and economic opportunities more broadly. The 
Skills Project is composed of the following two activities:
     Secondary Education Activity: This activity aims to 
increase access to lower secondary education in two regions of 
C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire and improve the access to, and quality of, 
secondary education and the governance of the sector. MCC funding will 
support the building of, and support to, approximately 74-84 new lower 
secondary schools in the rural and peri-urban areas of the 
Gb[ecirc]k[ecirc] and San Pedro regions. This funding will be supported 
by policy and institutional reforms at the national level in gender, 
monitoring and evaluation systems, and teacher training to improve 
capacity and overall governance, equity, and system performance.
     Technical and Vocational Education and Training Activity: 
This activity aims to develop a new TVET model of partnership that 
provides training to students in the skills and knowledge in demand by 
the private sector. This TVET model will be implemented through 
sustainable training centers developed and managed through a public-
private partnership with industries in C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire. The 
activity will be implemented with a goal of catalyzing a shift within 
the training system towards better identifying and meeting the training 
needs of the private sector. MCC funding will support the building of 
up to four new private sector-driven TVET centers, development of a 
quality management and accountability systems for improved sector 
governance, and introduction of key quality management and 
accountability tools to strengthen the Ministry of Environment's 
capacity to manage for results. MCC funding will also support the 
necessary revisions to legislation and regulations to accommodate the 
TVET model. The TVET centers will be required to develop a gender and 
social inclusion policy and action plan that describes key social and 
gender considerations, strategic approaches, and expected outcomes.
Abidjan Transport Project ($292,340,000)
    The Abidjan Transport Project aims to reduce vehicle operating 
costs and travel times along targeted road segments, while improving 
overall pedestrian and vehicle mobility and safety. MCC funding will 
support infrastructure works designed to improve traffic fluidity and 
decongest central corridors of the city linking the Port of Abidjan to 
points north, west, and east, as well as integrate new pavement design 
technologies that aim to reduce total lifecycle user costs. This 
project consists of two activities:
     Transport Infrastructure Activity: The Transport 
Infrastructure Activity aims to rehabilitate up to 32 kilometers of 
critical roadway and adjoining infrastructure in the central corridor 
of

[[Page 55121]]

Abidjan to (i) improve overall travel times, traffic movement, and road 
safety; (ii) integrate multi-modal transport planning; and (iii) reduce 
household transport costs and increase revenue for businesses.
     Transport Management and Planning Activity: This activity 
aims to build the technical and managerial capacity of C[ocirc]te 
d'Ivoire's road-transport-related agencies in the areas of 
infrastructure asset-management techniques, and long-term road planning 
and maintenance. MCC funding will include the following: (i) The 
creation, development and institutionalization of a graduate education 
program in infrastructure asset management; (ii) the development of a 
road asset inventory and database, as well as a road safety database 
for Abidjan; (iii) traffic management and coordination assistance; and 
(iv) the development and expansion of a program that provides routine 
cleaning, upkeep and maintenance of the road and bridge network in 
Abidjan.

Economic Analysis

    The estimated economic rate of return (ERR) for the Skills Project 
is 10.6 percent over 20 years. The project seeks to improve student 
learning outcomes and increase the number of years that students attend 
school. Both of these benefits are expected to increase future lifetime 
earnings for the participating students. The Technical and Vocational 
Education and Training Activity is expected to result in students 
acquiring specific, market-demanded skills through additional years of 
schooling, which results in higher employment rates and higher lifetime 
earnings.
    The estimated ERR for the Abidjan Transport Project is 22.6 percent 
over 20 years. While vehicle operating costs and time savings are 
expected to be the immediate microeconomic benefits of the project, the 
project is also expected to contribute to the economy of C[ocirc]te 
d'Ivoire's largest city by improving access to jobs, goods, and social 
services.
    Overall, the compact is expected to benefit at least 11,300,000 
people over 20 years. Approximately 300,000 Skills Project 
beneficiaries are expected to be Abidjan residents and therefore also 
beneficiaries of the Abidjan Transport Project; accordingly, they have 
been deducted from the total number of compact beneficiaries to avoid 
double counting.

