Manager of U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Skies for Africa Programs Cornelia Wilson Hinter, MCC Managing Direct of Private Sector Initiatives Jeri Jensen and General Manager-Engineering of Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority Kwasi Kwakwa participate on a panel discussion on regional trade integration.

Last week, the United States Government joined African small business leaders, NGOs, civil society stakeholders, and representatives of the Kenyan government for the 8th annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum in Nairobi, Kenya.

The three-day forum, including parallel private sector and civil society meetings, featured participation by two MCC Board members, Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton and United States Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk.  Accompanying the Secretary on the trip were Members of Congress – Jim McDermott, Donald Payne, Nita Lowey – as well as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. AGOA, for those less familiar with the trade policy world, represents bipartisan legislation enacted in the late 1990s and signed by President Clinton to help address the fact that the recently-enacted Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations did little to benefit developing countries.  The idea behind the act was to stimulate trade with Africa by giving most African countries duty-free treatment, with the ultimate purpose of stimulating U.S. investment in Africa and helping include Africa in the global economy.

MCC partners with countries that identify the greatest constraints to their development and establish their priorities to create sustainable economic growth. While each country’s grant is unique, most MCC partners place a high priority on increasing competiveness and facilitating regional and international trade. In fact, trade capacity building is a critical part of the U.S. Government’s AGOA contribution.  This promotes economic growth through trade and improves the linkage between trade and development by assisting countries to develop physical, human, and institutional capacity necessary to take full advantage of trade opportunities and, most important, to increase growth and reduce poverty. In 2008, MCC was the largest U.S. Government source of trade-related funding for sub-Saharan Africa, obligating nearly $1 billion.

MCC – with 70 percent of its portfolio in Africa, almost half dedicated to infrastructure   – is already undertaking a number of projects that support AGOA’s objectives in various ways.

• MCC is now working with 19 countries in Africa, developing or implementing compacts or threshold programs;
• MCC partner countries are a natural focus to take advantage of AGOA because they are already undertaking  reforms  to attract investment;
• MCC could be “the other half of the equation” to go hand-and-glove with AGOA preferences because MCC resources are already dedicated in that direction, with  $2 billion in roads  or ports to connect producers to markets; a half a billion in credit facilities to stimulate business enterprises; energy investments to facilitate greater production and exporting opportunities; an investment in hydroelectricity to support textile production in Lesotho;
• Sixty-four percent of MCC’s portfolio is related in some way to agriculture productivity, and agriculture is the area where AGOA’s trade preferences have the greatest potential;
• MCC is one of the few donors that invests in both agriculture and infrastructure in a major way
• MCC is placing greater focus on demand-driven strategies that connect beneficiaries to global markets, in product areas that could potentially also benefit from AGOA.

Ultimately, MCC is realizing the full potential of AGOA by not only expanding trade and investment opportunities but also promoting sustainable development and good governance.

Kenyan entrepreneurs at AGOA’s exhibition area featuring their traditional handcrafted soapstone carvings, tableware and refined beadwork.

MCC's Jonathan Bloom and Minister of Finance Lucien Marie Noël Bembamba

Today, Burkina Faso took a great step forward.  Its $480.9 million, five-year Compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to reduce poverty through economic growth has entered into force (EIF), meaning that the five-year clock to implement the grant has officially begun.  For over a year, the Government of Burkina Faso has been tremendously busy preparing for this moment.  The entity in charge of implementing the Compact—Millennium Challenge Account-Burkina Faso (MCA-Burkina Faso)—has already created a strong foundation for achieving Compact success.

The four Compact-funded projects continue to progress at an impressive rate.  For the Rural Land Governance Project, project analysts  are working on baseline data collection on land conflict and land tenure security, to enable monitoring of project performance. The Parliament of Burkina Faso also has passed a new rural land tenure law (“Loi Portant Régime Foncier Rural”), which is a critical step in Burkina’s land tenure reform process.  For the Roads Project, contracts are being signed this week for project management, technical assistance, and environmental and social assessments for the longest road segment funded by the Compact.  For the Agriculture Development Project, the management audit of the Sourou Valley Development Authority is complete, and the Ministry of Agriculture is now developing an action plan to address the findings of the audit.  The action plan will then be implemented by the development authority.  Burkina Faso also has completed Phase One of the BRIGHT 2 Project, a girls’ education program designed as a 3-year continuation of the highly successful Bright Threshold Program.

