Washington – Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has announced that Liberia is advancing in its bid for a second $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, crediting recent reforms and strengthened government oversight as key steps toward meeting the eligibility requirements.
Minister Ngafuan noted the establishment and strengthening of an intra-governmental team focused on tracking the MCC Scorecard to ensure that Liberia meets all required standards. He emphasized that the Boakai administration prioritizes transparency and accountability, citing ongoing efforts to hold those accused of corruption accountable, conduct audits of ministries, agencies, and commissions (MACs), and establish an asset recovery team as critical interventions by the Liberian government.
Minister Ngafuan also stressed the importance of reinstituting the U.S.-Liberia Political Dialogue as a mechanism for strengthening bilateral relations. “The U.S.-Liberia Political Dialogue is a structured framework for Liberia-America bilateral friendship,” he stated.
His remarks came during meetings held with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Acting Assistant Secretary of the State Department’s Economic Bureau, Amy Holman, and Assistant Secretary for Fiscal Affairs at the Treasury Department, Alexia Latortue, on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C.
Minister Ngafuan reiterated the government’s commitment to accountability and improving citizens’ lives, highlighting collaboration between the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, the General Auditing Commission, and the Ministry of Justice to prosecute individuals implicated in various reports.
In the discussions, Minister Ngafuan also underscored Liberia’s positive engagement with international partners, pointing to recent achievements, including the approval of a $210 million Economic Compact Fund (ECF) program by the IMF and $60 million in direct budgetary support from the World Bank. “These milestones reflect our commitment to meeting critical targets,” he noted.
Daniel W. Barnes, Managing Director of Policy and Evaluation Selection Eligibility and Policy Performance at the MCC, expressed appreciation for Liberia’s proactive engagement, commending the country’s anti-corruption and poverty-reduction efforts. He pledged technical support for the intra-governmental committee monitoring the MCC Scorecard.
Amy Holman thanked Minister Ngafuan and his delegation for their visit, expressing her admiration for the progress made in Liberia and her commitment to working with the team.
Alexia Latortue, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Department for Fiscal Affairs, expressed Treasury’s interest in the World Bank IDA replenishment, identifying Liberia as a strong candidate for the pandemic resilience program. She assured the delegation of the Treasury Department’s readiness to collaborate with Liberia on fiscal programs, public-private partnerships, infrastructure investments, and capacity building. She also indicated the U.S. Treasury’s support for reinstating the U.S.-Liberia Political Dialogue, as well as the U.S. CDC’s involvement in pandemic resilience efforts.
The Liberian delegation included Agriculture Minister Dr. Alexander Nuetah, Deputy Finance Minister for Economic Affairs Hon. Dehpue Y. Zuo, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Washington, D.C., Isaac Yeah, Chief of Staff to the Minister Edward Smith, and Ministry Communication Director Mrs. Patience Senkpeni Kumeh, among others.
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