On Development

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Nepal Compact Ratification Mar 31, 2022

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In February 2022, the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation $500 million compact with the Government of Nepal was ratified. The compact aims to maintain road quality, increase the availability and reliability of electricity, and facilitate cross-border electricity trade between Nepal and India—helping to spur investments, accelerate economic growth, and reduce poverty.

The Business of Kindness Feb 15, 2022

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MCC’s mission is to reduce poverty through economic growth. As a development agency, we partner with developing countries who are committed to good governance, economic freedom and investing in people. Investing in people is at the cornerstone of how MCC measures its development impact and value. As we look across MCC’s staff and culture, it’s important to build strong workplaces that foster inclusion, safety and compassion where teams are productive, and employees feel valued and respected.

It’s Selection Season at MCC Nov 18, 2021

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MCC forms partnerships with developing countries who are committed to good governance, economic freedom and investing in their citizens. MCC is a prime example of smart U.S. Government assistance in action, and one of the distinctive hallmarks of the agency’s operations is competitive selection. In this episode, we discuss the selection process for MCC grant assistance, from the Board’s examination of a country’s performance on 20 independent and transparent policy indicators (MCC’s “Scorecard”) to other factors that impact initial selection through ongoing eligibility.

Back to School with MCC Oct 27, 2021

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Fall is in full swing, which means school is back in session and students everywhere have resumed their learning journeys. MCC often refers to itself as a “learning institution.” But was does that mean in practice? In this episode, Aysha House, MCC Vice President of Congressional and Public Affairs, speaks to Alicia Phillips Mandaville, Vice President of Policy and Evaluation, and Casey Dunning, Director of Results and Learning, about what the agency means when it says it’s a “learning institution” and how MCC applies its learning culture to its programs.

Summer Camp with Isa Alcalde and Women in Science Morocco Sep 03, 2021

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One hundred secondary school students based in Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, and the United States attended the WiSci Morocco Girls' STEAM Camp in August for two weeks of informative discussions, interactive STEAM skills workshops, and leadership training. The WiSci (Women in Science) camps, born out of a public-private partnership between organizations committed to bridging the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, arts and design, and mathematics (STEAM), provide adolescent girls with technical knowledge and mentorship opportunities to help them explore a future in STEAM fields.

The Foundation of All Development Activities? Part 2 of 2 Aug 19, 2021

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In part two of MCC Vice President of Congressional and Public Affairs Aysha House's conversation with Shawn Baker, the United States Agency for International Development’s Chief Nutritionist and MCC’s Katerina “Kat” Ntep, Deputy Vice President of Sector Operations, the intersectionality between nutrition and challenges such as conflict and climate come to the fore of this important discussion.

The Foundation of All Development Activities? Part 1 of 2 Aug 11, 2021

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In part one of this episode, Aysha House, MCC Vice President of Congressional and Public Affairs, hosts a panel discussion on the importance and imperative of nutrition programs in the developing world with Shawn Baker, the United States Agency for International Development’s Chief Nutritionist and MCC’s Katerina “Kat” Ntep, Deputy Vice President of Sector Operations. Aysha and our guests explore the foundational nature of nutrition in international development and how development agencies across government can best leverage their strengths for maximum impact in this critical sector.

Regional Economic Integration and Private Sector Investment in Africa Jun 24, 2021

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Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, private sector investment and development of robust domestic markets across the African continent are critical to promoting inclusive economic growth. In Part 2 of her conversation with Dr. Donald Kaberuka, Co-chair of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement and renowned economist, MCC Deputy Chief Executive Officer Alexia Latortue explores what it will take for these factors to have maximum impact.

On Africa Day, What Will It Take for Economies to Recover When Covid Goes Away? May 25, 2021

Show notes

Covid-19 has impacted economies around the world in unprecedented ways, with developing nations most adversely affected, with recent economic forecasts from the IMF estimating that GDP contracted by 2.6 percent across the continent in 2020, and World Bank estimates predicting that the impacts of the pandemic in Africa could drive up to 40 million people into extreme poverty—erasing recent progress. In her illuminating conversation with Dr. Donald Kaberuka, Co-chair of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement and renowned economist, MCC Deputy Chief Executive Officer Alexia Latortue shines a light on what it might take for African economies to recover from the pandemic, and what role development agencies might play in the process.

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