Sierra Leone has crossed the corruption hurdle for the second year in a row in the US Millennium Corporation Challenge (MCC) and for the first time passing the scorecard, APA can report Sunday.
The MCC is a US foreign aid agency launched in 2004 which provides support for developing countries as reward for meeting key indicators that are geared towards democratic and good governance.
Countries eligible for the support are scored every year based on a total of 21 policy indicators MCC uses to determine eligibility for its assistance programs.
These include access to education at primary level, particularly for girls; control of the economy; access to credit; spending in the health sector; and the fight against corruption.
These are all grouped under the three main categories of Ruling Justly, Economic Freedom and Investing in People.
The 2020 scorecard released on Friday November 1 showed that Sierra Leone passed 11 out of 21 total indicators.
This means that it meets the hurdle of passing half of the total indicators.
It also passed Democratic Rights hurdle.
These two hurdles, alongside corruption, makes a country qualify for compact funding.
The country passed control of corruption with 79 percent and trade policy with 70 percent.
Sierra Leone notably performed poorly in the area of the economy, notably for failing to control inflation and access to credit, as well as child health.
It scored 16.9 percent in controlling inflation and 4 percent for fiscal policy.
Maria Brewer, United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, personally presented the scorecard to President Bio at State House earlier in the morning, according to a statement issued the US Mission in Freetown via its Facebook page.
It quoted the ambassador as congratulating the West African country.
“In many significant areas, including Girls Primary Education Completion Rates and Control of Corruption indicators, Sierra Leone made significant progress,” she said.
She added: “We will continue to work closely and cooperatively with the Government of Sierra Leone on our continued successful partnership, which includes the current US$44 million MCC Threshold Program.”
KC/as/APA