Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07AMMAN4328
2007-10-25 06:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN: MCC INDICATOR SCORECARDS DELIVERED

Tags:  JO EAID PREL PGOV ETRD ECON KMCA MCC 
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VZCZCXRO8723
PP RUEHLMC
DE RUEHAM #4328 2980620
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250620Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0698
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP PRIORITY
INFO RUEHLMC/MCC WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS AMMAN 004328 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EEB/IFD/ODF

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: JO EAID PREL PGOV ETRD ECON KMCA MCC
SUBJECT: JORDAN: MCC INDICATOR SCORECARDS DELIVERED

REF: STATE 146777

UNCLAS AMMAN 004328

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EEB/IFD/ODF

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: JO EAID PREL PGOV ETRD ECON KMCA MCC
SUBJECT: JORDAN: MCC INDICATOR SCORECARDS DELIVERED

REF: STATE 146777


1. (SBU) Reftel points were delivered to Nasser Shraideh,
Secretary General at the Ministry of Planning, on October 23

SIPDIS
by visiting MCC Director of Threshold Programs Maria Longi,
accompanied by DCM and USAID officers. MCC representative
Longi explained the rationale of the scorecards, along with
changes in the categories (which this year include Land
Rights and Access and Natural Resource Management for the
first time). Emboffs also reiterated the independent nature
of the measurements, and the role NGOs play in the
measurement of indicators.


2. (SBU) Going over the individual indicators, Emboffs noted
that Jordan remained above the median in all investing in
people categories, and showed improvement in most. In
particular, Jordan moved from below median to above median
levels in the indicator of girls' primary education
completion. On the economic freedom front, Jordan remains
above or very near the median in all categories except for
fiscal policy.


3. (SBU) MCC representative Longi noted to Shraideh that the
most significant room for improvement was in the ruling
justly category, where Jordan remains below the median in
terms of the political rights, civil liberties, and voice and
accountability indicators. Assessing the importance of these
issues, Longi added that some NGOs within the US have raised
with Congress the idea of turning some of these categories
into "hard indicators" that would make or break a country's
eligibility for MCC assistance.


4. (SBU) Reading from a prepared set of talking points,
Shraideh outlined the reforms Jordan has made in the past
year in terms of the ruling justly category. Successful
municipal council elections, a reform of the political
parties law, the launch of an Anti-Corruption Commission,
financial disclosure laws, a new press and publications law,
citizen involvement initiatives, and government support for
civil society were all put forward as measurable progress on
the political front. Shraideh emphasized that since each of
these measures represents a significant advance, they will
take time to take root in Jordan's political culture.
Hale