Yesterday, the Millennium Challenge Corporation gave a handful of local DC bloggers a chance to meet with some really interesting people. They were the Resident Country Directors for Georgia, Ghana, Madagascar and Nicaragua. Each director had a chance to talk about what they’d seen in their respective country– both the successes and the setbacks.

Accountability appeared to be the watchword of the morning. In case you’re unfamiliar with their work, for a country to be eligible for MCC assistance, it must demonstrate a commitment to policies that promote political and economic freedom, respect for civil liberties, and other criteria.

Glenn Lines, the Resident Country Director (RCD) for Madagascar spoke about the decision to terminate the MCC’s Compact with the country after a coup. This is a unique situation for the MCC that also provides an opportunity to ensure a successful “windup” and smooth transition. Nicaragua, here represented by RCD Steve Marma itself has suffered a recent setback with the MCC’s decision to suspend funding for their Compact following the country’s political decisions that were inconsistent with MCC’s eligibility criteria. Despite these setbacks, each RCD was clearly proud of the MCC’s work building and improving infrastructure, and providing other aid.

The setbacks in Madagascar and Nicaragua led to a larger discussion about what we mean when we talk about “effective foreign aid.” Katerina Ntep, representing Ghana, discussed the importance the MCC places in each country’s ability to be eligible and remain eligible over the course of their partnership. She also spoke about the importance of predictability in providing necessary aid which has led to the successful training of 51,000 farmers in Ghana through the MCC. Jim McNicholas, RCD for Georgia, underscored the necessity of accountability in ensuring each MCC partnership contributes to a spirit of country ownership.

You can read more about the Millennium Challenge Corporation on the ONE Blog here.