The “EIF” event culminates a week of activities, including a televised roundtable panel with other MCA CEOs from Mali and Benin, who were visiting Burkina Faso.  These CEOs discussed their experiences and shared best practices and lessons learned in implementing MCC poverty reduction grants in their countries.  It was fascinating to hear examples of the good work MCC partner countries are doing, and the people we are affecting in meaningful ways around the world.  It was also heartening to receive advice from the CEOs of Mali and Benin, who are both several years ahead of Burkina Faso on Compact implementation.

Front Row: Joseph Bissiri Sirima, National Coordinator Burkina Faso; Nene Traore, Director General, Mali; Prime Minister Tertius Zongo; Simon Pierre Adovelande, National Coordinator, Benin; Kateri Clement, RCD. Back row: Samuel Laeuchli, Charge d’Affaires, US Embassy; Alizeta Diallo, Deputy National Coordinator, Burkina; Jonathan Bloom, Deputy Vice President, MCC.

On July 30th, MCA-Burkina Faso also unveiled its new logo—with symbols representing all four Compact projects as well as the important partnership between Burkina Faso and the United States.  This partnership was emphasized by the American Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Samuel C. Laeuchli, at a dinner at my house on July 30th.  At the dinner, Mr. Laeuchli toasted MCA’s success and highlighted that the staff of MCA are the ones who are truly implementing these important projects to reduce poverty in their country, with America’s support and funding.  On Thursday, MCC and MCA also signed an Implementing Entity Agreement with the Ministry of Environment, one of eight important agreements with Government of Burkina Faso ministries which spells out the terms of collaboration.  On Friday, there was an event at the Ministry of Finance, where the Chargé d’Affaires, MCC Deputy Vice President Jonathan Bloom, and the Ministry of Finance exchanged letters signifying that both countries had met all of the requirements in the Compact and were now ready to “enter into force.”

Finally, a highlight of the week was a televised meeting with the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso on July 31st.  The Prime Minister is very enthusiastic about the Burkina Faso Compact and is confident that it will make a significant difference in the lives of the poor here in Burkina.  I am proud to be working alongside my Burkinabe colleagues and friends, whose commitment to the fight against poverty is an inspiration.  The partnership between MCC and Burkina Faso reflects a shared commitment to winning the fight against poverty and creating sustainable opportunities for economic growth that will improve the lives of Burkinabe.  Now, the clock is ticking as we chart further progress ahead.

Santa Catarina on Santiago Island has always been a municipality with great cultural and economic potential.  Its full potential, however, has gone underdeveloped, given how difficult it is to access it various communities.  This has long been the reality for the seven major communities along the way from  Assomada to Chã de Tanque to Rincão, a way that has seen its share of notable landowners, fishermen, and adventurers who used the Port of Rincão to develop Cape Verde’s economy.

Indeed, Rincão served as one of the most important ports on Santiago Island, from where agricultural products were shipped all over the country. Some speculate that the port was used by militants fighting for Cape Verde’s independence, making  Rincão a place of  historic significance in the fight for Cape Verde’s freedom.

However, as time passed, Rincão was left isolated due to the lack of infrastructure and access to major cities like Assomada.  Fishing became Rincão’s main means to survive.

When Cape Verde and MCC signed the $110 million compact in July 2005, the people of Rincão were excited  at the chance finally to develop their community, with a road that would pave the way to prosperity and connect them to greater commerce and community services.  This past week on July 18, 2009, the road from Assomada to Chã de Tanque to Rincão was inaugurated.  It is  totally asphalted, modern, and functioning,  providing a gateway to the world for the people of Rincão

As one of the  first infrastructure projects completed within the Millennium Challenge Account-Cape Verde (MCA-CV)  program,  I am  proud of this milestone, and proud to see this day come for the people of Rincão. More than just a celebration of a road, or the success of the MCA-CV in partnership with Cape Verdeans, this is a time of reflection on the rich history of the people of Rincão.  Now, what used to be for them a painful one hour and a half journey to Assomada is a pleasant 30 minute drive.

With this completed road, the future of Rincão has the potential to attract tourism-related investments, and the six other localities along the road are already enjoying more dynamic and closer interactions, reclaiming the historic greatness of the municipality of Santa Catarina. Rincão is reborn and has the very real potential to become a reference point  for the  tourism and culture sectors.

With the inauguration of the road in Rincão, we can all say, “Yes, it’s possible!”

