Freetown: Alicia Robinson-Morgan, acting Deputy Vice President for Africa at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), paid a courtesy call to Sierra Leone's acting Finance Minister, Madam Kadiatu Allie, at her George Street office on Tuesday. The meeting marks a key step forward in the MCC-Sierra Leone partnership as the country's Compact enters its pre-implementation phase. According to Sierra Leone News Agency, Robinson-Morgan is on a week-long official visit from May 18-22, overseeing the multi-country Africa portfolio within the MCC's Department of Compact Operations. During the engagement, both officials discussed critical milestones needed to move the agreement into active implementation. Robinson-Morgan commended Sierra Leone's progress on procurement, recruitment, and clarity around government counterpart financial contributions. Acting Minister Allie welcomed the MCC delegation, expressed satisfaction with the current momentum, and reaffirmed the government's commitment to meeting all Compact ob ligations. Key stakeholders at the technical deliberations included Financial Secretary Matthew Dingie, MCC Resident Country Director Steven Gruda, MCA-Sierra Leone CEO Nyade Sesay, and the Director of the Fiscal Risk Division at the Ministry of Finance. They tackled operational bottlenecks such as tax structures, energy sector reforms, and counterpart contributions. These discussions aim to streamline the framework, ensuring Compact implementation stays on track to begin in 2027.