Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has on Monday 27 February 2023 met the CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, MCC, Alice Patterson Albright, and US Ambassador, David Reimer, to discuss progress with the compact agreement to support the country’s ambitious energy proposal.

He welcomed the team, on behalf of the government and people of Sierra Leone, adding that he was pleased to hear that significant progress had been made in the assessment of the proposed energy projects and that they remained on track for the MCC approval.

“I would be remiss if I did not reiterate my desire for the compact to explore climate-resilient interventions. MCC may want to consider increasing the purse of the Compact, especially where innovative opportunities are identified,” he said.

Bio added that, “Given the depth of the need for energy and the budgetary constraints we currently face, I appreciate it if we can prioritise my government’s proposal. So, I want to take this opportunity to ensure that you and I, at the strategic level, have some alignment on the priorities for the compact.”

CEO of MCC, Madam Albright, thanked President Bio for meeting with her again.

“This is my second visit to Sierra Leone. I am so excited to be back here. We are here as a team at a critical juncture in our work with your country at MCC. The threshold we reached a few years ago is nearing its end, and we are very excited about that with many admirable accomplishments,” she said.

The US Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer, noted that they at the embassy were absolutely delighted that the CEO of the MCC was in the country for the better part of the week.

“The MCC Compact will become a very positive part of what the United States Embassy will be doing here in Sierra Leone for the next five years, which is why we welcome this discussion, he said.

Reimer added that, “More importantly, it is an excellent example that the US Embassy is setting with Sierra Leonean cooperation. It also demonstrates how highly Sierra Leone is held in the US and how much attention the US has paid to Sierra Leone. We want to walk together in partnership with you to build a better society in Sierra Leone.”