The CEO of the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation, Dana J. Hyde, concluded a successful trip to Niger this week to reaffirm the agency’s commitment to the people and government of Niger and help advance preparations for the country’s MCC compact, a large-scale grant designed to reduce poverty by tackling barriers to economic growth.
Hyde traveled to Niger from March 2 to March 5 and met with senior American and Nigerien government officials, including President Mahamadou Issoufou and Prime Minister Brigi Rafini. She also met with representatives from civil society, the development community and the private sector.
Hyde also met with university students at a social science research laboratory and with project beneficiaries at a USAID-funded agricultural resilience site outside Niamey.
“I am proud to reaffirm the strong partnership between our two countries, built on shared values,” she said. “Niger is a partner we can count on to create new opportunities for economic growth, development, trade and investment in West Africa and beyond.”
MCC's Board of Directors selected Niger as eligible to begin designing a compact in December 2012. While the compact projects have not been finalized, a joint MCC–Government of Niger analysis has found three binding constraints to economic growth: access to water for agriculture and livestock production, inefficiencies in business regulation and barriers to trade.
Reporters interested in the trip should contact MCC Public Affairs at 202-521-3880.