Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73not60

§9804 Selection of Priority Countries and Regions

Title 22 › Chapter 105— GLOBAL FRAGILITY › § 9804

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President must choose certain countries and regions as priorities for carrying out the Global Fragility Strategy. The President must work with the Secretary of State, the USAID Administrator, and the Secretary of Defense. The choices must be based on U.S. national security interests, clear measures of how fragile or violent a place is (including rankings on recognized fragility and early‑warning lists, levels of armed or extremist violence, gender‑based violence, harm to children and youth, and vulnerability to climate and environmental threats), and an assessment of whether local governments and civil society are able and willing to partner with U.S. agencies (for example, by improving fair and accountable institutions, protecting human rights, and giving people access to justice). The selection process must also judge whether U.S. help would likely reduce fragility, prevent extremism and violence, or stabilize conflict zones. At least five countries or regions must be chosen, and at least two of those must be places where the main focus is preventing violence and fragility rather than stabilizing an active conflict. Before the picks are finalized, officials from State, USAID, Defense, and other agencies must brief the appropriate congressional committees and take congressional input into account.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §9804

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and the Secretary of Defense, and in consultation with the appropriate congressional committees specified in subsection (b), shall select certain countries as “priority countries” and certain regions as “priority regions” for the purpose of implementing the Global Fragility Strategy required under section 9803 of this title—

(1)on the basis of—

(A)the national security interests of the United States;

(B)clearly defined indicators of the levels of violence or fragility in such country or region, such as the country’s or region’s—

(i)ranking on recognized global fragility lists, such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development States of Fragility report, the Fund for Peace Fragile States Index, the World Bank Harmonized List of Fragile Situations, the Institute for Economics and Peace Global Peace Index, and the Holocaust Museum Early Warning Project Risk Assessment;

(ii)ranking on select United States Government conflict and atrocity early warning watch lists;

(iii)levels of violence, including violence committed by armed groups, state actors, and violent extremist organizations, gender-based violence, and violence against children and youth; and

(iv)vulnerability to rising sea levels, flooding, drought, wildfires, desertification, deforestation, food insecurity, and human displacement; and

(C)an assessment of—

(i)the commitment and capacity of national and sub-national government entities and civil society partners in such country or region to work with relevant Federal departments and agencies on the Global Fragility Strategy, including by demonstrating commitment to—

(I)improving inclusive, transparent, and accountable power structures, including effective, legitimate, and resilient national and sub-national institutions; and

(II)ensuring strong foundations for human rights, rule of law, and equal access to justice; and

(ii)the likelihood that United States assistance under the Global Fragility Strategy would measurably help to reduce fragility, prevent the spread of extremism and violence, and stabilize conflict-affected areas in each such country or region; and

(2)in a manner that ensures that not fewer than five countries or regions are selected, including not fewer than two in which the priority will be preventing violent conflict and fragility, rather than stabilizing ongoing conflicts.

(b)Prior to finalization of the selection of priority countries and regions under subsection (a), representatives from the Department of State, USAID, the Department of Defense, and other relevant Federal departments and agencies, as necessary and appropriate, shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on the countries and regions being considered and shall consider congressional input on such prioritization.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 9804

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60