$461 million grant will help Mali invest in a brighter future

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In the United States, $461 million would fund 584 feet of Boston's Big Dig highway project.

In Mali, however, that amount of money will build a 247-acre industrial park, remodel an airport and provide irrigation for almost 62 square miles of West African farmland.

These Malian-developed plans became part of a contract with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) last Monday when Ambassador John J. Danilovich, chief executive officer of the MCC, and Moctar Ouane, Malian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, signed the accord.

"Mali represents the hopes and aspirations of billions on the African continent and around the world who yearn for freedom and prosperity," Mr. Danilovich told Malian delegates at the signing. "Achieving [this plan] will transform your country and will create unprecedented opportunities for reducing poverty and sustaining economic growth."

Proposed in 2002 by President Bush, the MCC began operation as part of the U.S. government in 2004. The corporation hopes to reduce poverty and encourage economic growth in developing countries by issuing funds over multiple years for specific projects planned by each eligible country.

Mali and El Salvador most recently received approval for grants, joining the ranks of nine other countries receiving MCC assistance -- Armenia, Benin, Cape Verde, Georgia, Ghana, Honduras, Madagascar, Nicaragua and Vanuatu. Total grant money has reached almost $3 billion.

Little goes a long way

Mali's President Amadou Toure told the audience at the signing that his country views the grant as a reward for good governance.

"The people of Mali deserve credit for making sacrifices to pursue democracy," he said.

In an interview, he said Mali had "won the jackpot," because it got the second largest MCC grant to date, after Ghana.