By: Audrey Raymonda John
Finance Minister Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura has reaffirmed the Government of Sierra Leone’s commitment to the implementation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, as officials of the MCC in Washington, D.C., praised the country’s progress under the programme.
At a high-level meeting with Government officials, the Acting Managing Director of the Department of Compact Operations, Madam Carrie Monahan, expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far. She highlighted the establishment of the Millennium Challenge Authority Sierra Leone and ongoing discussions around the critical minerals agreement as key milestones.
Madam Monahan urged the Government to fulfil its contribution to the Compact to enable the signing of the Entry into Force agreement.
In response, Finance Minister Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura thanked the MCC for its continued engagement and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the successful implementation of the Compact.
He informed the Acting Managing Director that the Government is currently implementing key reforms in the energy sector. These include the establishment of a collection account and the introduction of private sector participation in electricity distribution, aimed at improving the financial and operational performance of the energy sector.
The Minister also noted that Cabinet has approved Sierra Leone’s accession to the Africa Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), which is expected to boost investment by providing insurance coverage against trade and investment risks across Africa.
Madam Naureen Haque, Director of the Department of Policy and Evaluation, commended the Government’s performance on the MCC scorecard. She encouraged continued reforms, particularly in the areas of economic freedom, electoral reforms, and national unity.
Minister Bangura reiterated that the Government remains fully committed to engaging all stakeholders in the implementation of electoral reforms and the national unity agreement.
Madam Monahan described Sierra Leone as a “success story” of the MCC programme and expressed appreciation for the strong level of engagement between both parties.
The Finance Minister was accompanied by the Minister of Energy, Mr. Cyril Grant; Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Amara Sowa; Financial Secretary, Mr. Matthew Dingie; Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ibrahim Stevens; Chief Economist at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Alimamy Bangura; and Technical Adviser to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Franklin Sisabu Bendu.