Millennium Challenge Corporation (Washington, DC)
Sherri Kraham
7 August 2009
opinion
When President Barack Obama addressed the people of Africa during his visit to Ghana, he emphasized, “America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way.” As world leaders convene here in Kenya for the 8th AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act) Forum, they face an opportune moment to match words with tangible action to usher in a new era of expanded trade and investment that mutually benefits not only the African marketplace but also global economic prosperity.
A central element of any action plan moving forward is how African countries can better leverage development assistance to break down barriers to trade and seize greater trade opportunities. We know assistance works in the short-term to eradicate hunger and disease in Africa. But, assistance can also work over the long-term to bolster trade that helps Africans pull themselves and their families out of poverty. Assistance from donors can—and should—be targeted in integrated ways to build the capacity of African countries to trade and compete.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton recently called for “more agile, effective, and creative partnerships for development,” focusing on “country-driven solutions." Now is the time for African countries to forge such partnerships by pursuing homegrown ways to use and maximize assistance to accelerate their capacity to trade.
Assistance can help countries take the necessary—and often difficult—political and economic policy reforms to attract trade and investment. Building institutional capacity that respects the rule of law, enforces contracts, operates a transparent regulatory system, fights corruption, builds stronger customs and national standards, and fosters trade-related skills are prerequisites for any viable trading partner. This also creates a strong foundation to attract investors to Africa.
Assistance from international donors can also help African partners participate in global trade by literally building the infrastructure to do so. Landlocked African countries cannot trade regionally or globally if they do not have the roads, bridges, or airports to move their goods. Such assistance also bolsters critical industries, like the agricultural sector vital to the economies of many African nations, by ensuring that the crops grown and harvested in fields have the ability to reach domestic and international markets at the peak of freshness and when they will command the best price. This means more jobs and greater incomes for African farmers as they work to replace poverty with opportunity.
The U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) already acts in these tangible ways to build trade, infrastructure, and productive capacity. As an innovative approach to development assistance that works with countries practicing sound policies and willing to determine and lead their efforts to reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth, MCC is partnering with African countries to increase their competiveness and facilitate trade. Nearly 70 percent—the vast majority—of MCC’s $6.8 billion in investments worldwide support the people of Africa in achieving their country-determined priorities for sustainable development. Some 61 percent of MCC’s assistance is considered aid-for-trade, making MCC the largest provider of pro-growth, pro-trade development funds within the U.S. Government’s foreign assistance portfolio over the past three years.
Many African countries are choosing to invest their MCC grants to bolster and sustain their ability to trade. Lesotho, for example, is investing MCC resources in water systems in major urban centers to support the production of textiles, a major export. Tanzania is investing in 425 kilometers of trunk roads to increase commerce, connecting the seaport of Tanga with Horohoro at the Kenyan border and improving roads along the Mtwara corridor. Ghana is investing in aid-for-trade activities that bolster agricultural productivity to better link Ghanaian pineapple farmers to markets in Europe. Benin is investing MCC resources to modernize its port to increase the volume of imports and exports. MCC also provides grant funding to help partners improve their policy performance in areas critical to long-term economic development that will facilitate trade and commerce. Here in Kenya, such MCC support aims to reduce public sector corruption.
As the AGOA Forum meets, Millennium Challenge Corporation partnerships throughout Africa are a powerful model of how development assistance can bolster trade capacity. Africans are putting the MCC model to work for them, empowering them to fulfill AGOA’s vision for stronger trade relations and opportunities for greater investment and commerce. This fact should not be lost on—but rather embraced by—AGOA Forum participants. After every economic downturn comes recovery, and now is the moment to ensure that trade is prominent in national development plans so that Africans effectively use development assistance—including what MCC offers—to expand trade and maximize its benefits, for their own sake and for the sake of global economic prosperity we all seek.
Ms. Kraham is the acting Vice President for Policy and International Relations at the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation
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THEY COME TO :
STEAL OUR ECONOMY
KILL OUR INITIATIVE TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT
DESTROY OUR FAMILIES
1) INFERIORITY = CURRENCY EXCHANGE
Currency Exchange is designed to puff up certain peoples and nations over others. The numbers are constantly telling some that they are inferior to others. The problem intensifies when those being manipulated by this financial scam buy in to this wicked scheme.
What’s the solution to INFERIORITY CURRENCY EXCHANGE ? Stop giving away our souls one piece of money ( dollar , pound, franc, rand, deniro, rupal, euro, Chinese renminbi, rupee, Russian ruble,etc..) at-a-time .
Do research on what price your product gets in the so-called First World countries. And demand that price. This will not work unless people at the local areas do this together. Form Co-Ops and agree to charge the prices you deserve.
2) INFERIORITY = Pay by Time
There is another system used to oppress people that feeds the business owners with a lust for MORE profit. One year they may have profits of 50%, the next year they may have profits of 100%, the next year their profits may only be 75%. The system in the world will consider that going from 100% profits to 75% profits is bad for business.
