The House of Representatives Committee on Mines, Energy, Natural Resources and Environment has held its first formal engagement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), focusing on Liberia’s progress, ongoing reforms, and key priorities under the MCC Compact development process.
The meeting, held Thursday, brought together lawmakers and MCC officials to assess advances made under the compact framework and identify critical areas requiring further collaboration and legislative support.
Speaking during the engagement, Committee Chairman Jeremiah Garwo Sokan, Representative of Grand Gedeh County District #1, welcomed the MCC delegation and underscored the importance of understanding Liberia’s current position in the compact development process.
According to Rep. Sokan, the session was intended to provide lawmakers with a clearer picture of achievements recorded so far, challenges encountered, and the work that remains to ensure the successful implementation of reforms.
In response, Kevin George, MCC Liberia Country Director, outlined the corporation’s key areas of engagement in Liberia, noting that its current focus is largely on the mining and electricity sectors. He said the MCC is supporting efforts to strengthen governance, address long-standing sectoral challenges, and convert policy concepts into practical and sustainable development programs.
George disclosed that the MCC is working closely with the Law Reform Commission to develop a new draft mining law aimed at modernizing the country’s mining framework. He revealed that the proposed legislation is expected to be advanced for passage by December 2027.
As part of the process, he said extensive consultations are being conducted with communities, citizens, and other stakeholders to ensure that the legislation reflects broad public input and addresses concerns across the sector.
According to George, the proposed mining law seeks to promote poverty reduction, drive sustainable economic growth, and support Liberia’s broader economic transformation agenda.
During the discussions, committee members expressed concerns over the availability and reliability of mining sector data, describing inadequate data collection as one of the major obstacles to effective regulation and decision-making within the industry.
Lawmakers also urged the MCC to prioritize citizen participation and stakeholder engagement throughout the drafting and legislative process to ensure transparency, accountability, and public ownership of the reforms.
Closing the meeting, Chairman Sokan thanked the MCC delegation for the engagement and reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to working closely with the corporation and other partners to advance reforms in the mining and energy sectors.
The meeting was attended by MCC Liberia Country Director Kevin George, Liberia Compact Development Team National Coordinator Alieu Fuad Nyei, and MCC Senior Program Officer Molly Johnson.
The Committee expressed optimism about future engagements as Liberia pursues sustainable solutions and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s mining and electricity sectors.