Thanks to MCC funds, the dream of bridging the prosperous past with a bright future for this area  of Cape Verde gives us all reason to smile.

Former Senator John Sununu, in Ghana as part of a ONE / (RED) delegation, with the Head Mistress of the Bowjiase Junior Secondary School which was renovated as part of the MCC Compact with Ghana.

MCC Resident Country Director in Ghana Jim Bednar with ONE President and CEO David Lane, at Ghana’s Bowjiase Junior Secondary School. Delegates from ONE and (RED) visited farmers, students, parents and teachers during a recent trip to learn how U.S. Government programs are making a positive difference in the lives of millions of Africans.

MCC, together with friends from the ONE Campaign and (RED), witnessed the reality of what can happen when people come together to fight poverty.  At the Bawjiase Junior Secondary School, hundreds of students, teachers and parents welcomed us to view the renovated classrooms where education has an improved, better home in this community.  The words of the Head Mistress were a moving tribute to what positive things the peoples of the United States and Ghana are accomplishing together.

The decision of the ONE and (RED) delegations to visit MCC programs was a visible signal of the commitment of diverse groups to foster innovative approaches to reduce poverty in Africa and around the globe.  They asked the men, women and children they met about their hopes for their future and the biggest obstacles to economic growth in their homes and communities.  One thing that was clear from the conversations I witnessed was that integrated approaches - programs that tackle the problem of poverty from all angles, including infrastructure, education, agricultural training, trade, and policy - are the best way to ensure lasting, tangible results.  We at MCC are grateful for the commitment of groups like ONE and (RED), who want to see poverty reduction programs in action and experience first-hand the challenges and the exciting headway we are making with partners like Ghana.

From the N1 Highway that MCC is helping rehabilitate to the farmer training programs to the renovated classrooms in Bawjiase, it was inspiring to see the U.S. Government’s $547 million compact with Ghana helping to fortify our strong relationship as friends while ensuring that the next generation of Ghanaians can take advantage of the potential and promise of their future.

This weekend, I had the pleasure of joining the Prime Minister of Cape Verde, other government authorities, U.S. Ambassador Marianne Myles, hundreds of citizens, and the leadership of MCA-Cape Verde at the inauguration of the newly rehabilitated road from Orgãos to Pedra Badejo on the island of Santiago, made possible through MCC’s $110 million compact. It is a significant milestone for Cape Verde’s development, and marks MCC’s first completed road project in Africa. This new construction is the first of three roads being rehabilitated on this island.  In addition there are four bridges under construction on Santo Antão Island.  These works decrease transportation costs for people and goods, improving access to markets and services.   This will help move Cape Verde closer to realizing its goal of poverty reduction and economic growth for the benefit of its citizens.

How?

The new road, over hilly terrain through one of the island’s productive agricultural valleys, is already starting to make a real difference in the lives of Cape Verdean families, farmers, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and social service providers who live and work in communities along its path.  It is a six meter wide road with improved safety and drainage systems, complying with environmental and social requirements. We estimate that nearly 12,500 people will directly benefit from just this 10.2 kilometer stretch of road.  They will now be able to reach markets more efficiently and have better access to schools and other community services.

This  road is just one component of Cape Verde’s MCC compact, aimed also at increasing agricultural productivity,  modernizing the Port of Praia-the nation’s capital-and  fostering  private sector development. Reliable road infrastructure is indispensable to the long-term success of projects in these other sectors.  The fact that the Government of Cape Verde, with Parliament’s endorsement, set aside a maintenance fund for upkeep of the newly constructed road and others being refurbished demonstrates a commitment to quality and sustainability.

In these ways, the new road brings new opportunities.  The statement I delivered at the road inauguration on behalf of MCC’s Acting CEO Rodney Bent reaffirms our determination to build on the success of this first opportunity to now realize the potential of the MCC-Cape Verde compact. My MCC colleagues and I are very proud to be part of this partnership between the US and Cape Verde that made this investment possible, concrete evidence of the historic friendship between our peoples.

Girls will benefit from the IMAGINE project in Niger. Photo by MCC staff.

During a recent trip to Niger, I had the opportunity and privilege of meeting with those coordinating this West African country’s MCC Threshold Program. I came away impressed with their energy and dedication as they work in a challenging environment.

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking near the bottom of the United  Nations’ Human Development Index. It has bounced from drought to coup to famine for centuries. Nonetheless, its people persevere with dignity and fortitude in this country nearly twice the size of Texas.

