Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung has described the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact as a critical tool for accelerating Liberia’s development, stressing that the grant would help the country confront its most urgent challenges in health, education, infrastructure, and energy.
The Vice President made the remarks during a high-level bilateral meeting with a visiting United States Congressional Delegation at his Capitol Building office on Wednesday, August 20. The delegation was led by Senator Jack Reed and Representative Gabriel Amo, accompanied by U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Joseph E. Zadrozny.
Discussions focused on the state of Liberia–U.S. relations, the potential application of the MCC Compact, and the impact of reductions in United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding on Liberia’s social services.
U.S. lawmakers sought clarity on how Liberia is managing the decline in USAID support, particularly in critical sectors such as health and education. Vice President Koung explained that the government had undertaken budgetary realignments to protect key programs that directly affect citizens.
“Despite the challenges posed by the reduction in USAID support, the government remains committed to ensuring that vital health and education services are sustained,” Koung said. “We have prioritized spending cuts in other areas in order to allocate resources to programs that directly affect the lives of our people.”
He noted that essential interventions—such as HIV/AIDS programs supported through GAVI, school feeding initiatives, and scholarship opportunities for Liberian students—have been preserved despite the budget strain.
Vice President Koung emphasized that the MCC Compact, if awarded, would be transformative for Liberia’s future.
“The MCC Compact would play a pivotal role in strengthening our health and education systems while also driving progress in infrastructure and energy,” he explained. “This is an opportunity that would allow Liberia to not only stabilize essential services but also invest in long-term growth and prosperity.”
Koung reassured the U.S. delegation that the government was committed to creating the enabling environment for transparent and effective use of such a grant, should Liberia be selected.
In response, Senator Jack Reed reaffirmed that the delegation’s visit was aimed at gaining a better understanding of Liberia’s challenges and opportunities, while exploring ways to deepen the longstanding partnership between Liberia and the United States.
“We are here to listen and to understand, so that we can explore how the United States and Liberia can continue to work together in areas that are vital to your nation’s development,” Senator Reed said.
The meeting, held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, ended with both sides reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening Liberia–U.S. ties and advancing cooperation in key development sectors.