How is that bad ? Profits are profits ! Many businesses have different levels of pay for the same workers.; levels such as :
a) Top Salaries – Private and only known to each individual workers b) Medium Salaries – Private “ “ “ “ c) Lower Salaries – Private and only known to each individual workers d) High Hourly Wages e) Medium Hourly Wages f) Minimum Hourly Wages
I suggest that EVERY WORKER SHOULD BE PAID A LIVING WAGE. The Minimum Wage is like a financial ball and chain ; only giving those receiving it just enough to live to see the next day.
The Living Wage allows workers to live, invest, spend, save, and thrive. We can dream about having our own businesses , then wake up and attain our dreams. This is great for the businesses that pay Living Wages. For this creates new customers and new generations of customers.
As long as the system of Living Wages is in place, there will be a thriving economy and a blooming world full of optimistic activities. But it will only happen when business owners see the benefit of paying more pennies to make more dollars ! Which of you business owners will have the insight, recognition, roots, understanding, initiative, moxy, & compassion to make the step most are afraid to make.
THE TRUTH ABOUT DIAMONDS –
Did You Know That The Robbers Have Warehouses Full Of 55 Gallon Drums Each Full Of Raw Uncut Diamonds ?
The Wicked Are Using The Same Schemes On Us. : 1) They Hoard Riches ; Controlling The Supply So We’ll Think The Supply Is Low 2) This Scheme Helps Them To Get A Higher Price & Deceives Most Of Us Into Believing That Things ( Such As Diamonds, Gold, Oil, Etc..) Are In Short Supply & Even Due To Run Out.
Diamonds Are In Abundance And Their Supply Is Being Controlled By Persons Under The Control Of Spiritual Wickedness In High Places (Ephesians 6:12) .
We Saints Serve An Infinite God, What He Placed Here On This Earth For His Children Is Also Infinite. When You See A Volcano Or Magma ; The Liquid Land Flowing Out Of Volcanos, Think Of Growth. The Earth Is Steady Growing.
Once God Settles Things With The Rightreous & Un-Righteous . [Definition – Righteous Means The Desire To Do Right ]
Diamonds Are In Abundance And Their Supply Is Being Controlled By Persons Under The Control Of Spiritual Wickedness In High Places (Ephesians 6:12) . [http://janineroberts.org/]
1. The Bakken Oil Field Find
2. 55 gallon drums fulls of unprocessed diamonds.
* These are just a few of the suppressed world riches this beautiful world created by God (Jehovah, Father of Jesus Christ)..
3. Minister Lindsey Williams has known for 30 years of a major oil find in Alaska.
* He says that he sat in on meetings of the rich and powerful. These men decided not to use this oil to help America.
* Beware Africans, the wolves of deception are always around riches.
* Hosea said we perish for two reasons. Most people only remember one reason why we perish.
- Hosea said MY PEOPLE PERISH FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
- AND…because they REJECT KNOWLEDGE
- In other words, they DON’T KNOW & THEY DON’T WANT TO KNOW !!!!
4. For those who want to know I suggest you guys who can get the Internet do these things :
a) Listen to broadcasts like : Alex Jones (Infowars), Derry Brownfield, The Power Hour
(Joyce & Dave), Jeff Rense, and other broadcasts on the Genesis Communications Network.
b) Here’s an appetizer of information on the subjects I have just written on :
• Do a search use IX Quick search engine .They don’t record your computer’s address ; protect your privacy [ http://ixquick.com/]
• Here are three(s) separate subjects that I mentioned that you can search for
(i) – Bakken Oil Field Find
(ii) – Lindsey Williams (YouTube videos)
(iii) – Janine Roberts :Glitter & Greed : The Secret World of The Diamond Cartel
ANOTHER SUGGESTION IS FOR THOSE LIVING IN THE CITY TO POOL THEIR RESOURCES TOGETHER AND MAKE NEIGHBORHOOD COOP GREENHOUSES . HERE YOU CAN GROW SOME KIND OF FOODS AND NOT BE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GROCERY STORES.
Our only enemies are in Hell , waiting for their life-sentence of damnation.
You are in my prayers. Pray for each other too
Have Faith in God and Love for each other. May The Lord God Bless You real good
The Swine Flu Vaccination Hoax - Explained URL – [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbFxV_C8Yw4 ]
[Check Out :
3) Who Brought The Slaves To America ? URL = [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuzhnKy63io ] Or [http://wideeyecinema.com/?p=911]
WAKE UP !!! STAY UP !!!
[http://www.infowars.com/infowars.asx] / [gcnlive.com] / [http://alexjonesringtones.net/] Life Is A Game. Have Fun . Luke 18:17 - Isaiah 11:6
Back to the frying pan! Over dependence on export/import is how we got here.
Develop your economies for your needs. Keep the export market on the back burner. Remember that foreign exchange is mostly useful in the import market, and the import market does not employ your workers. Avoid too much importation. Think about trade when you have surpluses.
Sustainable self sufficiency is the key to obliterating poverty. Feed your nations first.