WASHINGTON (December 19, 2024) – The Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) Board of Directors selected Liberia as newly eligible to develop a compact during its quarterly meeting on December 18. Liberia was selected in recognition of the progress the country has made to strengthen its performance on the MCC scorecard and the country’s commitment to pursuing critical economic and democratic governance reforms. The Board also discussed the new opportunities that the Millennium Challenge Corporation Candidate Country Reform Act, provides for MCC.
“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’s Chief Executive Officer Alice Albright.
As part of its annual discussion on country selection, MCC’s Board also reviewed the policy performance of previously selected eligible countries. In doing so, MCC’s Board reselected Cabo Verde and Senegal to continue developing regional compacts, The Gambia to continue compact development, and the Philippines to continue developing a threshold program. While Tanzania was also reselected to continue developing a threshold program, the Board expressed concern about reports of disappearances, a rise in political violence, and restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly and the press. The Board noted that Tanzania has an opportunity to open political space and advance democratic reforms and urged the government to take steps to strengthen the protection of democratic freedoms ahead of national elections in 2025.
However, the Board deferred a Togo Compact reselection vote to provide the government additional time to take meaningful actions to strengthen protections for democratic rights and fundamental freedoms as it transitions to a new system of government next year.
Finally, the Board received an update on Mozambique and discussed concerns about the October 2024 elections and post-election violence. The Board noted its intention to continue to closely monitor developments in the country, including the forthcoming Constitutional Council ruling. MCC and the Board expect all partner countries to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to the principles of inclusive democratic governance that underpin MCC’s eligibility criteria.
Wednesday marked the final Board meeting under the Biden administration and included the participation of presidentially appointed Board members, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Congressman Ander Crenshaw, and other senior officials. MCC CEO Albright reflected on successes in recent years including investing $4.1 billion across 15 programs that are slated to benefit nearly 80 million people, and thanked Secretary Blinken for championing MCC’s life-changing work and incentivizing economic growth and good governance around the world.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an independent U.S. government development agency working to reduce global poverty through economic growth. Created in 2004, MCC provides time-limited grants that pair investments in infrastructure with policy and institutional reforms to countries that meet rigorous standards for good governance, fighting corruption and respecting democratic rights.