And the MCC, in partnership with the government and people of Niger, have identified an important way to foster long-term progress and sustainable development: promoting the education of girls. Building upon its innovative program in Burkina Faso, the Niger Threshold Program is funding the IMAGINE (Improve the Education of Girls in Niger) project, which includes the building of 68 “girl friendly” schools in seven regions throughout the country. These school complexes will include three-classroom buildings with sufficient desks for all students, separate latrines for boys and girls, a water source, housing for female teachers and a school canteen.

Throughout the developing world, there are many obstacles that prevent children, especially girls, from going to school. Those barriers include long walking distances from school, hunger, early and forced marriages, and time-consuming chores at home. The result is that the cycle of poverty is continued over generations. Conversely, education is a powerful tool in fighting poverty, unleashing the potential of a whole segment of the population unaccustomed to having the opportunity to earn their own livelihoods. Research shows that providing girls one extra year of education beyond the average can boost eventual wages by 10-20 percent.

Over the long term, we believe that these kinds of programs aimed at improving the education of girls will lead to increased food security. This is because girls in school receive the knowledge and develop the skills that will enable them to better manage resources for themselves and their families.

Better education for girls also contributes to improvements in the nutrition, health and education of future generations. This knowledge will bolster other assistance efforts being carried out by organizations like my own, Catholic Relief Services. For example, we are implementing a nationwide effort in Niger to encourage the use of mosquito nets to prevent malaria. Better educated women will be more likely to see the benefits of using the nets and will make sure their families do so.

It was a great pleasure to help welcome an impressive group of distinguished guests to MCC last week to mark Africa Day.  What continues to unite Africa—a continent of 53 countries each with their own distinct culture and history—is a shared vision for a new day of opportunity and prosperity to transform the lives of the continent’s poorest.  The U.S. Government’s MCC is proud to play a role in realizing this goal by diligently implementing results-driven programs that are making a difference in the lives of Africa’s poor.

We have invested more than 70 percent of our total grant funding-more than $4.7 billion-to fight poverty and stimulate sustainable economic growth in 18 African countries.  Our partners are using these investments

• to boost agricultural productivity so as to increase food security,
• to educate girls and teach mothers how to prevent HIV transmission to their newborns, and
• to build roads not only to help farmers get their crops to market but also to help families get to schools and health clinics.

MCC’s partnerships throughout Africa are helping the poor earn the income they need to pull themselves and their households out of poverty and toward a better future.  MCC is proof positive of the Obama Administration’s support for Africa, even in the midst of the current economic crisis.

Commemorating Africa Day at MCC (l to r): President of Catholic Relief Services and MCC Board Member Ken Hackett; President of Bread for the World David Beckmann; Acting MCC CEO Rodney Bent; Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Relief, Stabilization, and Development at the National Security Council Gayle Smith; U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Ambassador Johnnie Carson; African Union Ambassador Amina Salum Ali; and Chair of Africa Day and Moroccan Ambassador Aziz Mekouar.

Those who joined us for Africa Day from the Administration, the diplomatic corps, and the development community spoke with one voice:  Africa’s promise is vast and the commitment to partner with Africans to realize such potential is firm.  Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Relief, Stabilization, and Development at the National Security Council, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Rodney Bent, our acting CEO here at MCC, Her Excellency Ambassador Amina Salum Ali from the African Union, His Excellency Ambassador Aziz Mekouar of Morocco and chair of Africa Day, Ken Hackett, President of Catholic Relief Services, and David Beckmann, President of Bread for the World, discussed the continent’s constraints to growth and realistic approaches for overcoming them.  Their special insights offered pragmatic, practical, and results-driven solutions that are meaningful and sustainable for the people of Africa.   View the event’s video for details.

Ambassador Johnnie Carson joins Jonathan Bloom, MCC’s Deputy Vice President for Compact Implementation in Africa, and Darius Mans, MCC’s Vice President for Compact Implementation, to discuss MCC’s partnerships in Africa.

Namibia is celebrating its 18th year of independence and, as coincidence would have it, MCC today signed its 18th compact with Namibia, a $304.5 million partnership for education, ecotourism, and agriculture.

This morning, I met with Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba to congratulate him and his government on the compact.  The government is intent upon development of its poorest areas, as Namibia has the second highest disparity of household income in the world.  The compact has three main projects.

