Tanzania’s government must outline how it will address concerns about democratic inclusivity if it wants to reopen a partnership with the Millennium Challenge Corp., MCC officials told Devex, after the U.S. development agency decided on Monday to suspend a $472 million compact with the country.
At its quarterly meeting on March 28, MCC’s board of directors decided to cease “all activities related to the development of a second compact” for assistance. The board pointed to elections in semi-autonomous Zanzibar on March 20 that were “neither inclusive nor representative,” and to concerns the country’s Cybercrimes Act is being “used to limit freedom of expression and association,” according to a statement.
A previous vote on the compact in December had been deferred over what the board said were “governance concerns.”
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
