The Board, acting through the Chief Executive Officer, is authorized to provide assistance to a candidate country described in subsection (b) for the purpose of assisting such country to become an eligible country.

A candidate country referred to in subsection (a) is a candidate country that—

(1) satisfies the requirements contained in subsection (a) or (b) of section 7705 of this title; and

(2) demonstrates a significant commitment to meet the requirements of section 7706(b) of this title but fails to meet such requirements (including by reason of the absence or unreliability of data).

Assistance under this section may be provided through the United States Agency for International Development.

Not more than 10 percent of the amounts made available to carry out this chapter for a fiscal year may be made available to carry out this section.

(1) Limitation Not more than 10 percent of the amounts made available to carry out this chapter for a fiscal year may be made available to carry out this section.

(2) Restriction relating to assistance None of the funds authorized to carry out the purposes of this chapter shall be available for assistance under this section to a country that does not qualify as a candidate country under section 7705 of this title for the fiscal year during which such assistance is provided.

(Pub. L. 108–199, div. D, title VI, § 616, Jan. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 224; Pub. L. 109–13, div. A, title II, § 2109, May 11, 2005, 119 Stat. 268; Pub. L. 115–167, title II, § 207, Apr. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1282.)