U.S. names 63 states as eligible for new aid

U.S. names 63 states as eligible for new aid

Agence France-Presse, Washington

The United States on Tuesday named 63 countries including
Indonesia eligible to share billions of dollars in U.S. aid under
a new program aimed at rewarding developing nations which commit
to democratic and free market reform.

A billion dollars has already been made available by Congress
for fiscal year 2004 and President George W. Bush on Monday asked
lawmakers to approve US$2.5 billion for the account in fiscal
2005.

Nations named on Tuesday will be able to compete for a slice
of the aid under the program, billed by the Bush administration
as a revolutionary way to wean poor nations off long-term aid and
prevent assistance from disappearing into the coffers of corrupt
states.

Eligible recipients include fledgling states like East Timor
and Bosnia-Herzegovina, world's largest Muslim populous state
Indonesia, South Asian giants India and Pakistan, and Uganda,
Nigeria and Senegal, which Bush visited during a quick tour of
Africa last year.

The announcement followed a meeting on Monday of the board of
directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) which
will administer the aid.

Secretary of State Colin Powell chairs the board, which also
includes Secretary of the Treasury John Snow, U.S. Trade
Representative Robert Zoellick, and the head of the U.S. Agency
for International Development Andrew Natsios.

Powell said at the start of the meeting on Monday that "People
matter."

"The plight of the world's poor presents all of us with a
profound moral challenge," he said. "Alleviating their suffering
also holds profound implications for freedom and security across
the globe."