By Lahiru Pothmulla
Despite reports to the contrary, Sri Lanka remains on the agenda for this week’s meeting of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Board, The Sunday Morning learnt.
“Sri Lanka is on the agenda for the upcoming meeting of the MCC Board. I believe the meeting is on the 15th of this month in Washington DC,” US Embassy Spokesperson Nancy VanHorn told The Sunday Morning when contacted on Friday (11).
However, she added that the US Embassy could not speculate on board decisions when asked about the likely outcome of the meeting.
Earlier, unconfirmed reports said the MCC had removed Sri Lanka from the MCC grant list.
When we contacted Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle to confirm this, he said: “As far as I’m concerned, no.”
The Board of Directors of the MCC approved a five-year, $ 480 million compact with the Government of Sri Lanka aimed at reducing poverty through economic growth in April 2019.
However, the new Government, led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, suspended the proposed MCC agreement in December 2019.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed a four-member committee to review the MCC and the committee handed over its review report to the Prime Minister and the President in June this year.
The review report was later submitted to the Cabinet.
Earlier, unconfirmed reports said the MCC had removed Sri Lanka from the MCC grant list.
When we contacted Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle to confirm this, he said: “As far as I’m concerned, no.”
The Board of Directors of the MCC approved a five-year, $ 480 million compact with the Government of Sri Lanka aimed at reducing poverty through economic growth in April 2019.
However, the new Government, led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, suspended the proposed MCC agreement in December 2019.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed a four-member committee to review the MCC and the committee handed over its review report to the Prime Minister and the President in June this year.
The review report was later submitted to the Cabinet.