Comments on: How “New� is the US Government’s New Approach to Development Aid? http://www.neweurasia.net/2006/03/08/how-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-is-the-us-government%e2%80%99s-new-approach-to-development-aid/ Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:17:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Pharmacy and Medicine http://www.neweurasia.net/2006/03/08/how-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-is-the-us-government%e2%80%99s-new-approach-to-development-aid/#comment-21992 Pharmacy and Medicine Thu, 01 Feb 2007 22:55:15 +0000 http://www.neweurasia.net/2006/03/08/how-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-is-the-us-government%e2%80%99s-new-approach-to-development-aid/#comment-21992 Who really now is engaged in the control of health? To mine it neglected the large pharmaceutical companies and the medical centers. There should be a centralized management WBR LeoP Who really now is engaged in the control of health? To mine it neglected the large pharmaceutical companies and the medical centers. There should be a centralized management WBR LeoP

]]> By: Arnold http://www.neweurasia.net/2006/03/08/how-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-is-the-us-government%e2%80%99s-new-approach-to-development-aid/#comment-21503 Arnold Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:44:16 +0000 http://www.neweurasia.net/2006/03/08/how-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-is-the-us-government%e2%80%99s-new-approach-to-development-aid/#comment-21503 For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical contains additional recommendations for specific populations. WBR LeoP For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical contains additional recommendations for specific populations. WBR LeoP

]]> By: www.neweurasia.net - Blogging Central Asia and the Caucasus » Blog Archive » Voices from Central Asia and the Caucasus http://www.neweurasia.net/2006/03/08/how-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-is-the-us-government%e2%80%99s-new-approach-to-development-aid/#comment-676 www.neweurasia.net - Blogging Central Asia and the Caucasus » Blog Archive » Voices from Central Asia and the Caucasus Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:08:05 +0000 http://www.neweurasia.net/2006/03/08/how-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-is-the-us-government%e2%80%99s-new-approach-to-development-aid/#comment-676 [...] Regional news: If you’re based in New York, be sure to check out next week’s (Tuesday) event at Miller Theatre at Columbia University ‘The Music of Central Asia’, as reported by Larry Tweed. Marianna of neweurasia wrote an article on the US government’s approach to aid in the Caucasus and asks in how far the new MCA (Millenium Challenge Account) is really ‘new’. On the same blog, Neil rounds up issues relating to press freedom in Central Asia, and James summarised a lecture given by former World Bank country director Dennis de Tray. [...] […] Regional news: If you’re based in New York, be sure to check out next week’s (Tuesday) event at Miller Theatre at Columbia University ‘The Music of Central Asia’, as reported by Larry Tweed. Marianna of neweurasia wrote an article on the US government’s approach to aid in the Caucasus and asks in how far the new MCA (Millenium Challenge Account) is really ‘new’. On the same blog, Neil rounds up issues relating to press freedom in Central Asia, and James summarised a lecture given by former World Bank country director Dennis de Tray. […]

]]> By: James http://www.neweurasia.net/2006/03/08/how-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-is-the-us-government%e2%80%99s-new-approach-to-development-aid/#comment-657 James Thu, 09 Mar 2006 15:20:28 +0000 http://www.neweurasia.net/2006/03/08/how-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-is-the-us-government%e2%80%99s-new-approach-to-development-aid/#comment-657 Great report, Marianna! "MCC’s policy envisages circumstances, under which the agency might suspend or terminate assistance to countries." One of the MCC's most laudable qualities is that the selection process is completely transparent. They use publicly available data to assess a country's commitment to development, and those that meet the necessary criteria are granted project funds, and those that fail to meet them do not. It would be a big mistake to make that whole process transparent and objective, and then once the funds are awarded make the process by which their continuation is evaluated subjective and political. The criteria the MCC uses are released annually (Freedom House, Transparency International, etc.), so why not use those same sources to evaluate whether or not they are upholding their commitment to development? Armenia did meet the standards in the 2006 reports, concerns are over recent perceived slippages in their commitment to development. "In the FY 2006 selection process, Armenia scored above the median on five of six “ruling justly� indicators, two of four “investing in people� indicators, and all six “economic freedom� indicators, but recent instability and key slippages in key indicators raised some questions about Armenia’s approval for a Compact." (From CGD's website). For the same reasons as I argued above regarding Georgia, to ensure a transparent and apolitical process, "key slippages" not backed up by data should not be reason to renege on a compact. Great report, Marianna!
“MCC’s policy envisages circumstances, under which the agency might suspend or terminate assistance to countries.”
One of the MCC’s most laudable qualities is that the selection process is completely transparent. They use publicly available data to assess a country’s commitment to development, and those that meet the necessary criteria are granted project funds, and those that fail to meet them do not.
It would be a big mistake to make that whole process transparent and objective, and then once the funds are awarded make the process by which their continuation is evaluated subjective and political. The criteria the MCC uses are released annually (Freedom House, Transparency International, etc.), so why not use those same sources to evaluate whether or not they are upholding their commitment to development?
Armenia did meet the standards in the 2006 reports, concerns are over recent perceived slippages in their commitment to development.

“In the FY 2006 selection process, Armenia scored above the median on five of six “ruling justlyâ€? indicators, two of four “investing in peopleâ€? indicators, and all six “economic freedomâ€? indicators, but recent instability and key slippages in key indicators raised some questions about Armenia’s approval for a Compact.” (From CGD’s website).

For the same reasons as I argued above regarding Georgia, to ensure a transparent and apolitical process, “key slippages” not backed up by data should not be reason to renege on a compact.

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