Liberia Presses MCC to Fast-Track Second Compact

MONROVIA, September 30, 2026 — The Government of Liberia is pressing the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to accelerate development of the country’s proposed Second Compact as the two sides move deeper into the Joint Design Phase.

Deputy Information Minister for Press and Public Affairs Daniel Sanoe disclosed the government’s position Tuesday, saying the request was emphasized during high-level discussions between Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan and senior MCC officials at the Corporation’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The talks focused on progress in developing Liberia’s proposed Second Compact and the steps required to move the process toward eventual consideration and approval.

According to Sanoe, Liberia has reaffirmed its commitment to working with the MCC to accelerate the process while meeting the policy, technical and regulatory requirements associated with compact development.

The Washington meeting brought together MCC Acting Deputy Vice President for Africa Alicia Robinson-Morgan, Acting Managing Director for Africa Carrie Monahan, MCC Country Director for Liberia Kevin George and Liberia Compact Development Team National Coordinator Alieu Fuad Nyei, among others.

Sanoe said the process has advanced into the Joint Design Phase, during which the Liberian team and MCC are working collaboratively to develop and refine project proposals for possible inclusion in the Second Compact.

A major focus of the discussions was Liberia’s electricity sector, which continues to face challenges affecting businesses, investment and economic activity.

Sanoe said the government emphasized its commitment to creating the policy and regulatory conditions necessary to attract greater private-sector participation in electricity generation and distribution.

He said the Boakai administration has committed itself to undertaking the necessary measures to support development and eventual approval of the compact.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation is a United States government development agency established in 2004 that provides time-limited grants to eligible countries for programs aimed at reducing poverty through economic growth.

Liberia’s partnership with the MCC predates the current compact process. The country previously benefited from a US$15 million Threshold Program that focused on areas including land rights, girls’ education and trade policy.

Liberia was subsequently selected in December 2012 to develop its first full MCC Compact.

The US$257 million agreement, signed in 2015, focused largely on addressing constraints in the electricity and road sectors. Among its major interventions was support for the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant, along with electricity-sector reforms and improvements in road maintenance and management.

That compact ended in January 2021.

In December 2024, the MCC Board selected Liberia as eligible to develop another compact, opening the way for the current development and design process.

The government says its push to accelerate the Second Compact is driven partly by the need to address infrastructure and economic constraints, particularly challenges in the electricity sector that affect private investment and economic growth.

However, Sanoe stressed that the proposed Second Compact remains under development. Specific projects, the amount of financing and implementation arrangements have not yet been finalized and remain subject to further design, assessment and MCC approval.