Addressing a reception hosted by the MCC on Tuesday, November 10, Ambassador Conteh identified inadequate power supply as the primary binding constraint on Liberia’s economic expansion. Without dependable electricity, he noted, local factories, agricultural processing, and essential public services cannot scale.
Conteh urged negotiators to prioritize private-sector participation, renewable energy integration, and expanded grid access for businesses and underserved communities. Beyond energy, he encouraged the technical team to weigh five complementary investment areas—including road infrastructure and workforce skills training for women and youth—while cautioning that every proposed project must pass the MCC’s rigorous, evidence-based economic return standards.
The visiting Liberian delegation is led by Alieu Fuad Nyei, National Coordinator of Liberia’s Compact Development Team, and includes economists, financial specialists, and technical officials from the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy. The team is in Washington for high-level consultations to finalize the analytical and strategic framework for the grant agreement.
Liberia was re-selected by the MCC Board of Directors in December 2024 as eligible to develop a second compact. The country previously completed a $257 million MCC compact in January 2021, which funded major rehabilitation work at the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant and helped expand LEC’s customer base from roughly 35,000 to nearly 157,000 connections.
The Government of Liberia aims to finalize and sign the new compact—expected to focus heavily on power transmission infrastructure and mining sector governance—by December 2027.
