Last week the Board of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) determined which countries will be invited to submit compact or threshold proposals for FY 2009. The MCC is a U.S. government corporation that aims to reduce global poverty in the world’s poorest countries through the promotion of sustainable economic growth. Each year the MCC selects countries to submit proposals for either a compact or a threshold agreement with the MCC. Through the compact agreement, the MCC provides funding and technical assistance for poverty-reduction projects designated by the developing country. Threshold agreements assist countries in strengthening certain indicators to help them become compact-eligible. The board’s decision is based on a set of indicators countries need to meet in order to be compact-eligible that determine the country’s investment in people, economic freedom and commitment to democracy as well as their efforts to fighting corruption. The MCC released a press statement detailing the results of the meeting.

Three countries – Colombia, Indonesia, and Zambia – were invited to submit a compact proposal for large-scale funding for development projects. In addition, Liberia is eligible to submit a proposal for threshold program funding and support. Paraguay was invited to submit a Stage II Threshold proposal to continue to assist the country in achieving the indicators that will make it compact eligible. This is the first time the MCC has proposed a Stage II Threshold Program for countries who do not meet the compact-eligible indicators, but have made excellent progress through the threshold program towards achieving those indicators.

Jordan, Malawi, Moldova, Senegal, and the Philippines, who were invited last year to submit a compact proposal to the MCC, will be able to continue the process of developing compacts for FY 2009. However, the MCC has specifically stated that it will not sign a compact with the Philippines until it passes the indicator criteria on corruption.

The board voted to suspend assistance for new activities in Nicaragua, which has a $175 million MCC compact, due to actions taken by the Nicaraguan government that are inconsistent with the MCC’s eligibility criteria. Nicaragua passed all indicators except for Control of Corruption, for which they met the median score. However, the political conditions leading up to, during, and after the recent elections were not in line with the MCC’s commitment to policies that promote political freedom and civil liberties. The Board will determine subsequent actions regarding Nicaragua at their next meeting, based on the response of the Nicaraguan government.

The MCC announced that several countries are no longer eligible to submit a proposal for a compact program. These countries – Bolivia, Ukraine, and Timor-Leste – were in the process of preparing their compacts, but had not yet signed commitments with the MCC. Ukraine and Timor-Leste fail several indicators including the hard hurdle on Control of Corruption. Bolivia passed all indicators, but have essentially severed ties with the U.S. Timor-Leste was made eligible as a threshold country instead. The MCC will continue to work with Ukraine on implementation of their threshold program. Yemen, who was in the process of submitting a threshold program proposal, is no longer eligible for threshold assistance due to deterioration of policies in the country.

This was the last meeting of the current MCC board. The new board will convene in March of 2009.

-Beth Adler

Financial Times—World Food Program in plea for $5.2 billion
The World Food Program has launched an “urgent appeal” to governments to donate a record $5.2 billion as it confronts an increase in aid recipients because of the economic crisis at a time when food prices are high and its coffers are empty. The WFP, the United Nations agency responsible for relieving hunger, said in a letter to donor countries over the weekend that it needed a significant proportion of the money immediately as it does not have enough funds left to spend in early 2009. “We would run out of food for some key operations by March,” Josette Sheeran, the WFP’s executive director, said, warning that countries such as Ethiopia, Congo, Haiti, Sudan and Bangladesh were most at risk.

NY Times—Can Africa Trade Its Way to Peace?
In a NY Times op-ed, Herman Cohen, a former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Africa, writes that like many conflicts, the conflict in the Congo has economic roots, and until the economic conundrum is addressed, there is little prospect to any solution. Cohen proposes that President-elect Obama should appoint a special negotiator who would propose a framework for an economic common market encompassing Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. This agreement would allow the free movement of people and trade, and could be key to ending the war and transforming the region.

Bloomberg News—Doubling of U.S. Health Aid Urged as Foreign Policy
A new report by the U.S. Institute of Medicine says that the U.S. government should double its health aid to poor countries by 2012 and designate a White House global health czar to coordinate the aid with other areas of international affairs, such as trade, the environment and security. The report also said that fulfilling commitments to programs such as PEPFAR will be crucial during a global economic slump likely to have serious repercussions for poor countries.

-Steve Wilson

As the world gets ready to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama, we are asking the President-elect to use his inaugural address to spread hope and dignity to those most in need. President-elect Obama’s inauguration will provide an opportunity to take unprecedented action in the fight against global poverty. A few weeks ago, ONE launched a petition asking the President-elect to “make a clear affirmation of his pledge to fight poverty and preventable diseases worldwide” in his inaugural address on January 20th. Already we’ve smashed our goal of 50,000 signers with over 86,000!

Soon we will deliver this petition to Obama’s transition team. Before we do, please take a moment to add your voice, and be sure to ask your friends and family to do the same.

Dear President-elect Barack Obama,

In your inaugural address, please make a clear affirmation of your pledge to fight poverty and preventable diseases worldwide, and support that statement with an FY2010 budget request that puts the U.S. on track to meet your historic commitments.

-Chris Scott

Education and development leaders around the world will begin meeting shortly in Oslo, Norway to recommend strategies towards achieving quality Education for All by 2015. This event is organized by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and will feature UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura with the Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, H.M Queen Rania of Jordan, H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and the President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade.

The meeting will begin at approximately 9:00 AM EST, and you can watch a live webcast of the event here. Nora Coghlan is in Norway now and will update us on the proceedings later today.

