A Message From Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
The Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) approach to foreign aid drives reforms and economic growth that promote stability in America’s partner countries. MCC’s mission is to reduce poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries by addressing those countries’ binding constraints to economic growth.This mission bolsters the United States’ national security and prosperity while strengthening relationships with our partner countries.
Congress created MCC in 2004 with strong bipartisan support. The agency’s innovative model and data- driven approach deliver maximum results while efficiently and effectively using taxpayer dollars. MCC employs a competitive selection process that requires good governance and promotes economic freedom while incentivizing policy reforms.
Partnering with the private sector is essential to the success of MCC’s mission. MCC works with the private sector throughout the development, planning, and implementation of its programs. Active engagement with the private sector, combined with the agency’s efforts towards institutional reforms, sets the stage for continued private investment and long-term prosperity in our partner countries, to the benefit of U.S. interests.
MCC also works to reduce corruption in our partner countries and fosters accountability through institutional reforms. Those efforts improve the stability of countries of significant strategic importance and solidify America’s relationships with its allies.
A Message From Vice President, Administration & Finance (and Head of Agency) Cynthia Huger
It is my privilege to lead the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) during the 15th anniversary of MCC that began in 2004. During the past year, MCC closed out Indonesia, Malawi, and Cabo Verde compacts, five-year time-limited grants, while signing a smaller grant threshold program in Kosovo. The African Growth and Opportunity Act and Millennium Challenge Act Modernization Act was also enacted into law, authorizing MCC to enter into concurrent compacts in order to support cross-border projects that promote regional economic integration, trade, and collaboration.Since the enactment of the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, MCC promotes economic growth and the elimination of extreme poverty while at the same time strengthens good governance, economic freedom, and investments in people. Our time-limited investments help our partner countries reform their institutions, modernize their infrastructure, better serve the important needs of their citizens, and may ultimately create a better environment to leverage private sector investment through the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act of 2018 (or the BUILD Act).
Our innovative public-private partnerships mobilize private sector investment to help build our partner countries’ capacity for growth while ensuring long-term sustainability and stewardship that outlives MCC engagement. In August 2018, I had the chance to see just how effective our public-private partnerships have been in the country of Georgia. Our second compact with Georgia sought to align education with the needs of the private sector to boost economic growth. MCC funded 10 Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centers that brought the private sector into direct partnership with government and educational institutions. Each program has attracted significant co-financing from the private sector and the public sector because the programs are training the nation’s future workforce. Harmonizing the skills of workers with industry demand will pay dividends for years to come.
MCC's innovative public-private partnerships in partner countries will unlock investment and growth opportunities for U.S. companies in MCC's partner countries and catalyze critical financing to advance MCC's mission of reducing global poverty.
Through our innovative independent, evidence-based approach that prioritizes good policies, fosters country ownership, and creates institutional reforms, MCC will continue to deliver solid results for our partner countries and, most importantly, for the American people.
Board of Directors: Fiscal Year 2018
The MCC Board of Directors comprises five government officials and four individuals from the private sector, who are appointed to serve by the President with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. The Board of Directors meets quarterly. At the end of fiscal year 2018, the Board had three vacancies.- Mike Pompeo, Chair Secretary of State
- Steven T. Mnuchin, Vice Chair Secretary of the Treasury
- Robert E. Lighthizer U.S. Trade Representative
- Mark A. Green Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development
- MCC Chief Executive Officer Millennium Challenge Corporation
- Mike Johanns Former U.S. Senator and Secretary of Agriculture