Different perspectives, similar aspirations
Posted on September 21, 2012 by Alicia Phillips Mandaville, Managing Director of Development Policy
MCC was pleased to co-host an event this week with Freedom House and the Open Society Institute on the role of democratic accountability in development assistance. After opening remarks from MCC CEO Daniel W. Yohannes and Freedom House President David J. Kramer, foreign policy expert Mort Halperin moderated a panel discussion on the topic. Brian Atwood, chairman of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee, gave thoughtful closing remarks.
This is an area I have always been interested in, so I certainly enjoyed an afternoon’s worth of discussion. What was most interesting to me is how much convergence of beliefs there is between those interested in accountability and country ownership from an aid effectiveness perspective and those interested in accountability from a democratic institutional perspective—but this convergence is often masked by different terminology.
When MCC sees a country partner go to the mat to complete a high-profile compact investment on time, we often describe this as the country’s commitment to results. Some of our stakeholders see it as proof of country ownership, since it shows the government is fully vested in the outcome of the work (especially if there are difficult political decisions or additional funds required). But there are enough anecdotes to suggest that a big part of a government’s decision to go the extra mile is that governments know their citizens can see if the project is finished or not—and a realization that they may bear the popular blame if the project isn’t complete. For those watching democratic institutions, that’s pretty akin to democratic accountability.
No matter what we call it, everyone agrees it’s a good outcome. And its part and parcel of how MCC sees the links between democratic governance and sound development outcomes.
Next week at the U.N. General Assembly—where the theme is good governance—there will be a number of events (including ours) focused on the importance of good governance. Here’s to continued realization that we are covering a lot of the same ground from both the aid effectiveness and democratic accountability perspectives.
Books provide windows to the world
Posted on September 11, 2012 by D. Chuluuntsetseg, MCA-Mongolia, and Ch. Tserenkhand, The Asia Foundation
Last year, Millennium Challenge Account-Mongolia and The Asia Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding that brings the latest medical and technical information to Mongolia’s future doctors, engineers, computer programmers, and other skilled workers.
Under the agreement, the foundation’s Books for Asia program delivered 10,000 new technical, vocational and medical books, CDs and DVDs to students and health centers benefitting from MCC's five-year, $285 million compact with Mongolia.
Many publishers generously contributed to the initiative, including McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, Oxford University Press, W.W. Norton & Company, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Books of Discovery, and Island Press.
Highly motivated teachers and students put the books to practical use. Ms. Dorjderem, an assistant teacher of English at the School of Health Technology, currently uses Hole's Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology-Laboratory Manual to prepare class lectures. She also uses Medical Language for Modern Health Care in her classes to improve her students’ medical English proficiency.
Dorjderem also established the school’s first English reading club, using donated books. The club has become a popular place among teachers, students and nurses to improve their English, teaching and learning skills.
One student, B. Banzragch, significantly improved his English skills and was able to enroll in a course at a Japanese university.
“The books from America helped me a lot in gaining knowledge and language skills to achieve my goals,” he said. “These books are really wonderful in terms of giving systemic knowledge and are well-designed and very user-friendly.”
As the legendary Mongolian poet, D. Natsagdorj said, “books are windows to the world.”
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