<span style="color: #222222;">The Sri Lankan government has decided not to sign the MCC agreement with the United States without Parliamentary approval. The decision was taken after a special panel appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa found the deal could open the island nation to security threats and undermine its sovereignty.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Under the agreement, the MCC, a bilateral United States foreign aid agency, would grant Sri Lanka 480 million dollars to upgrade its transportation infrastructure and improve the land management system.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' The government, citing the committee recommendations, said it was important to obtain public and parliamentary approvals before the agreement could be signed. The government's Information Department said further discussions with the US government were planned for changes to the agreement.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Before the presidential election in 2019, the then Maithripala Sirisena government had approved the draft of the MCC agreement. After assuming office in November last, President Rajapaksa appointed a panel of academics to review the agreement.</span><br />''  <br />