-Chris Scott

U2 lead singer and ONE cofounder Bono was presented with the Nobel laureates “Man of Peace” award on December 12 for his activism in the fight against extreme poverty. He received the award in Paris during the 9th Annual Summit of Nobel Peace Prize winners.

Italian left-wing leader Walter Veltroni, who co-hosted the event, said, “[Bono] has put pressure on the world’s governments to reach the UN’s Millennium Goals. To give him the prize, is to say that fight will carry on.”

Mikhail Gorbachev spearheaded the creation of the award, and this year’s event was attended by many Nobel Peace Laureates including Northern Irish politician John Hume and former South African President FW De Klerk.

As part of the ceremony the Nobel Laureates and Bono issued a call for the liberation of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winning Burmese politician who is under house arrest.

“I am an over-awarded, over-rewarded rock star. You are the people who do the real work … So I am very, very pleased to be in such esteemed company,” Bono said at the event.

-Jessica Gomez-Duran

Today as Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe continued to downplay the cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe, claiming that the outbreak was caused by “Western germ warfare”, the UN reports that the cholera death toll has risen 25% in three days.

Excerpts below:

The U.N. humanitarian office says the total number of suspected cases reported in the southern African country has risen to 18,413 since the start of the outbreak in August.

The figures reported Monday by the World Health Organizations were up from the 792 deaths and 16,700 cases reported Friday. The World Health Organization has said the total number of cases could reach 60,000 unless the epidemic is stopped.

You can read more about the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe here.

-Chris Scott

Director Douglas Busby and Damascus Films recently put together a video with the cooperation of The Millennium Challenge Corporation explaining the MCC’s work, the progress they’ve made, and their hopes for the next administration.

Founded in 2004, the MCC is “based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom and investments in people.”

Be sure to take a few minutes and check it out:

-Chris Scott

Here at ONE we love a good news story and this is a mini-victory for transparency!

The Paris Club of creditor nations has published the list of its debt claims on individual countries. Although people have long argued for this, it’s the first time they have published this information. This is a great step forwards in terms of transparency and gives the public an opportunity to look at the figures.

The Paris Club, originating in 1956, is an informal group made up of finance officials from 19 of the world’s richest countries. According to their website their role is “to find co-ordinated and sustainable solutions to the payment difficulties experiences by debtor nations”.

In April 2006, Nigeria became the first African country to fully pay off its debt (estimated $30 billion) owed to the Paris Club.

You can view the list of Paris Club’s debt claims here.

-Jessica Gomez-Duran, UK ONE Media Assistant

New York Times: The Glaxo-Gates Malaria Vaccine (editorial)
Researchers have been trying for more than 70 years to develop a vaccine against malaria. Two studies conducted in East Africa suggest that they are finally closing in on their goal. This NY Times editorial praises the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for enabling this research to go forward when the drug manufacturer was unwilling, on its own, to take the financial risk to try to develop a vaccine.

New York Times: Amid a Hopeful Mood, U.N. Talks Set Countries on Path Toward a Global Climate Treaty
The United Nations climate talks concluded in Poland on Saturday. The final documents give nations credit for saving forests and opening up a long-planned fund to help poor countries adapt to climate change. “Perhaps contributing most to the hopeful mood,” the NY Times reports, “were signs from high-level United States officials that the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama would be ready to hit the ground running with a new United States climate policy.”

-Chandler Smith

The US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has organized a very interesting online video contest in an effort to create an online community of people dedicated to bridging cultures and making a positive difference in the world. As a ONE member, you may find this as a great opportunity to teach about those suffering from extreme poverty or preventable disease AND get the chance to win a trip abroad.

People all over the world ages 14 and older are invited to submit videos, no longer than three minutes in length, containing any form of artistic expression including, but not limited to, dance, spoken word, poetry, and song. This contest is a call for engagement and action. Videos will be judged on originality, creativity, effectiveness, and production quality. Four winners (two in each of the age categories: 14-17 years and 18+ years; one non U.S., one U.S.) will receive the grand prize: an all-expense-paid, two-week cultural exchange program to the United States (for the non-U.S. winners) or from the United States to a country to be determined (for the U.S. winners). Members of the ExchangesConnect international social network community will vote on their favorite top 40 video entries, and these entries will then will be ranked by a prestigious panel of judges who are ECA program alumni.

In addition to receiving global recognition of their videos-on the ExchangesConnect network and through other promotional venues-the four grand prize winners will be eligible to participate in a fully-funded international exchange program of approximately two week’s duration. (Visa eligibility applies.) Contest opened December 1, 2008 and closes January 26, 2009. Winners will be announced March 16, 2009. Create and enter your videos now on the new international social network ExchangesConnect here for a chance to win an international experience of a lifetime.

The panel of judges includes:

• Toni Blackman – Musician, Performer and Writer (U.S. Cultural Envoy and The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad alumna);
• Fran Drescher – Actress; Founder, Cancer Schmancer Movement (American Public Diplomacy Envoy);
• Milton Glaser – Graphic Artist (Fulbright Program alumnus);
• Raafat Khalid – President, Cultural Civic Education Organization, Egypt (International Visitor Leadership Program alumnus);
• Bob Shaye – Founder and Former Co-Chairman, New Line Cinema; Principal UNIQUE FEATURES (Fulbright Program alumnus); and
• Bob Simon – CBS News Correspondent (Fulbright Program alumnus).

-Adrienne Sullivan and Michele Peters