The delegation is led by James Parks, who had served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from 1982 to 1984.[break]
According to a press statement issued by the US Embassy in Kathmandu, the delegation´s arrival marks MCC´s first visit to Nepal since the announcement December last year that Nepal was selected to develop a Threshold Program.
The MCC´s senior leadership will introduce the MCC and the Threshold Program to the Government of Nepal, civil society groups, and donor organizations, and will gather information about the economic issues of Nepal.
MCC is an independent U.S. foreign aid agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty. Created by the US Congress in 2004, MCC looks at new ways to deliver smart U.S. foreign assistance by forming partnerships with countries committed to good governance, economic freedom, and investing in their citizens.
The objective of the Threshold Program is to assist a country in becoming eligible for the MCC´s large assistance programs by supporting targeted policy and institutional reforms through a country-specific program, according to the statement.
Qualifying for MCC assistance -- which is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom and investments in people -- is a competitive process in which a country´s performance on 17 different policy indicators is carefully assessed. MCC grants complement other U.S. and international development programs.
Related story
PM Dahal joins MCC CEO Albright to celebrate the launch of the...
