MONROVIA – Liberia has entered a decisive phase in securing its second Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact as a high-level delegation from the U.S. development agency arrived in Monrovia on Thursday to begin technical engagements that will shape the country’s next major investment framework.
Welcoming the delegation, Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan described Liberia’s reaffirmation for a second MCC compact in December 2025 as a hard-earned breakthrough, calling it “a truly good Christmas for our people” after months of intensive assessments and negotiations.
Minister Ngafuan recalled that the path to reaffirmation was neither automatic nor easy, noting that earlier missions, including a growth analysis conducted in September and subsequent engagements in Washington, D.C., were instrumental in rebuilding confidence and strengthening Liberia’s eligibility. “These earlier missions helped build the strong partnership that resulted in reaffirmation for a second compact,” he said.
He stressed, however, that reaffirmation marks the beginning rather than the conclusion of the process, warning that Liberia must now demonstrate seriousness and coordination. “This is not the end; it’s the start of a process that will require effort, hard work, and a whole-of-government approach to achieving outcomes,” Ngafuan emphasized.
To meet upcoming milestones, the Finance Minister announced plans to fast-track the recruitment of leadership and technical staff for the new MCC office in Liberia, saying it is critical that the team be fully in place ahead of a key workshop scheduled for February.
Ngafuan reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to close collaboration with the MCC and other development partners, while acknowledging the work of his internal coordination team led by Deputy Minister Dehpue Zuo, as well as the contributions of sector ministries and agencies involved in preparing the groundwork for the compact.
The MCC delegation is being led by Ms. Carrie Monahan, Managing Director for Africa, who underscored the competitive nature of the MCC Board’s review process and pointed to Liberia’s performance under its first compact as a decisive factor in the reaffirmation.
“We are extremely proud of the success of the first compact and the deep U.S.–Liberia partnership,” Monahan said, adding that the mission will focus on extensive stakeholder engagements and laying out the technical steps of the compact development process.
She explained that MCC investments are guided by rigorous data analysis and broad consultations across government, civil society, and the private sector, with a major milestone ahead being a root cause analysis workshop in February to identify sectors where targeted investments could deliver transformative growth.
The visit, also attended by U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Joseph E. Zadrozny, marks the formal start of compact development and signals a renewed commitment by both Liberia and the United States to pursue economic growth, job creation, and stronger governance through evidence-based and results-driven investments.
