On January 13, Ambassador John Danilovich gave his last speech as CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation.  The Center for Global Development hosted the Ambassador’s last public appearance and discussed some of MCC’s greatest accomplishments and needed areas for improvement.

Since its inception in 2004 the MCC has established 18 Compacts and 19 Threshold Programs all over the world to support sustainable long-term economic development.  A full list of compacts and threshold programs is here.

The unique part about MCC is that it promotes and instills country ownership of the compacts. Danilovich said multiple times that country ownership is one of the most crucial cornerstones of effective development.  It is through this ownership that countries take greater responsibility and pride in their MCC Compact and affiliation. 

He also highlighted that country performance must remain at the heart of country selection for the MCC and transparent fiscal monitoring is key for ensuring the long life of this government agency.

Danilovich also answered questions regarding MCC’s shortcomings, particularly pertaining to lagging money-dispersal periods. His response: “We spend money efficiently, not quickly”—alluding to the fact that it takes time for in-country governments to restructure for and accommodate the responsibility that comes with MCC compacts.

His most recent blog post, entitled The Future of Foreign Aid: A Better Place for America in a Better World, further captures his final thoughts as he transitions out of the public sector.