Today we attended a “Bloggers Brunch” hosted by our friends at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Acting CEO Rodney G. Bent talked with us a bit about how the MCC operates and interacts with other government agencies like USAID and DfID. You can read about the MCC’s relatively short history here.

Of particular interest in our conversation was the pursuit and prioritization of transparency within the MCC’s various programs. Mr. Bent walked us through a new web feature on the MCC’s website on “Monitoring and Evaluation”. Here, users can track and follow the MCC’s progress and efforts at both the sector- and country-level. While still a work in progress, this feature is part of a larger desire of Mr. Bent’s for greater transparency in foreign assistance efforts amongst governments and organizations. While obviously a risk in part, foreign assistance can be greatly enhanced and improved with our willingness to admit what doesn’t work and share what does.

We really appreciated the candid conversation and are excited about the MCC’s work both offline and online.

-Virginia Simmons and Chris Scott (pictured below, left and center respectively)