Good governance earns Fiji Millennium Challenge Corporation compact

The United States Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact for Fiji is expected to be significantly larger than similar projects in other Pacific nations.

This was revealed by the U.S Ambassador to Fiji, Marie Damour, during the US Embassy’s first media briefing series in Tamavua.

The MCC is a US government agency that partners with countries to support economic growth through major investments in infrastructure and improved regulatory systems.

Ms Damour said the compact would likely be one of the largest single development projects in the history of U.S–Fiji relations.

To illustrate the potential scale, she referenced Kiribati’s threshold programme, where the U.S is investing just over US$29 million in work-readiness and youth skills initiatives.

“It is important to note that as significant as MCC’s Kiribati threshold project is, the compact with Fiji will likely be much larger,” Ms Damour said.

She said Fiji’s eligibility reflected the country’s commitment to good governance.

“Fiji’s selection to develop a new compact with the MCC is a big deal,” she said.

This week marked MCC’s first visit to Fiji, with a team led by Ryan Johnson meeting government ministries, private-sector representatives and development partners to identify constraints to economic growth.

Over the next several years, Fiji will work with the MCC to design and implement projects aimed at energising the economy and creating new opportunities for Fijians.

“Fijian voices will be the primary drivers of the compact development, working in tandem with, not at the instruction of, their MCC partners,” Ms Damour said.

The Government will lead compact development work in 2026, addressing key barriers to growth in close cooperation with the MCC.

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