The education project will focus on school textbooks, primary and secondary school infrastructure improvements, vocational training, and a sustainable system of scholarships for post-secondary school students. We estimate that about a million students will benefit over the years from this project.

The ecotourism project, largely in the poor northern part of the country, will focus on communal conservancies, protecting Namibia’s astonishingly beautiful natural resources, including wildlife for future generations.  In addition, this project will attract more tourists to Namibia and improve the jewel of the country’s tourism industry, Etosha National Park.

The agriculture project is focused on livestock, as a substantial number of households graze cattle on communal lands in northern Namibia.  The project will provide veterinary centers and training for farmers in rangeland management, improved livestock productivity, and land access.  A small part of the project is focused on helping poor families harvest high-value indigenous natural products like devil’s claw, marula oil, Kalahari melon seed, hoodia, and ximenia.

The signing ceremony was held at the office of the Prime Minister, with the Right Honorable Prime Minister Nahas Angula presiding over the event.  A number of ministers, including the Director General of the National Planning Commission (NPC), board members of the NPC, and a U.S. trade mission organized by the Corporate Council on Africa were among the dignitaries who attended the event.  Tonight, our Namibian counterparts will host us at a celebration to mark the compact’s signing at the base of the Auas Mountains, featuring a local choir and traditional dancers.

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a per capita income of $260 a person, and a troublesome ranking of just three from the bottom in the UN’s Human Development Index (174 out of 177). I’ve just returned from a trip to the country where I represented MCC during the signing of a $23 million threshold agreement. The bulk of the threshold program—$18 million or so—is to help Niger improve its low rate of girls’ primary school completion. Niger is in the bottom 5 percentile of low income countries and has a bright red score on MCC’s index for this category. Red, in terms of MCC’s “scorecards” of performance, is not good.

The threshold program has been put together with a notion of helping up to 200 schools become more “girl-friendly.” It’s one drop in an enormous bucket of educational needs, but the Minister of Education, Monsieur Samba Mamadou, shared with me his excitement about the threshold program. The morning after the signing ceremony, he joined me, the US Ambassador to Niger Bernadette Allen, local USAID representative Mark Wentling, and USAID regional Mission Director Henderson Patrick, who flew up from Accra for the occasion. We set off in a dusty caravan of vehicles for the province of Tillaberi to visit some of these schools and talk to our local partners about their needs and challenges.

We bounced for dozens of kilometers along a mix of paved and sandy roads—a reminder of the overwhelming needs of so many countries where we work. The driver of our car had to flip on the wipers constantly to blow away the dust on the windshield. I asked the Minister of Education about Niger’s education needs during the trip. “Everything” was the short answer to the question, with the most critical component being trained teachers, followed by school buildings, notebooks for students (“cahiers”), textbooks, blackboards, desks—you name it. We talked at length about the discrepancy between boys’ and girls’ enrollment rates. He cited the reasons as cultural, social, and economic. Many parents need help in hauling water for the families’ use during the day. Other daughters are married when they’re 13 or 14. The minister made it clear that he, like so many others, understands full well the importance of having girls remain in schools and wants to help make it a reality.

After we drove several dozen more kilometers on the western side of the Niger River, we arrived at the first school. The school buildings are one story tall, built of tan bricks. There was no electricity that I could see, but there were dozens and dozens of people, adults, teachers, local officials and three Peace Corps volunteers at this first site. The school rooms I saw were simple, sometimes with a blackboard, but always packed with kids. In one school room, they’re wearing paper hats with “Niger-MCC-USA” written around the bands. They sang and clapped as we ducked to enter the school room and wish them well. On the black board, in one corner, someone had written the number of garcons and jeunne filles that were in attendance that day. That particular day, in that classroom, the girls outnumbered the boys. This was great news. The governor assured me that the word was getting out to the local officials, tribal leaders and families about the importance of encouraging their daughters to come to school. The need for new classrooms to accommodate the students was evidenced by a lean-to, with a primitive stick roof, that serves as a classroom for 30 or more children, who appeared to be about five or six years-old. There were no chairs and no desks. The head of the school talked to us about the need for latrines, and for places to feed the children. A “cafeteria” would probably be too grand a name for what will likely be a new room for this purpose, possibly with a stove and water. I asked some Peace Corps volunteers, who are working in schools further away from this one, what they needed. “Everything” again was the simple answer. MCC’s Niger Threshold Program certainly isn’t everything, but it is at least a start.