Senator Frist visits with 16-year-old Rouite Tisma, a patient at the Baptist Mission Hospital in Fermathe, Haiti

As we have all seen, a week ago Haiti experienced one of the most devastating earthquakes in its history, leaving hundreds of thousands believed dead, tens of thousands homeless or orphaned, and many families still trying to reconnect with loved ones.  Although MCC does not provide humanitarian assistance, many partner U.S. Government agencies are diligently working and coordinating on the ground to provide desperately-needed help to the Haitian people.  USAID, for one, is spearheading the U.S. Government’s relief effort, led by Administrator Rajiv Shah, an MCC Board member.  Another MCC Board member, Senator Bill Frist, is also on the ground in Haiti, contributing to the relief efforts through his Hope Through Healing Hands Foundation.  Please take a moment to read his first-hand accounts of his experience.

President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton are committed to expanding opportunities for the world’s poor.  As I shared with the Senate Foreign Releations Committee during my recently-concluded confirmation process, I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their efforts to fight poverty through MCC.

Daniel W. Yohannes is sworn in as chief executive officer of MCC by Meredith Cabelka of the Office of the General Counsel on Tuesday, December 1, 2009.

My first week on the job as MCC’s new CEO has been even more rewarding than I anticipated.  Before being confirmed, I had heard many times about the professionalism, dedication, and talents of the men and women who work at MCC.  Now that I’m onboard, I can attest to this.  This new challenge is energizing, and I look forward to working with these accomplished professionals to make a difference in the lives of the poor around the world.

As I begin my work at MCC, one of my most important tasks is to listen.  Listening closely to those not only at MCC headquarters, but also in partner countries, in Congress, and in the development community will provide insightful feedback on what works well and what could be tackled with more innovation.

Listening will inform action.  It will continue to position MCC as a vital part of the future of foreign aid.  As I shared in every one of my conversations this week, I am committed to action that will broaden and sustain opportunities for the world’s poor.  Sound policies, grounded in good governance, will create an environment that nurtures opportunities.  Building the capacity of countries to lead their development in close cooperation and coordination with other U.S. Government and international donors will empower partners to expand opportunity.  Fostering pro-growth strategies will attract greater participation from the private sector.  This is the engine of innovation, opportunity, and jobs that powers long-term, sustainable development.

Next week, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who chairs MCC’s Board of Directors, has graciously agreed to preside at my swearing-in ceremony.  We will be together again a day later for my first MCC Board meeting.  I will be sharing the outcomes of that meeting with you at our outreach event next Thursday.  Join us then, and always feel free to contact us with your thoughts on MCC.  I’m listening and want to hear from you.

MCC Board Member and President of Catholic Relief Services Ken Hackett and MCC Acting CEO Darius Mans answer questions during the September 10th post-Board outreach event.

Today, I joined MCC Board Member Ken Hackett, President of Catholic Relief Services, at a public event to discuss the outcomes of yesterday’s quarterly meeting of MCC’s Board of Directors, chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. MCC routinely schedules these post-Board outreach opportunities as part of our ongoing, transparent engagement with our partners and stakeholders.  Both today’s discussion and yesterday’s board meeting shared a common theme: MCC’s assistance is not automatic.  Rather, it requires partners who are willing to shoulder the responsibility to practice good governance and accountability that is essential to growing their economies and delivering sustainable results in the lives of the world’s poor.

MCC welcomes working with those partner countries committed to this path.  This makes sense for their poor and it makes sense for our investments of American taxpayer resources.  The updated results section of MCC’s website summarizes our progress to date.  We are rapidly approaching cumulative disbursements of $1 billion and contract commitments of $2 billion aimed at reducing poverty around the world.

I invite you to read the press release that details the Board’s recent decisions and to take a moment to bookmark—and return often to—the results section of our website to view our latest progress.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton chaired her first MCC Board meeting this week.  I was pleased to be part of this historic transition, and I welcomed Secretary Clinton’s active participation at the meeting.  Her presence and the presence of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and other public and private sector Board members signal the importance of MCC’s ongoing commitment to delivering change in the lives of the world’s poor. 

Board members demonstrated their firm resolve to address the needs of the poor.  They faced difficult decisions, and they engaged in a thoughtful debate about the best way forward.  Given the importance they place on these issues, the Board decided to convene an extraordinary interim review session to discuss ongoing concerns regarding Nicaragua and Armenia.  The Board’s deliberate approach reaffirms MCC’s commitment to sound policy performance as a fundamental prerequisite for receiving U.S. development dollars.  Long-term economic development and poverty reduction can best take root in countries where the policy conditions are conducive for growth, and governments themselves are committed to reform.

Secretary Clinton has already spoken of the important role development plays in defining America’s global reputation and in advancing President Obama’s foreign policy goals.  The Administration’s strong international affairs budget for fiscal year 2010 is matching this rhetoric.  It will allocate the resources necessary to achieve the results that matter in the fight against global poverty. 

With the Board’s continued leadership and a budget that allows us to fulfill our mission, MCC’s partner countries can pursue country-sourced and country-driven programs that are foundational to reducing poverty and stimulating economic growth in significant and sustainable ways.

Washington has been abuzz with talk about the future of U.S. foreign assistance.  In a time of serious economic crisis, development experts have offered President-elect Obama and his team a number of recommendations for streamlining foreign aid and increasing its effectiveness as a powerful, efficient tool of U.S. international engagement.  We all want our U.S. tax dollars sent abroad to be invested wisely, to deliver results that matter in the fight against global poverty, and to further America’s image and positive influence throughout the world.

From its creation, MCC has advocated for country-led and country-implemented anti-poverty strategies that stress efficiency and accountability.  Our aid rewards countries committed to good governance and to results.  I discussed these very principles during a conversation with Steve Radelet from the Center for Global Development earlier today.  During the event, I was again impressed by the active, vocal support that exists for these principles.

We hear these same values echoed in studies by leading think tanks and in recent opinion pieces on the pages of America’s newspapers.  The private sector members of MCC’s Board of Directors—Lorne Craner, Bill Frist, Kenneth Hackett, and Alan Patricof—penned a bipartisan, joint op-ed for the New York Times on December 20th in which they stated that “not all foreign aid is the same.  Hard lessons learned over the past five decades have taught us that good governance, accountability, local ownership, and long-term engagement are the keys to success.”

As Americans prepare for a historic inauguration, President-elect Obama’s administration recognizes the value of foreign aid to enhance America’s place in the world.  MCC is a manifestation of this.

MCC’s smart power not only makes the world a better place but also makes America’s place in the world better.  In ongoing discussions about the future framework of U.S. foreign aid, MCC will serve as a strong platform for building upon and reinforcing what works to deliver effective assistance and thereby bring sustainable positive change to the lives of the world’s poor.  I’ve been honored to be a part of MCC’s contribution to this noble effort and will continue to closely follow its progress moving forward as an advocate and champion.