Policy Reform and the Compact

    MCC and C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire have agreed on several policy reform 
areas to support the sustainability of the compact program. In the 
Skills Project, C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire will allocate sufficient annual 
public expenditures for lower secondary education and TVET to support 
and maintain MCC's investments by providing adequate teachers and 
budgets for secondary schools and operational subsidies for TVET 
centers. C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire will also develop, institutionalize, and 
operationalize a national gender policy for the education sector in 
order to help rectify gender disparities in the Ivoirian education 
system. Finally, MCC plans to contribute to the modernization of the 
country's outdated and ineffective teacher training program and, 
through the TVET investment, help the government transition from being 
an ineffective service provider to being a regulator and financer of 
training provided in TVET centers that are operated by and for the 
private sector.
    In the Abidjan Transport Project, MCC's assistance will be 
accompanied by reforms designed to improve the governance and financial 
sustainability of C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire's road maintenance fund. In 
particular, C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire will increase the amount of revenue 
allocated to the road fund over the life of the compact, reduce the 
debt burden currently held by the road fund, and increase road user 
participation in the governance structure of the road fund in order to 
create a more market-oriented entity. C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire has also 
agreed on mechanisms to eliminate illegal truck parking in the zone 
around the Port of Abidjan, which is expected to contribute 
significantly to the reduction of traffic congestion in this important 
area of the city.

[FR Doc. 2017-25198 Filed 11-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9211-03-P



                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 222 / Monday, November 20, 2017 / Notices                                                55119

