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Congressional Budget Justification
On February 5, 2007 – the day the President released his budget – MCC released its justification for its fiscal year (FY) 2008 budget Request. Read the press release and download a PDF of the Budget Justification
Board of Directors Approves Kenya and Uganda Threshold Programs, Reinstates Yemen
On February 14, 2007 the MCC Board of Directors reinstated Yemen after its suspension in 2005.
Kenya Signs MCC Grant to Combat Corruption
On March 23, 2007, the Millennium Challenge Corporation and Kenya signed a $12.7 million grant to combat corruption in public procurement.
Zambia Revenue Authority Opens Refurbished Client Service Center
On March 27, 2007, Zambia launched a streamlined value added tax registration process and code of ethics.
Uganda Signs MCC Threshold Program to Combat Corruption
On March 29, 2007, the Millennium Challenge Corporation and Uganda signed a $10.4 program to fight corruption
Ask the Expert
Ask Maria Longi, Director of Threshold Programs, a question about the reinstatement of Yemen. Should your question be chosen, it will appear with an answer in next month’s Millennium Challenge Monthly. Ask Maria a question.
Maria Longi
Director, Threshold Programs
Maria Longi is the Managing Director for the Threshold Programs for non-African countries at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). She is responsible for the MCC’s programs that assist Threshold Countries to create and enhance policy environments that are conducive to sustained economic growth.
Ms. Longi has a distinguished career with expertise in a wide-range of sectors. Prior to joining MCC, Ms. Longi served as the Director for the Security and Law Enforcement Division in the Office of the Coordinator for U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia at the U.S. Department of State. As Director, she coordinated, managed, and strategized U.S. judicial, security, and law enforcement assistance programs to 20 countries in Europe and Eurasia.
Previously, Ms. Longi worked as the Senior Advisor for the Caucasus in the Office of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia, U.S. Department of State. Her responsibilities included coordinating U.S. democracy, economic, humanitarian, and security assistance programs to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
As a Peace Corps volunteer, Ms. Longi worked as a non-governmental organization advisor to the Polish Environmental Law Association. She actively designed projects, sought funding, and helped implement environmental law programs, including those related to international conventions and sustainable development.
After recieving her law degree, Ms. Longi worked for the American Bar Association/Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative as a consultant, Country Director, and Rule of Law liaison in Yerevan, Armenia.
Ms. Longi graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering, and obtained her Juris Doctor from Northern Kentucky University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. A member of the Ohio and Kentucky Bar Associations, Ms. Longi also speaks Polish.
Notable Quotable:
“We are very active in, of course, the promotion of and the support of democratic forces around the world, but I would like to use the President's recent trip to Latin America as an example of how we see democracy and development as going hand in hand. Because democracy is not just the next election; democracy is the development of institutions and it is the ability of democratic countries to deliver for their people. Therefore, the Millennium Challenge program, which I think has been very successful around the world in creating the right incentives for countries to govern wisely, to fight corruption, to invest in the health and education of their own people, has been one of our most important tools in changing the conversation about how development takes place, that there is responsibility on behalf of donor countries but there is also responsibility on behalf of those who would receive our aid.
We have worked with the countries that are receiving these compacts. It's an interesting process in which it is not just the government but civil society that participates in that process, and I think it is one of the best innovations in foreign assistance that we have had.””
Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice
Testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations
March 21, 2007
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The Newsletter of the Millennium Challenge Corporation
