Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has outlined the progress made by the Boakai Administration in determining Liberia's eligibility for the second Compact of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), valued at $500 million.
The Minister cited establishing and strengthening an intra-governmental team focused on monitoring the MCC Scorecard to ensure Liberia meets the requirements.
He then informed the gathering that the Boaka Administration prioritizes transparency and accountability, highlighting ongoing efforts to hold individuals accused of corruption accountable, audit ministries, agencies, and commissions (MACs), and form an assets recovery team as key interventions made by the Liberian government, among others.
Minister Ngafuan stressed the need to reinstitute the US- Liberia Political Dialogue to strengthen relations between the two countries.
He stated that the US-Liberia political dialogue is a structured framework for the bilateral friendship between Liberia and America.
He made the statements during meetings held with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Acting Assistant Secretary for the Economic Bureau State Department, Amy Holman, and Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Department on Fiscal Affairs, Alexia Latortue, on the margins of the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, Minister Ngafuan has reiterated the Liberian government's dedication to accountability and improving the lives of its citizens.
He added that the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and the General Auditing Commission are actively collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to prosecute those indicted in various reports.
Additionally, during the meeting, Minister Ngafuan highlighted Liberia's constructive engagement with major international partners, citing recent achievements such as the IMF's approval of a US$210 million Economic Compact Fund (ECF) program and the World Bank's US$60 million in direct budgetary support.
He noted that these milestones reflect our commitment to meeting critical targets.
Daniel W. Barnes, Managing Director of the Department of Policy and Evaluation Selection Eligibility and Policy Performance at the MCC expressed gratitude to the Liberian delegation for their proactive engagement.
He commended Liberia's efforts in combating corruption and reducing poverty and pledged technical support for the intra-governmental committee focused on the MCC Scorecard.
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For her part, Amy Holman thanked the Minister and his delegation for the visit, conveyed her impression of the level of work being done, and expressed her commitment to working with the team.
Alexia Latortue, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Department on Fiscal Affairs, expressed the Treasury's concern about the World Bank IDA replenishment and that Liberia is a good candidate for the pandemic resilience program.
She then assured the delegation of the US Treasury's readiness to collaborate with the Government of Liberia on the reinstitution of the US-Liberia Political Dialogue, the support of the US CDC on the pandemic resilience program, and the preparedness to work with Liberia on her fiscal programs, policy on public-private partnerships (PPP), infrastructure investment, and capacity building.
The Liberian delegation at the meetings also included Agriculture Minister Dr. Alexander Nuetah, Deputy Finance Minister for Economic Affairs Hon. Dehpue Y. Zuo , Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Washington D.C. Isaac Yeah, Mr Edward Smith, Chief of Office Staff to the Minister, and the Communication Director at the Ministry, Mrs. Patience Senkpeni Kumeh, amongst others.
