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Minister of National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC), Rexon Ramofafia, expressed the intention to enter into a future compact agreement with the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) following the signing of an amendment to the US$2.3 million (S$19.2 million) Solomon Islands Threshold Program (SITHP) grant agreement.
“Moving from a Threshold Programme to a Compact Agreement with MCC will further strengthen our partnership and, if successful, the Compact Agreement could provide Solomon Islands with significant grant-based financing to support our development priorities,” he explained.
However, we also recognise that Solomon Islands must meet appropriate MCC requirements.
To achieve this, Minister Ramo Fafia stressed that the MNPDC will continue to work closely with the MCC and its contractors who are collaborating with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, and the Ministry of Forestry and Research to implement the SITHP through the Land Acquisition to Promote Tourism Investment and Enhance the Value of Forests project.
“More importantly, the MNPDC will work to ensure that Solomon Islands meets the requirements of the MCC scorecard, which is a key requirement for the MCC to consider a compact agreement,” the Minister added.
The scorecard relies on independently assessed and verified data on various aspects of our country, including education, health, anti-corruption and gender equality.
Therefore, the MNPDC will also liaise closely with the ministries responsible for these areas to ensure that appropriate national data are submitted to relevant international organisations for analysis by the MCC.
Minister Ramo Fafia concluded by reiterating that SIG is committed to maximising the benefits of the Threshold Scheme and working towards a compact agreement with the MCC.
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MNPDC News Release
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