WASHINGTON (July 22, 2022) — The Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) Chief Executive Officer, Alice Albright, departed Marrakech, Morocco today after leading the U.S. delegation at the 14th U.S.-Africa Business Summit — an event to catalyze increased two-way trade and investment as well as strengthen partnerships with governments, multilateral organizations, and private sector partners across the African continent.
Albright was joined at the three-day Summit by senior representatives from 10 departments and agencies contributing to Prosper Africa, the U.S. government’s signature initiative to increase trade and investment between African nations and the United States.
“The United States is committed to working together with our African partners to advance our shared vision of a better, greener, healthier future,” said Albright during the Summit’s opening ceremony. “This means creating 21st century jobs for Africa’s youth, bolstering two-way trade and investment, investing in critical infrastructure, and building long-term partnerships across the continent. Since launching Prosper Africa two years ago, the U.S. government has already supported 800 two-way trade and investment deals in 45 countries, worth an estimated $50 billion dollars.”
Albright also spoke about the changing global development environment and how the U.S. must strengthen its partnerships to ensure people on both sides of the Atlantic can create a better life for their families and communities.
“From the health and economic impacts of the pandemic to the climate and food security crises, our world is at an inflection point,” said Albright. “I am very proud to lead the U.S. delegation and be a part of Vice President Harris’s announcement of the December 2022 Africa Leaders Summit. Now, more than ever, we must leverage the full suite of U.S. government tools and harness the power of the U.S. private sector to strengthen our partnerships with business leaders and investors from across the African continent.”
Albright and an MCC delegation participated in several bilateral meetings and visited three different project sites where MCC’s investments are catalyzing unique public-private partnerships in industrial land as well as providing education and technical training opportunities for women and youth. In addition, MCC’s Vice President for Congressional and Public Affairs, Aysha House, participated in a multiple panel discussions, including how agencies across the U.S. government are deploying their respective tools to invest in Africa’s future and how women are delivering clean energy, digital, and healthcare solutions to Africa’s infrastructure.
The visit to Morocco also provided an opportunity for Albright to deepen MCC’s partnership with the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco. To date, MCC has invested more than $1 billion in Morocco to build much needed large-scale infrastructure and strengthen educational and vocational systems. MCC is currently implementing the final phase of its $460.5 million Morocco Employability and Land Compact, which will improve the lives of 800,000 Moroccans.
The Morocco Employability and Land Compact includes an Education and Training for Employability Project and a Land Productivity Project. Though these projects, MCC and Moroccan government investments will build or rehabilitate 15 technical and vocational education and training centers; pilot a new model for secondary education in 90 schools throughout the country; support the implementation of important reforms in rural land, including better enabling women to inherit collective land; pilot market-driven approaches to industrial zone development and management; and create thousands of jobs for the people of Morocco.
While visiting a secondary school being supported by compact investments, Albright met with students to hear their personal stories about how they are benefiting from MCC’s and the Moroccan government’s investments in education, including girls who participated in the Women in Science (WiSci)-Morocco Camp held in 2021.
“The WiSci Camp changed my life,” said Khaoula Lkhdim, a Moroccan student. “I didn’t know about the power of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEAM) until I was surrounded by other girls who also shared my interest. It changed my career choices. I’m now in college, studying computer science. It has opened up the possibilities for my whole future.”
The WiSci STEAM program is part of the U.S. government’s effort to empower the next generation of female leaders around the world, helping teenage girls build STEAM and leadership skills, introduce career possibilities, and enhance cross-cultural awareness. MCC has invested more than $970 million in education and training programs around the world, accounting for almost 10 percent of MCC’s overall investments.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an independent U.S. government agency working to reduce global poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Created in 2004, MCC provides time-limited grants and assistance to countries that meet rigorous standards for good governance, fighting corruption and respecting democratic rights.