                                                Office of the Secretary, U.S.                           1111 Broadway Avenue, Braselton, GA                   Foreign Operations, and Related
                                                International Trade Commission, 500 E                   38517.                                                Programs Appropriations Act, 2017, the
                                                Street SW., Room 112, Washington, DC                       (3) For the investigation so instituted,           Millennium Challenge Corporation
                                                20436, telephone (202) 205–2000.                        the Chief Administrative Law Judge,                   (MCC) is publishing a summary of the
                                                Hearing impaired individuals are                        U.S. International Trade Commission,                  Millennium Challenge Compact
                                                advised that information on this matter                 shall designate the presiding                         between the United States of America,
                                                can be obtained by contacting the                       Administrative Law Judge.                             acting through MCC, and the Republic
                                                Commission’s TDD terminal on (202)                         The Office of Unfair Import                        of Côte d’Ivoire. Representatives of MCC
                                                205–1810. Persons with mobility                         Investigations will not be named as a                 and Côte d’Ivoire signed the compact on
                                                impairments who will need special                       party to this investigation.                          November 7, 2017. The complete text of
                                                assistance in gaining access to the                        Responses to the amended complaint                 the compact has been posted at: https://
                                                Commission should contact the Office                    and the notice of investigation must be               www.mcc.gov/resources/doc/compact-
                                                of the Secretary at (202) 205–2000.                     submitted by the named respondent in                  cote-divoire.
                                                General information concerning the                      accordance with section 210.13 of the                   Dated: November 15, 2017.
                                                Commission may also be obtained by                      Commission’s Rules of Practice and
                                                                                                                                                              Jeanne M. Hauch,
                                                accessing its internet server at https://               Procedure, 19 CFR 210.13. Pursuant to
                                                                                                                                                              Vice President and General Counsel,
                                                www.usitc.gov. The public record for                    19 CFR 201.16(e) and 210.13(a), such                  Millennium Challenge Corporation.
                                                this investigation may be viewed on the                 responses will be considered by the
                                                Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS)                   Commission if received not later than 20              Summary of the Côte d’Ivoire Compact
                                                at https://edis.usitc.gov.                              days after the date of service by the                 Overview of MCC Côte d’Ivoire Compact
                                                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The                    Commission of the amended complaint
                                                                                                        and the notice of investigation.                        MCC has signed a five-year,
                                                Office of Docket Services, U.S.                                                                               $524,740,000 compact with the
                                                International Trade Commission,                         Extensions of time for submitting
                                                                                                        responses to the amended complaint                    Government of Côte d’Ivoire that is
                                                telephone (202) 205–1802.                                                                                     aimed at reducing poverty and
                                                                                                        and the notice of investigation will not
                                                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                                                                                    accelerating economic growth. The
                                                                                                        be granted unless good cause therefor is
                                                  Authority: The authority for institution of           shown.                                                compact seeks to address two binding
                                                this investigation is contained in section 337             Failure of the respondent to file a                constraints to economic growth in Côte
                                                of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19               timely response to each allegation in the             d’Ivoire: (i) Low levels of basic,
                                                U.S.C. 1337 and in section 210.10 of the                                                                      technical, and vocational skills; and (ii)
                                                                                                        amended complaint and in this notice
                                                Commission’s Rules of Practice and                                                                            barriers to moving goods and people,
                                                Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2017).                        may be deemed to constitute a waiver of
                                                                                                        the right to appear and contest the                   especially in Abidjan. The compact will
                                                  Scope of Investigation: Having                        allegations of the amended complaint                  address these constraints through two
                                                considered the complaint, as amended,                   and this notice, and to authorize the                 projects designed to support the
                                                the U.S. International Trade                            administrative law judge and the                      diversification of the Ivoirian economy
                                                Commission, on November 14, 2017,                       Commission, without further notice to                 in its drive for emergence: (i) the Skills
                                                ordered that—                                           the respondent, to find the facts to be as            for Employability and Productivity
                                                  (1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of                     alleged in the amended complaint and                  Project (‘‘Skills Project’’); and (ii) the
                                                section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as               this notice and to enter an initial                   Abidjan Transport Project.
                                                amended, an investigation be instituted                 determination and a final determination
                                                to determine whether there is a                                                                               Background and Context
                                                                                                        containing such findings, and may
                                                violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of                    result in the issuance of an exclusion                  After passing only five MCC policy
                                                section 337 in the importation into the                 order or a cease and desist order or both             indicators in fiscal year 2012, Côte
                                                United States, the sale for importation,                directed against the respondent.                      d’Ivoire began a systematic effort to
                                                or the sale within the United States after                                                                    improve its policy performance in order
                                                importation of certain gas spring nailer                  By order of the Commission.                         to qualify for MCC funding. As a result
                                                products and components thereof by                        Issued: November 14, 2017.                          of those efforts, Côte d’Ivoire has
                                                reason of infringement of one or more of                Lisa R. Barton,                                       consistently passed the MCC scorecard
                                                claim 30 of the ’547 patent; claims 1 and               Secretary to the Commission.                          since FY 2015, and in FY 2017 the
                                                11 of the ’296 patent; claims 1 and 32                  [FR Doc. 2017–25053 Filed 11–17–17; 8:45 am]          country passed 14 indicators. In FY
                                                of the ’297 patent; claims 1, 10, and 16                BILLING CODE 7020–02–P                                2015, MCC’s Board of Directors selected
                                                of the ’718 patent; claims 1 and 16 of the                                                                    Côte d’Ivoire for a threshold program
                                                ’722 patent; and claim 1 of the ’282                                                                          and in FY 2016, based on continued
                                                patent; and whether an industry in the                  MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE                                  policy improvement, for development of
                                                United States exists as required by                     CORPORATION                                           a compact proposal. The compact is
                                                subsection (a)(2) of section 337;                                                                             seen in Côte d’Ivoire as the fruit of a
                                                  (2) For the purpose of the                            [MCC FR 18–03]                                        long journey of sustained engagement
                                                investigation so instituted, the following                                                                    with MCC and is poised to become a
                                                are hereby named as parties upon which                  Notice of Entering Into a Compact With                central pillar of the country’s
                                                this notice of investigation shall be                   the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire                        relationship with the United States.
                                                served:                                                 AGENCY: Millennium Challenge                            Côte d’Ivoire is located in the coastal
                                                  (a) The complainant is: Kyocera Senco                 Corporation.                                          zone of West Africa and has a
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                                                Brands Inc., 4270 Ivy Pointe Boulevard,                 ACTION: Notice.                                       population of 22.7 million people, 41.5
                                                Cincinnati, OH 45245.                                                                                         percent of whom are under the age of
                                                  (b) The respondents are the following                 SUMMARY:   In accordance with Section                 14, and a gross national income per
                                                entities alleged to be in violation of                  610(b)(2) of the Millennium Challenge                 capita of $1,420. With five major ethnic
                                                section 337, and are the parties upon                   Act of 2003, as amended, and the                      groups, a sizeable immigrant population
                                                which the amended complaint is to be                    heading ‘‘Millennium Challenge                        making up a quarter of the population,
                                                served: Hitachi Koki U.S.A., Limited,                   Corporation’’ of the Department of State,             and more than 60 local languages


