MONROVIA– Social media in Liberia is flooded with the “good, beautiful” news that the United States Government, through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), has reaffirmed its commitment to a potential US$500 million Compact with Liberia, following months of review under the new Trump Administration.
The announcement, which emerged from Washington over the weekend of July 26–28, 2025, puts to rest growing speculation over the fate of Liberia’s eligibility for a second Compact. The temporary pause in the program’s implementation earlier this year had raised concern among stakeholders in Monrovia.
“MCC is proud of our longstanding history with Liberia and is enthusiastic about embarking on a new partnership to advance opportunities for the people of Liberia,” said MCC Chief Executive Officer Alice Albright in a statement originally issued in December 2024, when Liberia was first declared eligible for Compact development.
Since then, progress toward the second Compact had slowed. In January 2025, the Liberian government launched a recruitment process to establish its MCC office, advertising for key roles including National Coordinator and Chief Economist. According to officials, over 170 applications were received. However, the vetting process was halted when the U.S. Government suspended all MCC-related activities in Liberia pending a comprehensive review.
With the reaffirmation now in place, Liberia can resume its Compact development process. This includes the hiring of technical staff and the conduct of a Growth Constraints Analysis—a key step in identifying priority investment areas under the Compact. It is said that the full process is expected to span up to two years before a final agreement is signed.
If completed, the Compact could inject up to US$500 million into critical sectors of the Liberian economy, marking one of the largest U.S. development commitments to the country in recent years.
Back in January 2025 during a technical working visit by the MCC Managing Director for Africa, Mr. Jason Small, and MCC Program Officer for Africa, Ilana Shapiro, Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan called on all Liberians to unite for the country’s development as a high-power delegation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) was visiting.
Small and Shapiro’s visit was focused on steps in staff recruitment, diagnosis study on modalities of the compact, and the establishment of a Millennium Challenge Corporation office in Liberia
“We call on our people to unite for development,” Ngafuan had said. “The MCC brings all of us together, no matter your political party or religious connection – that’s why we say Liberia wins,” he had added.
Reflecting on the positive impact of the first MCC Compact, Minister Ngafuan highlighted tangible benefits such as increased access to electricity from the Mount Coffee Hydro Dam and improved water distribution through the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation.
“The electricity and water provided by the Mount Coffee Hydro Dam and the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation are beneficial to everyone who gets access.
No one needs to show a political party ID card to benefit,” he stated.
Minister Ngafuan also acknowledged the significant contributions made by both current and past government officials and technicians in securing Liberia’s partnership with the MCC.
