Charter of the Partnership for Peace Fund Advisory Board

ARTICLE 1 Committee's Official Designation (Title):

The Partnership for Peace Fund Advisory Board (henceforth referred to as “the Board”).

ARTICLE 2 Authority:

The Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA or the Act) (Pub. L. 116–260, div. K, title VIII, §8004, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1816). This committee is established in accordance with and operates under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, Title 5 U.S.C. Chapter 10.

ARTICLE 3 Objectives and Scope of Activities:

The Act directs the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish an advisory board to make recommendations on the types of projects that should be considered for funding through the People-to-People Partnership for Peace Fund. 

ARTICLE 4 Description of Duties:

The Board is purely advisory and possesses no enforcement authority or power to bind USAID. Duties of the Board and individual members are restricted to providing information and making recommendations to USAID on matters and issues relating to the types of projects USAID should seek to support in order to further the purposes of the people-to-people Partnership for Peace Fund and partnerships with foreign governments and international organizations to leverage the impact of the people-to-people Partnership for Peace Fund.  

ARTICLE 5 Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports:

The Board shall report to the Administrator of USAID. 

ARTICLE 6 Support:

USAID Bureau for the Middle East (ME), Office of the Assistant Administrator, is responsible for financial and administrative support of the Board and its subordinate units. 

ARTICLE 7 Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years:

The estimated annual operating and administrative support cost in dollars for the Board and Subcommittees thereof are estimated to be approximately $400,000. The estimated full-time equivalent staff is two.

ARTICLE 8 Designated Federal Officer:

The Administrator of USAID will designate a Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for the Board and may designate an Alternate DFO as well. The DFO for the Board is the Executive Director of the Board and must be a full-time employee of USAID’s Middle East Bureau, appointed in accordance with Agency procedures. The DFO must: (a) Approve or call the meetings of the Board or any Subcommittees; (b) Approve the agenda for such meetings; (c) Attend the meetings; (d) Adjourn any meetings when he or she determines it to be in the public interest; and (e) Chair the meetings when so directed by the Administrator. 

ARTICLE 9 Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings:

It is expected that the Board may hold two meetings annually. A quorum will be a majority of appointed members of the Board. A quorum must be present before a meeting can be held. 

ARTICLE 10 Duration:

Continuing.

ARTICLE 11 Termination:

This charter will be in effect from two years from the date it is filed with Congress. After this two-year period, the charter may be renewed in accordance with Section 14 of FACA. 

ARTICLE 12 Membership and Designations:

The Board shall consist of 13 mandatory members and no more than 15 members, who are appointed for renewable periods of three (3) years, as follows: 

  • One member to serve as Chair appointed by the USAID Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of State; 
  • One member appointed by the Chair and one member appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the U.S. Senate; 
  • One member appointed by the Chair and one member appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives; 
  • One member appointed by the Chair and one member appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations of the U.S. Senate; 
  • One member appointed by the Chair and one member appointed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations of the U.S. House of Representatives; 
  • One member appointed by the Majority Leader and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate; and 
  • One member appointed by the Speaker and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Administrator shall designate the Chair of the Board, in consultation with the Secretary of State, and may appoint two additional members to the Board who are representatives of international organizations or foreign governments.

The Administrator has the authority to remove any Board member.

ARTICLE 13 Subcommittees:

Board Subcommittees are authorized as necessary for the performance of the Board’s duties and the discharge of its responsibilities. All reporting, advice, and work products of the Board Subcommittees should be made through the Board and shall not be provided directly to the Administrator. 

ARTICLE 14 Recordkeeping:

Records of the Board and all formally and informally established subcommittees shall be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 6.2, or other approved Agency schedule for the disposition of records. These records shall be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act (Section 552 of Title 5 of the United States Code).

ARTICLE 15 Filing Date:

The charter was filed November 17, 2023 with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Foreign Relations Committee of the U.S. Senate as required by law. This Charter is subject to renewal every two years. 


Samantha Power 
Administrator 
U.S. Agency for International Development 
November 14, 2023