The United States has officially ended the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Programme in The Gambia, the government has confirmed.
The MCC, a US foreign aid agency created in 2004, provides funding to countries that meet high standards of governance, anti-corruption measures, and respect for democratic rights. In January, the US government ordered a 90-day freeze on all programmes dependent on US funding, including The Gambia’s Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) project.
Following the review, the MCC decided to terminate its threshold programme in several countries, The Gambia among them. This four-year initiative, worth around $300 million, was designed to address key development challenges. In 2021, The Gambia signed a $25 million agreement under the MCC to improve the country’s electricity supply, and in 2022 it became eligible for an even larger grant aimed at boosting the economy, reducing poverty, and improving infrastructure.
The cancellation is expected to have a major impact on government funding and development plans. President Adama Barrow had previously met with MCC leadership, praising the partnership and highlighting how it aligned with The Gambia’s national development strategy, “Yiriwa.”
The programme’s end marks a setback in The Gambia’s efforts to secure international development support and advance socio-economic growth.
