New MCC compact Given 2022 target

 Malawi Millennium Development Trust (MMD), formerly Millennium Challenge Account- Malawi (MCA-Malawi), says it sees the country signing the second Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact towards the end of 2021 and implementation starting early 2022.

MMD chief executive officer Dye Mawindo said in an interview in Washington DC, United States of America (USA) on the sidelines of what is referred to as a ‘Reverse Mission’ for a new compact programme by a seven-member Malawi delegation. Mawindo is leading the team. interview in Washington

He said: “We are looking at more or less towards the end of 2021 before we can have a compact for a second programme signed and implementation probably starting between January and February 2022.

“It is still a long journey and lots of work to be

 undertaken, but we remain confident that we will do our part in terms of fast-tracking this process.

“But all said and done, the amount of preparatory work that needs to happen, is so huge that there is very little chance of really nailing this [work] inside the year 2020 so to speak.”

In the past eight months, MCC officials from USA have been visiting Malawi, working closely with MMD officials, to identify potential areas where MCC, an agency of the USA Government, would invest in the second compact.

Mawindo said for the past two weeks, MMD reversed such a role to interface with MCC officials as they prepare the new compact for Malawi.

Detailing activities that MMD is expected to u n d e r t a ke from now onwards, he said that currently, they are developing a concept note which highlights key constraints facing the Malawi economy while weighing in on available strategic options to tackle the binding challenges.

Mawindo said since February 2019, MMD in collaboration with MCC and other stakeholders from a wide spectrum have been exploring several areas in the Malawi economy that are inhibiting economic growth.

He said two ke y constraints have so far come on the surface, namely access to land and farm-to-market linkages.

Said Mawindo: “What the latter or second constraint is envisioning is the fact that productivity and production is low at farm level or smallholder level and smallholder farmers also experience huge amount of obstacles in getting their produce or commodities to the market.”

He said after submission of the concept notes, MCC’s Investment Committee will assess the detailed analysis before coming up with what he referred to as a “problem