NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – The Government of Liberia, in collaboration with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), has launched a Root Cause Analysis Workshop, marking a significant step toward the development of a potential Second MCC Compact focused on revitalizing Liberia’s energy sector.
Speaking Thursday at the opening session in Margibi County, Deputy Minister for Economic Management at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Dehpue Zuo, welcomed representatives of the MCC and the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia.
By: Kabina S. Kabah – kabinaskabah98@gmail.com
He described the workshop as a “distinct honor” and a reflection of the strong partnership between the governments of Liberia and the United States.
Deputy Minister Zuo noted that Liberia’s qualification for a second compact comes at a critical moment in the country’s development journey, particularly as it seeks to strengthen its energy infrastructure.
He emphasized that reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity is central to national development.
“Reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity is a cornerstone of our national development agenda,” Zuo stated. “It supports economic growth, drives industrialization, creates jobs, and enhances access to essential services such as healthcare and education.”
He acknowledged the longstanding challenges facing the power sector, warning that they continue to slow economic progress, increase the cost of doing business, and limit opportunities for Liberians.
Zuo urged participants to move beyond surface-level issues such as high tariffs, low electricity access, frequent outages, and heavy reliance on imported fuel, and instead examine the deeper structural constraints affecting the sector.
“Only by confronting these underlying issues can we develop realistic and sustainable solutions that align with Liberia’s long-term development goals,” he stressed.
Zuo praised the MCC’s commitment to rigorous analysis, evidence-based decision-making, and country ownership, adding that insights from the workshop will directly inform government policy direction and future investments.
The workshop brought together representatives from various government ministries and agencies, the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), sector regulators, private sector actors, development partners, and civil society organizations.
Deputy Minister Zuo called for open and constructive dialogue, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building a modern, efficient, and financially sustainable power sector.
MCC Senior Project Lead for Liberia, Carolyn Lesolchian, described the Root Cause Analysis as a foundational phase in designing a compact capable of delivering measurable and lasting impact.
“This is the time to thoroughly investigate the problems, rather than jumping to solutions,” Lesolchian said. “We must fully understand the real constraints to economic growth before developing projects that can truly transform Liberia.”
The MCC compact development process, which began this year, is expected to span approximately two years.
It will include comprehensive constraint analysis, project identification, feasibility studies, and the establishment of key policy reforms — known as “conditions precedent” — required before funds can be disbursed.
If successfully concluded, the compact could provide significant grant funding to support targeted investments and policy reforms, with the energy sector identified as Liberia’s priority focus.
Liberia’s continued engagement with the MCC builds on years of reform efforts aimed at strengthening governance, transparency, and economic management.
The country’s performance on MCC scorecard indicators has paved the way for this critical phase of compact development.