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:15 Nov 17, 2017   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00042   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\20NON1.SGM   20NON1


                                                55120                      Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 222 / Monday, November 20, 2017 / Notices

                                                spoken throughout the country, social                   manufacturing and business process                             the governance of the sector. MCC
                                                cohesion has historically been fragile                  outsourcing, as well as help mitigate                          funding will support the building of,
                                                with deep divisions along national,                     lingering socio-political issues.                              and support to, approximately 74–84
                                                ethnic, religious, and geographical lines.                 The budget for the compact is detailed                      new lower secondary schools in the
                                                While Yamoussoukro is the official                      below:                                                         rural and peri-urban areas of the Gbêkê
                                                capital, Abidjan is the informal seat of                                                                               and San Pedro regions. This funding
                                                government and home to approximately                     TABLE 1—CÔTE D’IVOIRE’S COMPACT                              will be supported by policy and
                                                19 percent of the population, making it                         BUDGET SUMMARY                                         institutional reforms at the national
                                                the country’s critical driver for                                                                                      level in gender, monitoring and
                                                economic growth.                                                     Component                             Total       evaluation systems, and teacher training
                                                  From independence in 1960 until                                                                         (US $)       to improve capacity and overall
                                                1979, Côte d’Ivoire enjoyed strong                                                                                    governance, equity, and system
                                                economic growth and was seen by many                    1. Skills Project .....................          154,950,000
                                                                                                        1.1 Secondary Education Ac-
                                                                                                                                                                       performance.
                                                as the economic, political, and cultural                  tivity ...................................     111,300,000
                                                                                                                                                                          • Technical and Vocational
                                                center of West Africa. However, the                     1.2 Technical and Vocational                                   Education and Training Activity: This
                                                country’s economy was largely                             Education and Training                                       activity aims to develop a new TVET
                                                dependent on a few main exports,                          Activity ...............................        35,000,000   model of partnership that provides
                                                notably cocoa. When the world market                    1.3 Project Management ......                      8,650,000   training to students in the skills and
                                                price for cocoa fell sharply in the 1980s,              2. Abidjan Transport Project                     292,340,000   knowledge in demand by the private
                                                Côte d’Ivoire’s economy collapsed. The                 2.1 Transport Infrastructure                                   sector. This TVET model will be
                                                country struggled with political                          Activity ...............................       238,720,000   implemented through sustainable
                                                instability throughout the 1990s and                    2.2 Transport Management                                       training centers developed and managed
                                                2000s, including a civil war from 2002                    and Planning Activity ........                  53,620,000   through a public-private partnership
                                                                                                        3. Monitoring and Evaluation                      12,700,000
                                                to 2004, and a second civil war from                    3.1 Monitoring and Evalua-
                                                                                                                                                                       with industries in Côte d’Ivoire. The
                                                March to April 2011. Since 2012,                          tion Activities .....................           12,700,000   activity will be implemented with a goal
                                                political stability has allowed the                     4. Program Administration                                      of catalyzing a shift within the training
                                                economy to recover from years of                          and Oversight ....................              64,750,000   system towards better identifying and
                                                stagnation, with gross domestic product                 4.1 Program Administration                                     meeting the training needs of the private
                                                growth rates averaging nine percent per                   and Oversight ....................              64,750,000   sector. MCC funding will support the
                                                year over the past five years. Despite                                                                                 building of up to four new private
                                                this recovery, there is a palpable sense                   Total Program Budget .......                  524,740,000   sector-driven TVET centers,
                                                among Côte d’Ivoire’s population that                                                                                 development of a quality management
