New MCC Threshold Program Targets Corruption and Immunization Rates (English, Tetun)

Today Timor-Leste gains a new partner in two top priority development areas: fighting corruption and improving children's health. A special ceremony today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlights a new program with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). MCC will provide financial and technical support from the Government of the United States of America to help the Government of Timor-Leste build a strong coalition to fight corruption and boost immunization rates for children across the country. The MCC Country Threshold Program will be managed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which has been a key development partner working on important projects since 2000.

The specific MCC activities were proposed by the Government of Timor-Leste following the country’s inclusion in the MCC Threshold Program. The program will seek to reduce corruption by supporting the Government of Timor-Leste's critical work building a network of effective anti-corruption institutions and actors through strengthening capacity, increasing coordination, and improving processes and procedures to deter and detect instances of corruption.

The MCC program will also improve access to immunization services by supporting the creation of a more capable and effective community health system in Timor-Leste through strengthening the local community health units, improving immunization management and vaccine-preventable disease surveillance capacity, strengthening service delivery, and increasing the number of qualified health service providers.

Vice- Minister of Foreign Affairs Alberto Carlos, U.S. Ambassador Judith Fergin, USAID Acting Mission Director Cheryl A. Williams, MCC Vice President James Parks, and Director for MCC Threshold Countries Malik M. Chaka attended today's ceremony. This three-year Threshold Program brings $10.5 million to focus on these two vital development challenges.

For more information, please download the news release.