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The Millennium Challenge Corporation: How Does the MCC Decide Who Qualifies For Assistance?

© MCC

Maureen Harrington Date: Wednesday, 18 July 2007 Time: 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT) View Webchat Transcript

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a U.S. Government corporation designed to work with some of the poorest countries in the world. Established in January 2004, MCC is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom and investments in people. MCC’s mission is to reduce global poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth. Before a country can become eligible to receive assistance, MCC looks at their performance on 16 independent and transparent policy indicators. MCC selects eligible countries for Compact Assistance.

Countries that have demonstrated significant improvement in policy indicators but do not yet qualify for a Compact grant may be eligible for Threshold Program assistance. Threshold programs are smaller grants designed to help improve performance on specific indicators. Join Maureen Harrington, Vice President for Policy and International Relations at the MCC for a global webchat about the MCC’s annual eligible and threshold country selection process.

To listen to Maureen Harrington discuss the Millennium Challenge Corporation in a USINFO Interactive podcast, click on the MP3 icon below:

Guest Biography:

Maureen Harrington is vice president for policy and international relations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and is responsible for executing MCC's Threshold Program. Prior to serving in this role, Harrington was responsible for overseeing MCC’s efforts in Anglophone and Lusophone Africa and was also the senior advisor to the chief executive officer at MCC. Harrington previously served as special assistant with the Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

Harrington also held a variety of positions over eight years with the International Republican Institute (IRI), a nonprofit organization that supports democracy initiatives worldwide. As project director in South Africa, Ms. Harrington served as the senior official for IRI’s USAID-funded political party, municipal governance and economic development training program. Harrington managed, developed or participated in democracy assistance programs or election observation efforts in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Cambodia, Yemen and Romania.