Amb. Sharon Cromer, US Ambassador to The Gambia.
October 17, 2023
WASHINGTON (October 17, 2023)
Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Alice Albright will visit The Gambia this week to advance the development of a compact program, celebrate the opening of the MCC-Gambia Threshold Program office in Banjul and meet with high level officials involved in the partnership to build a healthy, prosperous, and inclusive society for all Gambians.
“MCC looks forward to building a long and productive partnership with The Gambia,” Albright said. “The Government of The Gambia has made high-level commitments to the success of the threshold and compact programs, and it is important that we see continued follow-through, as our newest partner works to reduce poverty through growth.”
In November 2021, MCC and the Government of The Gambia signed a Threshold Program, which provides a $25 million grant to address one of The Gambia’s biggest constraints to economic growth – an unreliable and inadequate supply of electricity. In December 2022, The Gambia became eligible for an even larger compact grant, which will fund economy-boosting investment opportunities to reduce poverty for the Gambian people, potentially in the areas of education, transport, and eco-tourism along the Gambia River.
“The MCC programs come at a promising period for our Gambian partners,” said U.S. Ambassador Sharon Cromer. “The Gambia has made an impressive seven-year journey to democracy and is experiencing gains in many sectors. With MCC, the United States demonstrates that we have confidence in the Gambian people to further their nation’s positive trajectory, especially in advancing economic growth for all Gambians, including youth and women.”
While in the country, Albright will introduce new Gambia Compact Country Director Carmen Carpio, and learn more about the potential compact’s ability to have a positive impact by visiting the Port of Banjul, a secondary school, and sites along the mangrove-lined tributaries of the Gambia River.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an independent U.S. government development agency working to reduce global poverty through economic growth. Created in 2004, MCC provides time-limited grants that pair investments in infrastructure with policy and institutional reforms to