U.S. praised for helping countries escape poverty

UNITED NATIONS -- In words of praise rarely heard at the United Nations, leaders of several poor countries thanked the U.S. government and American taxpayers Tuesday for helping with economic development.

The presidents of Tanzania and Burkina Faso and the prime minister of Albania said a U.S. government aid agency -- which lets recipients decide on the best programs to reduce poverty -- is having a major impact on the development of their countries.

The three countries are among 38 nations in Africa, Asia, Europe and Central America that are receiving grants totaling over $7.3 billion from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent agency created by Congress in 2004 to help fight against global poverty.

On the sidelines of the U.N. ministerial meetings, the assembled leaders strongly backed the corporation's innovative approach. It requires recipients to commit to good governance, economic freedom and investments in their citizens. That done, recipients are free to choose their own projects but within strict timetables.

"I would like to thank U.S. government and U.S. taxpayer for their very generous help," Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said. "It is my deep belief that this money was of great efficiency and help to my nation. Sixty million dollars granted three years ago...were used in several projects which really changed my country."

Berisha said Albania used part of the money to streamline the lengthy, bureaucratic and corrupt system for registering a business with the government.

This "changed the climate for business in my country," he said, citing a recent World Bank survey in which Albania now ranked second in the world in improving opportunities for business.

Albania also used part of the money for a system to file tax returns on the Internet. "No more 'friendly meetings' between taxpayers and tax collectors," he said, noting government revenue increased by $5 billion in four years.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said his government and people were "grateful recipients of generous support from the government and people of the United States."

Kikwete said none of the projects in Tanzania's compact with the corporation were "dictated by the U.S. government."

"We identified the projects and we set the priorities. We made the strategic choices, and in our case we decided to use the entire compact resource in embracing some of our most pressing infrastructure challenges -- roads, energy, water and airports," he said.

Burkina Faso's President Blaise Campaore said "without development there is no peace, there is no help, and there is no knowledge."

"I'm here," he said, "to thank president Obama and all the people of America ... and all the people who are working on the ground."

Burkina Faso signed a five-year $481 million compact with the MCC last year aimed at improving agricultural productivity through investments in water management, irrigation and technical assistance and credit to farmers. It also went into construction of new classrooms at schools that cater to girls as well as boys.

Sierra Leone's Minister of Mineral Resources Alpha Kanu said his country was trying to meet the requirements to join the compact.