Memorandum for the Secretary of State on Presidential Determination and Certification with Respect to the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008

Pursuant to section 404 of the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008 (22 U.S.C. 2370c-1) (CSPA), I hereby:

Determine that it is in the national interest of the United States to waive the application of the prohibition in section 404(a) of the CSPA with respect to Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey; to waive in part the application of the prohibition in section 404(a) of the CSPA with respect to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to allow for the provision of International Military Education and Training (IMET) and Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) assistance, to the extent that the CSPA would restrict such assistance or support; to waive in part the application of the prohibition in section 404(a) of the CSPA with respect to Libya, Somalia, and Yemen to allow for the provision of IMET and PKO assistance and support provided pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 333, to the extent that the CSPA would restrict such assistance or support; to waive in part the application of the prohibition in section 404(a) of the CSPA with respect to South Sudan to allow for the provision of PKO assistance, to the extent that the CSPA would restrict such assistance; and, to waive the application of the prohibition in section 404(a) of the CSPA with respect to allowing for the issuance of licenses for direct commercial sales related to other United States Government assistance for the above countries; and

Certify that the governments of the above countries are taking effective and continuing steps to address the problem of child soldiers. 

Accordingly, I hereby waive such applications of section 404(a) of the CSPA.

You are authorized and directed to submit this determination to the Congress, along with the Memorandum of Justification, and to publish this determination in the Federal Register.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.