                                                the fruits of recent growth have not been               Project Summaries                                              and accountability systems for
                                                widely shared. Moreover, despite some                   Skills Project ($154,950,000)                                  improved sector governance, and
                                                recent diversification, the country                                                                                    introduction of key quality management
                                                                                                           The Skills Project aims to (i) to                           and accountability tools to strengthen
                                                remains overly dependent on the same
                                                                                                        increase the number of years of                                the Ministry of Environment’s capacity
                                                narrow set of exports.
                                                                                                        education received and improve the                             to manage for results. MCC funding will
                                                Compact Overview and Budget                             acquisition of quality, in-demand basic                        also support the necessary revisions to
                                                  The compact is based on the premise                   skills, including reading, math, and soft                      legislation and regulations to
                                                that for Côte d’Ivoire to achieve                      skills, for lower secondary students; and                      accommodate the TVET model. The
                                                sustainable and inclusive growth—and                    (ii) to improve the acquisition of quality,                    TVET centers will be required to
                                                escape the boom and bust cycle of the                   in-demand technical skills and increase                        develop a gender and social inclusion
                                                past—it must diversify its economy.                     job-placement rates among graduates of                         policy and action plan that describes
                                                MCC and Côte d’Ivoire identified two                   compact-supported technical and                                key social and gender considerations,
                                                constraints to economic growth that will                vocational education and training                              strategic approaches, and expected
                                                be addressed in the compact: (i) Low                    (TVET) centers. The Skills Project is                          outcomes.
                                                levels of basic, technical, and vocational              designed to equip those in Abidjan, as
                                                                                                        well as in two additional economic                             Abidjan Transport Project
                                                skills; and (ii) barriers to moving goods                                                                              ($292,340,000)
                                                and people, especially in Abidjan. The                  hubs, with skills to meet the demands
                                                compact will address these constraints                  of the private sector in an expanding                             The Abidjan Transport Project aims to
                                                through the Skills and Abidjan                          and diversifying economy. Investments                          reduce vehicle operating costs and
                                                Transport Projects. Côte d’Ivoire is                   in the regions of Gbêkê, in the center-                      travel times along targeted road
                                                committed to implementing these                         north of Côte d’Ivoire, and San Pedro, in                     segments, while improving overall
                                                projects in a sustainable manner in                     the west of the country, will allow MCC                        pedestrian and vehicle mobility and
                                                order to                                                funding to capitalize on opportunities to                      safety. MCC funding will support
                                                  • Resolve critical youth education                    address the country’s profound gender,                         infrastructure works designed to
                                                and unemployment issues;                                socioeconomic, and geographic                                  improve traffic fluidity and decongest
                                                  • increase the competitiveness of                     inequalities and to improve access to                          central corridors of the city linking the
                                                Abidjan as the country’s economic                       basic education, technical vocational                          Port of Abidjan to points north, west,
                                                growth hub by improving the mobility                    training, and economic opportunities                           and east, as well as integrate new
                                                of goods and people; and                                more broadly. The Skills Project is                            pavement design technologies that aim
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                                                  • diversify its economy while                         composed of the following two                                  to reduce total lifecycle user costs. This
                                                promoting public-private partnerships.                  activities:                                                    project consists of two activities:
                                                  The compact is expected to allow                         • Secondary Education Activity: This                           • Transport Infrastructure Activity:
                                                Côte d’Ivoire to resume its economic                   activity aims to increase access to lower                      The Transport Infrastructure Activity
                                                preeminence in West Africa and become                   secondary education in two regions of                          aims to rehabilitate up to 32 kilometers
                                                a desired location for employment-                      Côte d’Ivoire and improve the access to,                      of critical roadway and adjoining
                                                intensive industries such as                            and quality of, secondary education and                        infrastructure in the central corridor of


