VZCZCXRO0342
RR RUEHLMC
DE RUEHLGB #1143 3321604
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281604Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC 0020
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3516
INFO RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 1589
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0787
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1491
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0150
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0687
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0179

UNCLAS KIGALI 001143 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL RW
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH GOR ON MCC THRESHOLD PROGRAM 
 
 
 ¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  Ambassador and AID Director met on 
November 21 with Ambassador Sezibera and other GOR staff on 
the just-announced Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold 
program.  Sezibera pronounced the GOR committed to a 
successful program, and anxious to get to work with mission 
and MCC staff.  Ambassador emphasized the importance of a 
unified GOR team possessed of authority to make decisions and 
give clear direction to the Rwandan effort.   Sezibera said 
ongoing internal reviews were aimed at putting in place a 
strong GOR team with solid ideas to present to the visiting 
MCC team.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador, USAID Director, DCM and other mission 
staff met with Great Lakes Special Envoy Ambassador Richard 
Sezibera, NEPAD Special Advisor Francis Gatare and 
representatives of the Finance, Justice and Local Government 
ministries on November 21 to discuss the just announced 
selection of Rwanda as a Threshold Program participant. 
Mission staff distributed to and discussed with the Rwandan 
participants a packet of materials on the MCC program, 
including a sample Threshold Concept Paper and Threshold 
Country Plan, and a mission-produced review of GOR 
institutions that could potentially be the subject of 
Threshold Program attention (this document e-mailed to our 
State Department desk officer). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Ambassador explained that USAID in Kigali would 
administer the Threshold Program funds in concert with MCC in 
Washington and embassy staff.  Of great importance, said the 
Ambassador, would be a unified team with a strong coordinator 
to push the process forward from the Rwandan side. 
Ambassador announced provisional dates for the visit of an 
MCC team in early December. He noted that the GOR would be 
dealing with experienced MCC administrators and program 
officers who would welcome and indeed expect a Rwandan-driven 
process with much give and take, and negotiating of program 
goals and concepts. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Sezibera pledged a cohesive GOR team empowered to 
make decisions and push the Threshold process to completion. 
The GOR was anxious to work closely with the MCC and the USG 
mission in Rwanda, and an "internal review" was underway, 
meant to establish GOR team leadership and develop program 
ideas in advance of the MCC team arrival. We have three 
goals, he said: design the Threshold Program with the USG, 
successfully complete Threshold design and implementation, 
and secure full Millennium Challenge Account Compact 
eligibility.  "We will work with you to achieve all three," 
he said. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Ambassador cautioned that qualification for the 
Threshold Program did not automatically mean program monies 
would flow.  Several neighboring states had failed to 
finalize their Threshold programs, for example, and were 
making no progress toward MCA Compact eligibility. 
Ambassador Sezibera in response acknowledged the importance 
of a committed government and a well-designed program.  "We 
understand our responsibilities," he said. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment.   Unpleasantly surprised at the fall of 
several of the six MCC Ruling Justly indicators for FY 2007, 
as well as several World Bank indicators, the GOR had 
protested the accuracy of some of the scoring sources (as had 
this mission, other diplomatic missions, and the local World 
Bank office).  It is pleased that MCC has chosen it for 
Threshold status, and appears to grasp the focused and 
professional effort it must make to see those scores rise. 
End comment. 
 
 
ARIETTI