DVC on MCA Threshold Program Gets Rave Reviews

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000202

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USAID
USAID FOR PAT FLEURET, AYANNA TOURE, STEVE FELDSTEIN,
BILL HAGELMAN
AF/S FOR DAN MOZENA, ADRIENNE GALANEK
AF/PD FOR L.W. KOENGETER, CHANTAL DALTON
MCC FOR CLAY LOWERY, KEVIN SABA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KMCA KPAO PGOV ECON MI
SUBJECT: DVC on MCA Threshold Program Gets Rave Reviews


1. Post wishes to thank all those in Washington who
organized and participated in the March 1 digital video
conference hosted by USAID Washington on the Millennium
Challenge Account Threshold Program. The DVC received
high-level participation here, and key MCC officials in
Washington were able to brief GOM officials on the
Threshold Program and discuss the current draft of
Malawi's Concept Paper in productive detail. The DVC
did exactly what was needed at this juncture: clarify
for senior GOM officials what the Threshold Program is,
what the process will be going forward, and what being
an MCA compact country might mean for Malawi in the
future. While the officials actively drafting the
Concept Paper did not participate, they report that the
DVC both enlightened and energized their superiors, who
will ultimately be responsible for implementing any
proposal developed from the Concept Paper.


2. Mission officers report a very positive response
from the participants here, including Minister of
Finance Goodall Gondwe, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Davis Katsonga and Minister of Economic Planning and
Development David Faiti. All were appreciative of the
responsiveness of Washington interlocutors in
presenting the MCA concept and answering their
questions, including Clay Lowery, Kevin Saba and Steve
Brent. The DVC appears to have generated significant
additional momentum for the Malawi's Threshold process
from senior officials who may have been only vaguely
aware of it previously. The timing of the DVC to
precede A/S Newman's visit will also make her meetings
on the topic more productive. The Concept Paper has
already undergone revision along the lines discussed in
the DVC and will soon go to Cabinet for approval.


3. The following GOM officials participated in the
DVC:
Goodall Gondwe, Minister of Finance
Davis Katsonga, Minister of Foreign Affairs
David Faiti, Minister of Economic Planning and
Development (MEPD)
Honorable Rodwell Munyenyembe, Speaker of Parliament
Victor Mbewe, Reserve Bank Governor
Bright Msaka, Secretary to the Office of the President
and the Cabinet
Ishmael Wadi, Director of the Department of Public
Prosecutions
Patrick Kamwendo, Principal Secretary, MEPD
Lot Dzonzi, Police Commissioner

Embassy/USAID Officials:
David Gilmour, CDA a.i.
Eric Loken, Acting USAID Mission Director (outgoing)
Eilene Oldwine, Acting USAID Mission Director
(incoming)
Bill Hagelman, USAID Africa Bureau (TDY Malawi)
Martha Myers, Program Development Officer
Mitchell Moss, Public Affairs Officer
Bill Taliferro, Economics Officer
Kalinde Chindebvu, USAID Monitoring and Evaluation
Specialist


3. It should be noted that this was USAID Malawi's
maiden DVC, and was a first for most of our Malawian
guests. Putting this together on short notice before
A/S Newman's visit and the March 15 Concept Paper
deadline required significant coordinated effort, which
paid off handsomely. Special thanks go to our USAID
Washington hosts, colleagues in the USAID AF Bureau,
State AF/PD, our MCC participants and USAID colleagues
here in Malawi whose efforts made this possible.

Gilmour