The MCC suffered many of the growing pains of a start-up and inevitably shared these pains with the first rounds of eligible countries. (See the Mozambique, Malawi and Ghana field reports.) But things are looking up. Based on early impressions in Tanzania, it looks like the MCC has applied important lessons learned in three key areas:
Lesson 1: Engage Early and Offer Guidance
The MCC has engaged much earlier with the GoT in the proposal development process than it did with the first round countries. MCC staff with a wide range of expertise have been on the ground several times as Tanzania puts together its zero draft proposal. While Tanzanians are clearly in the driver's seat, MCC team members are providing feedback, bouncing around ideas, encouraging planning of M&E strategies and making clear their expectations at each stage of the process. In the course of this engagement, the MCC has encouraged active collaboration and communication between the relevant government ministries. This, according to one NGO official, is a very welcome change in GoT practice.
Praise from the field: One striking illustration of the effectiveness of the MCC's engagement in Tanzania is how the MCA coordinator spoke about the process. In sharp contrast to government officials in several first-round countries that lamented the MCC’s mixed messages, poor guidance and spotty engagement, the Tanzania coordinator praised the MCC’s approach. First, he repeatedly referred to the MCC's official guidance on the proposal process as very clear and helpful. Second, he spoke very highly of the “MCA University” held in Washington, DC in March. The "MCA U" brought together MCA partner country officials and apparently gave them substantive, tailored guidance in the MCC approach, and fostered a sense of ownership and pride among them. He raved that the MCA U "gave us our own forum" to engage with representatives from other countries and to offer feedback to the MCC. Third, the coordinator spoke of a good and clear working relationship with MCC staff and said emphatically, "If I have questions, I know who exactly at the MCC to call."
Lesson 2: Coordinate with Other Donors
The MCC has engaged with other donors much earlier and more substantively than it did in the first round countries. Early in the Tanzania experience the MCC team hosted an information session and was apparently responsive to concerns raised by other donors. Under the coordination of the relevant ministries, the MCC has participated in a number of meetings with lead donors in the target sectors of transportation, water and energy. MCC staff says they are working with donors to learn about existing strategies and programs in the target sectors, talking about doing joint appraisals and exploring other ways to coordinate in the implementation and monitoring phases of the program.
Praise from the field: Again, it is most revealing to hear how others are talking about the MCC in Tanzania. One government official specifically characterized the MCC as “fond of coordination.” All bilateral and multilateral donors interviewed reported that MCC team members seem genuinely interested in learning from them and coordinating with them. Donors recognize the MCC's potentially large contribution in sectors that need attention, and several specifically mentioned wanting “to help MCC have a good impact." These attitudes are in striking contrast to those expressed by other donors in several first-round countries, where the MCC created waves of animosity because it was slower to engage and coordinate in ways that donors expected.
Room for improvement: Despite preliminary indications that the MCC is taking coordination much more seriously, donors did express some concerns. For example, they would like more information about the MCC's overall approach, what they can expect in terms of timelines for proposal development and MCC visits, and ongoing requirements of the GoT. Donors in Tanzania are accustomed to sharing this kind of information in order to coordinate activities and minimize competing demands on government officials.
Lesson 3: Build on Existing Development Plans
The MCC Tanzania team is respecting country planning approaches that preceded the MCA process here, and is encouraging the MCA-TZ to build a proposal based on the national priorities identified in the PRS. Furthermore, the team has shown willingness to support specific programs detailed in the sector strategies that are rooted in the PRS. This is a huge step toward fostering country ownership without creating the burden of new processes and planning. The fact that Tanzania’s PRS is so well developed helps a lot. According to one MCC team member, “the PRS is so good that it identifies needs, costs them, includes a monitoring plan, and is linked to the national budget.” One important outstanding question is whether these plans are robust enough to serve as the basis for an MCA proposal without further consultation with civil society, as discussed later in this report.
Next Section: What to Watch: Potential Challenges in Tanzania