This page discusses the US Millennium Challenge Account program which is managed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (www.mcc.gov) and implemented by US Aid (www.usaid.gov)

This is also a brief summary of how, in the framework of its international partnership framework, IOSD can provide technical assistance to accelerate the threshold and compact process, while increasing chances of acceptance and success.

BACKGROUND

Every year, the MCC Board selects countries from the eligibility list to acquire threshold status and compact status. Countries are selected on the basis of their indicator scorecard, and especially trends or changes in the indicators. The MCC Board also has discretionary power to select a country for other reasons.

Within the US government system, the Foreign Relations congressional committees are also instrumental.

MCC REVIEW

By reviewing how other countries have reached threshold and compact status, IOSD is able to evaluate the importance of the following factors:

• absolute value of particular indicators
• change or public commitment to change policies
• disqualifying indicators
• intervention or influence by congressional committees
• MCC policy of geographic and profile diversity

This makes it possible for IODS to present an overall MCC evaluation as well as a country specific report with specific recommendations.

MCC RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIONS

In terms of operational actions, IOSD can provide technical assistance to select partner countries in the following areas:

1. identify disqualifying indicators and propose corrective actions
2. communications / public relations with organizations who provide indicators
3. communications / public relations with congressional committees
4. writing assistance / review for threshold and compact documents

IOSD will also offer a series of specialized MCC related seminars in the Washington DC in the Spring of 2008.

For more information, please contact:
IOSD – MCC program
Washington, DC 20037
mcc@iosd.org