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                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 222 / Monday, November 20, 2017 / Notices                                          55121

                                                Abidjan to (i) improve overall travel                   program. In the Skills Project, Côte                 scientific community and other persons,
                                                times, traffic movement, and road                       d’Ivoire will allocate sufficient annual              scientific and technical information
                                                safety; (ii) integrate multi-modal                      public expenditures for lower secondary               relevant to program planning.
                                                transport planning; and (iii) reduce                    education and TVET to support and
                                                household transport costs and increase                  maintain MCC’s investments by                         DATES: Wednesday, November 29, 2017,
                                                revenue for businesses.                                 providing adequate teachers and                       1:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.; Thursday,
                                                   • Transport Management and                           budgets for secondary schools and                     November 30, 2017, 9:00 a.m.–5:00
                                                Planning Activity: This activity aims to                operational subsidies for TVET centers.               p.m.; and December 1, 2017, 9:00 a.m.–
                                                build the technical and managerial                      Côte d’Ivoire will also develop,                     3:45 p.m., Local Time.
                                                capacity of Côte d’Ivoire’s road-                      institutionalize, and operationalize a                ADDRESSES:  NASA Headquarters, 300 E
                                                transport-related agencies in the areas of              national gender policy for the education              Street SW., Washington, DC 20546.
                                                infrastructure asset-management                         sector in order to help rectify gender
                                                techniques, and long-term road                                                                                Room number on November 29 will be
                                                                                                        disparities in the Ivoirian education                 Room 5H41; on November 30, Room
                                                planning and maintenance. MCC                           system. Finally, MCC plans to
                                                funding will include the following: (i)                                                                       7H41–A; and on December 1, Room
                                                                                                        contribute to the modernization of the
                                                The creation, development and                                                                                 5H41–A.
                                                                                                        country’s outdated and ineffective
                                                institutionalization of a graduate                      teacher training program and, through                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Ms.
                                                education program in infrastructure                     the TVET investment, help the                         KarShelia Henderson, Science Mission
                                                asset management; (ii) the development                  government transition from being an                   Directorate, NASA Headquarters,
                                                of a road asset inventory and database,                 ineffective service provider to being a               Washington, DC 20546, (202) 358–2355,
                                                as well as a road safety database for                   regulator and financer of training                    fax (202) 358–2779, or khenderson@
                                                Abidjan; (iii) traffic management and                   provided in TVET centers that are                     nasa.gov.
                                                coordination assistance; and (iv) the                   operated by and for the private sector.
                                                development and expansion of a                             In the Abidjan Transport Project,                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:     The
                                                program that provides routine cleaning,                 MCC’s assistance will be accompanied                  meeting will be open to the public up
                                                upkeep and maintenance of the road                      by reforms designed to improve the                    to the capacity of the room. This
                                                and bridge network in Abidjan.                          governance and financial sustainability               meeting will also be available
                                                Economic Analysis                                       of Côte d’Ivoire’s road maintenance                  telephonically and by WebEx. You must
                                                                                                        fund. In particular, Côte d’Ivoire will              use a touch-tone phone to participate in
                                                   The estimated economic rate of return                increase the amount of revenue
                                                (ERR) for the Skills Project is 10.6                                                                          this meeting. Any interested person may
                                                                                                        allocated to the road fund over the life              dial the USA toll free conference call
                                                percent over 20 years. The project seeks                of the compact, reduce the debt burden
                                                to improve student learning outcomes                                                                          number 1–888–603–8921 or toll number
                                                                                                        currently held by the road fund, and                  1–312–470–7052, passcode 9896208, to
                                                and increase the number of years that                   increase road user participation in the
                                                students attend school. Both of these                                                                         participate in this meeting by telephone
                                                                                                        governance structure of the road fund in              for all three days. The WebEx link is
