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Download PDF The Bangladesh government intends to showcase its recent success story in curbing corruption to persuade the US to allocate its Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) development assistance funds to Bangladesh this year.
The Economic Relations Division (ERD) of finance ministry has recently held a meeting with its US counterpart in this regard, said a high official at ERD.
Bangladesh this year ranked below the median level in nine out of 16 indicators of the MCA programme. The indicators are designed to measure a country’s effectiveness at ruling justly, investing in people, and fostering enterprise and entrepreneurship.
Bangladesh was initially included in the primary list of MCA programme for 2007, but it failed to gain higher points over the median level of the corruption control indicator — which is mandatory to obtain the assistance.
Although Bangladesh performed poorly in most of the indicators including controlling corruption, rule of aw, regulatory quality, cost of starting a business, trade policy, fiscal policy, health expenditure and primary education expenditure, the government is hopeful that a fresh review of the indicators would show improvements — especially on the issue of curbing corruption.
The country, however, performed well in the indicators of political rights, civil liberties, immunisation and completion rate of girls’ primary education.
“The present caretaker government has done a lot in curbing corruption. If a review of the ranking is done, the country may surpass the median rate of many indicators including that of controlling corruption,” the ERD official said preferring anonymity.
The ERD, in the meantime, has advised different ministries and departments concerned to take necessary actions for better performance on the MCA indicators, he added.
During the ongoing talks, the government will be highlighting its significant contribution towards the eradication of corruption and establishing good governance, the ERD official said.
The MCA assistance programme, with a mission to reduce global poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth in the recipient countries, is funded by the United States government and run by Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
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.
Before a country can become eligible to receive assistance, MCC looks at their performance on 16 independent and transparent policy indicators and the selected countries are eligible to receive Compact Assistance.
Countries that have demonstrated significant improvement in policy indicators, but do not yet qualify for the Compact Assistance, may be eligible for the assistance titled Threshold Programme.
The Threshold Programme is a smaller grant designed to help improve performance on specific indicators.
Since 2004, MCC has awarded 14 multiyear development grants to countries that have involved their communities in setting priorities for their poverty reduction goals. Seven of the grants, totalling more than $2.4 billion, have been made to African countries.
MCC is likely to sign a further $2.2 billion worth Compact Assistance contracts with Burkina Faso, Morocco, Namibia and Tanzania — resulting in a total assistance of $4.6 billion in 11 African nations.
October 7th, 2007 at 6:35 am
[...] Govt to showcase anti-graft drive to get fund Assistance contracts with Burkina Faso, Morocco, Namibia and Tanzania resulting in a total assistance of $4.6 [...]
October 9th, 2007 at 10:37 am
[...] Govt to showcase anti-graft drive to get fund Assistance contracts with Burkina Faso, Morocco, Namibia and Tanzania resulting in a total assistance of $4.6 [...]