Memorandum on Military Assistance to the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Group

Presidential Determination No. 99-34

Memorandum for the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense

Subject: Determination to Authorize the Furnishing of Nonlethal Emergency Military Assistance to the States Participating in the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Under Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2318(a)(1) (the "Act"), I hereby determine that: (1) an unforeseen emergency exists that requires immediate military assistance to states currently participating in, and to states that may in the future participate in, ECOMOG; and (2) the emergency requirement cannot be met under the authority of the Arms Export Control Act or any other law except section 506(a)(1) of the Act.

Therefore, I direct the drawdown from the inventory and resources of the Department of Defense of an aggregate value not to exceed $3 million in defense articles from the stocks of the Department of Defense, defense services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide drawdown assistance to the states currently participating (Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mali, and Guinea), and to those states that in the future may participate, in ECOMOG to enhance ECOMOG's capabilities to participate in efforts to restore peace and security in Sierra Leone.

The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to report this determination to the Congress and to arrange for its publication in the Federal Register.

William J. Clinton