Liberia’s Finance and Development Planning Minister, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, expressed optimism regarding the country’s prospects for reaffirmation of eligibility for a second Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact. This comes as the MCC Board prepares to meet on Wednesday amid policy changes in the United States under President Donald Trump.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Minister Ngafuan discussed Liberia’s ongoing diplomatic and technical engagement with MCC officials since the compact was initially approved last year during former U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration. The approval is currently under review by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the MCC Board following the recent U.S. election.
Ngafuan highlighted that Liberia has taken several steps to maintain its position during this review period. These include establishing a dedicated MCC office within the Ministry of Finance, appointing a national coordinator, hiring additional staff, and conducting multiple rounds of discussions with MCC representatives both in Liberia and Washington.
A two-week mission from the MCC, led by Ms. Carrie Moynihan, visited Monrovia in September to meet sector leaders and assess national priorities. Further lobbying took place during a U.S. diaspora conference where Liberian officials engaged directly with the MCC delegation.
“We are fairly confident we are on course,” Hon. Ngafuan stated. “From all the engagements thus far, the government remains optimistic.”
Minister Ngafuan pointed out Liberia’s strong performance on the 2025 MCC scorecard, passing 12 out of 22 indicators—exceeding the minimum requirement—and meeting key benchmarks related to control of corruption and political rights and civil liberties.
“You can pass all the other indicators, but if you fail those, you’re not considered to have passed,” Minister Ngafuan asserted.
He noted that while more than 16 countries have been removed from consideration for second compacts due to stricter standards set by the new U.S. administration, Liberia has maintained its eligibility.
Ngafuan clarified that although Liberia was initially approved for a second compact last year, changes in Washington required countries to essentially requalify for eligibility.
“Tomorrow, the board will decide whether to reaffirm Liberia’s eligibility,” he said. “The President is confident. We are confident. But we give the Board the benefit of doubt. After tomorrow, we will know.”
If reaffirmed, next steps would involve project identification, funding allocations, and designing specific elements of the compact—a process expected to take several months. Liberia’s priorities align with those identified in the MCC’s Constraints to Growth Analysis: energy generation and distribution, rural road infrastructure, access to finance, business environment reforms, governance improvements, and education sector enhancements.
“Energy and infrastructure are the top priorities because they are catalysts for job creation and economic expansion,” he emphasized. He added that these strategic areas are reflected in Liberia’s 2025 national budget.
Despite shifts in global policies and adjustments in U.S. foreign assistance under President Trump’s administration, Minister Ngafuan emphasized Liberia’s continued resilience.
“Many countries were dropped,” he said. “Your country, my country, is still in. We are fairly on track, and I am hopeful Liberia will be reaffirmed for the second compact.”