                                                benefits are expected to increase future                order to create a more market-oriented
                                                lifetime earnings for the participating                                                                       https://nasa.webex.com/; on November
                                                                                                        entity. Côte d’Ivoire has also agreed on             29 the meeting number is 999 227 289
                                                students. The Technical and Vocational                  mechanisms to eliminate illegal truck
                                                Education and Training Activity is                                                                            and the password is HPAC2017!, and on
                                                                                                        parking in the zone around the Port of                November 30 and December 1 the
                                                expected to result in students acquiring                Abidjan, which is expected to
                                                specific, market-demanded skills                                                                              meeting number is 995 903 023 and the
                                                                                                        contribute significantly to the reduction
                                                through additional years of schooling,                                                                        password is HPAC2017@.
                                                                                                        of traffic congestion in this important
                                                which results in higher employment                      area of the city.                                        The agenda for the meeting includes
                                                rates and higher lifetime earnings.                                                                           the following topics:
                                                   The estimated ERR for the Abidjan                    [FR Doc. 2017–25198 Filed 11–17–17; 8:45 am]
                                                Transport Project is 22.6 percent over 20               BILLING CODE 9211–03–P                                  • Heliophysics Division Update
                                                years. While vehicle operating costs and                                                                        • Government Performance and
                                                time savings are expected to be the                                                                           Results Modernization Act (GPRAMA)
                                                immediate microeconomic benefits of                     NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND                              Discussion and Recommendations
                                                the project, the project is also expected               SPACE ADMINISTRATION
                                                to contribute to the economy of Côte                                                                           • Senior Review of Operating
                                                                                                        [Notice: (17–085)]                                    Missions Outbrief
                                                d’Ivoire’s largest city by improving
                                                access to jobs, goods, and social                       NASA Heliophysics Advisory                              • Heliophysics Research and Analysis
                                                services.                                               Committee Meeting                                     Program
                                                   Overall, the compact is expected to                                                                          • Heliophysics Science Centers
                                                benefit at least 11,300,000 people over                 AGENCY: National Aeronautics and
                                                                                                                                                              Program
                                                20 years. Approximately 300,000 Skills                  Space Administration.
                                                Project beneficiaries are expected to be                ACTION: Notice of meeting.                              • Discussion of NASA High End
                                                Abidjan residents and therefore also                                                                          Computing (HEC) and Future High-
                                                beneficiaries of the Abidjan Transport                  SUMMARY:   In accordance with the                     Performance Computing Resources for
                                                Project; accordingly, they have been                    Federal Advisory Committee Act, the                   the Heliophysics Community
                                                deducted from the total number of                       National Aeronautics and Space
nshattuck on DSK9F9SC42PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                                                                                The agenda will be posted on the
                                                compact beneficiaries to avoid double                   Administration (NASA) announces a
                                                                                                        meeting of the Heliophysics Advisory                  Heliophysics Advisory Committee Web
                                                counting.                                                                                                     page: https://science.nasa.gov/
                                                                                                        Committee. This Committee reports to
                                                Policy Reform and the Compact                           the Director, Heliophysics Division,                  researchers/nac/science-advisory-
                                                  MCC and Côte d’Ivoire have agreed on                 Science Mission Directorate, NASA                     committees/hpac.
                                                several policy reform areas to support                  Headquarters. The meeting will be held                  It is imperative that the meeting be
                                                the sustainability of the compact                       for the purpose of soliciting, from the               held on this date to accommodate the


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Document Created: 2018-10-25 10:42:33
Document Modified: 2018-10-25 10:42:33
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
FR Citation82 FR 55119 

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