Programas y Eventos
Second Phase of "Programa Umbral" Begins
Over $30 million designated to support Paraguay’s anti-corruption endeavors
April 13, 2009
President Fernando Lugo, U.S. Ambassador Liliana Ayalde, Minister of Finance Dionisio Borda, Senate President Gonzalez Quintana, and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director John Beed participated in a ceremony celebrating the signing of Paraguay’s second Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Threshold Program, Programa Umbral II, worth approximately $30.3 million. The two-year program builds upon the success of Paraguay’s first MCC Threshold Program, signed in May 2006, and aims to institutionalize key reforms in public administration and to support anti-corruption activities in law enforcement, the judiciary, customs, and the healthcare sector.
At the event, Ambassador Ayalde said, “The second phase of the MCC’s Threshold Program will be an important tool for the government of Paraguay as the country works to promote transparency and strengthen key institutions in the fight against corruption.”
President Lugo added, "At this time we thank the U.S. government for supporting this program. We foresee the institutions that are part of this synergistic and coherent process will faithfully comply to see the goals of the program fulfilled.”
The MCC Threshold Program is designed to assist countries that are on the “threshold” of eligibility for Millennium Challenge Account projects. USAID will administer Paraguay’s second MCC Threshold Program and the U.S. Departments of Justice and Treasury will also be involved in implementing portions of the program. Due to the Paraguayan government’s commitment against corruption, it was one of the few countries that was selected to participate in the second phase of the MCC’s Threshold program.