Paris, France - The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today that seeks to increase international development coordination between the two agencies and to make their poverty reduction efforts more effective in Africa and throughout the developing world. MCC Chief Executive Officer Ambassador John Danilovich and AFD Director General Jean-Michel Severino signed the MoU at AFD’s Paris headquarters during a meeting to share best practices and discuss specific ways to increase coordination.

“I am pleased to continue our partnership with AFD in the fight against global poverty. MCC and AFD believe that supporting local solutions and focusing on good governance are pivotal in achieving sustainable economic growth,” said Danilovich. “This MOU will enhance MCC and AFD coordination in helping our country partners, especially in Africa, improve the lives of their people.”

AFD CEO Jean-Michel Severino added that AFD is pleased to build up a tighter relationship with MCC and to start working together on concrete projects. He outlined that MCC had made major contributions and was a sizeable player in the countries where AFD also operates.
Focusing initially on Africa, the MoU identifies practical areas for potential cooperation in countries where both MCC and AFD are engaged, such as in Burkina Faso, Benin, Morocco, Mali, Madagascar, and Senegal. The MoU provides a solid framework to deepen field cooperation between MCC and AFD in a number of areas such as microfinance, land tenure and agriculture.

In partner countries where both agencies are active, MCC and AFD in-country representatives will use their best efforts to meet regularly to review initiatives, exchange information on programs, and identify lessons learned to enhance cooperation, both bilaterally and inside formal donor and partner country forums. The agencies also will meet to review how indicators are used to measure country policy performance.

The activities outlined in the MoU are a strong signal of both agencies’ commitment to the ideas in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. In addition to addressing ways to coordinate their assistance, the MoU also notes the central role of country ownership in both agencies’ programming, underlines support for partner countries to adopt policies that support sustainable development, and addresses MCC’s and AFD’s efforts to address the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The full text of the Memorandum of Understanding can be found at http://www.mcc.gov

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The Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. government agency designed to work with developing countries, is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces sound political, economic, and social policies that promote poverty reduction through economic growth. For more information about MCC, please visit www.mcc.gov.

AFD is the Agence Française de Développement, a bi-lateral development finance institution established in 1941 that works on behalf of the French government. Its mission is to finance development according to France’s Overseas Development Assistance policies. AFD’s activities are aimed at reducing poverty and inequalities, promoting sustainable economic growth, and protecting “Global Public Goods” of benefit to all humanity.