The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014

The framework  agreement signed between the Governments of Liberia and Turkey on education, Mutual Visa Waiver and Training of Diplomats, President Johnson Sirleaf final approval of the Codeof Conduct, the graceful burial of former Transitional leader Charles Gyude Bryant  and the death announcement of Liberia’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone are among stories highlighted in our Thursday, May 15, 2014 summary of the  selected dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia, Turkey Sign Education, Visa Waiver Agreements

The INSIGHTnewspaper quotes a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying that the Governments of Liberia and Turkey have signed three Framework Agreements to enhance the bilateral relations between both countries. The agreements are in the areas of Education, Mutual Visa Waiver for Holders of Diplomatic Passport and an agreement for collaboration between the Diplomatic Institutes of Liberia and Turkey. Liberia’s Foreign Minister  H.E. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan signed on behalf of the Government of Liberia while the Foreign Minister of Turkey H.E. Ahmet Davutoglu singed on behalf of the Government of Turkey at a ceremony held on Tuesday, May 11,2014 at the Turkish Foreign Ministry in the capital, Ankara. Speaking after the signing of the agreements, the Foreign Minister of Turkey described the signing of the agreements as a historical day for the both countries. “This is actually the first official ministerial visit on the basis of our bilateral relations that is why the Government and People of Turkey attached all the importance to it”, Foreign Minister Davutoglu remarked. He said the three agreements are the first in the series of cooperation’s agreements his country intends to sign with Liberia. The Turkish Foreign Minister named the agreements as Air Services, Trade and Economic and Security. “Today with my dear friend the Foreign Minister of Liberia we have discussed the future and steps to be taken in terms of the relations between our both countries and we agreed on an action plan including promotion of investment and avoidance of double taxation as well as taken action steps to make the three agreements a reality”, the Turkish Foreign Minister said. Minister Davutoglu who promised to visit Liberia before the end of the year also paid homage to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her leadership role in African and World issues and is hoping the President Sirleaf who is a Nobel Laureate will one day agree to visit the people and Government of Turkey. For his part, Liberia’s Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan extended profound thanks and appreciation to his counterpart and the Government of Turkey for the warm invitation extended him and also conveyed greetings from Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf President of the Republic of Liberia, to His Excellency Mr. Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey. Foreign Minister Ngafuan said the signing of the agreements have given the bilateral relations deeper depth and wider breadth. “The Agreement on Mutual Visa Waiver is aimed at alleviating the hurdles our officials go through when traveling to our respective countries. The second is in the field of Education thus leading to the exchange of information and scientific publications in the field of both formal and informal education, the exchange of experts, teachers and students, amongst others while to further enhance our diplomatic relations, a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Diplomatic Academies of both countries have been conluded”, the Liberian Foreign Minister narrated. Minister Ngafuan revealed the Government of Liberia is completing its review of proposed agreements on Security, Trade and Air Services. “I am confident that these Agreements will be concluded and signed very soon, paving the way for the consolidation of our partnerships, especially the beginning of flights of Turkish Airlines, your world-renowned carrier reputed for its excellent service, to Liberia”. Minister Ngafuan welcomed continued Turkish private sector investment in Liberia while also commending Turkey for its support to the City Corporations of Monrovia and Paynesville as well as support to the Liberia Water and Sewer Cooperation. Meanwhile, Liberia has committed to support Turkey’s bid for a nonpermanent member status on the United Nations Security Council.

Related Captions: Liberia, Turkey Signs Framework Agreement(The Inquirer), Liberia, Turkey Signs Agreements-In education, Mutual Visa Waiver and Training of Diplomats(In Profile Daily), Liberia and Turkey Sign Three Framework Agreements(The Analyst)

Code Of Conduct Takes Effect

The INSIGHT newspaper writes that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has finally signed into law the Code of Conduct Act. Article 90 (c) of the Constitution provides that “The Legislature shall…prescribe a Code of Conduct for all public officials and employees stipulating the acts which constitute conflict of interest or are against public policy, and the penalties for violation thereof.” According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader signed the historic document at a ceremony in the Cabinet Room of her temporary office at the Foreign Ministry on Monday, May 12. Speaking during the ceremony, President Sirleaf thanked the leadership and members of the National Legislature for fulfilling its Constitutional duty by passing the Code of Conduct which now applies to all public officials and employees of the three branches of Government. “As the law requires, it now has to be printed in handbills to be fully effective; but with this signing today, we now go to the final step to have it printed and to have it distributed to the public at large,” the Liberian leader pointed out. In March, the House of Representatives concurred with the Senate on the passage of the Code of Conduct with some adjustments.

Related Captions: Code of Conduct Sirleaf Finally Puts Pen to Paper on Key Legislation(FrontPage Africa), Ellen Finally Signs into Law Code of Conduct Act(Heritage), Controversial Law Finally Signed(FOCUS)

Gyude Bryant Laid To Rest

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says the passing of His Excellency Charles Gyude Bryant calls for all political affiliations to institute new programs that would enable all Liberians to emulate his legacy. “Peaceful, but mentally dynamic, astute and engaging, kind and resourceful, Chairman Charles Gyude Bryant was a gentleman, in every sense of the word, with a penetrating mind, even in the most difficult of times,” President Sirleaf reminded sympathizers, stressing, “He was a winsome personality of deep, unpretending humility, foresight and concentration, which portrayed nobility of character and strength of conviction.  According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf made the assertion when she delivered the Panegyric on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia at the funeral service of the former Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL), H.E. Charles Gyude Bryant at the Trinity Cathedral Episcopal Church on Broad Street, Wednesday, May 14. The Liberian leader, highlighting the attributes the fallen NTGL Chairman possessed which inspired the nation said further, “He demonstrated vast knowledge of national affairs, underpinned by patience, understanding and a sympathetic attitude to the problems, and a willingness to be of assistance when convinced of the necessity that justified it.”  As a mark of last respect and a tribute to the late Chairman Bryant’s memory, President Sirleaf called upon all to give due reverence and reflection to this memory. Following funeral service, his remains was taken on a cortege with appropriate military escort to its final resting place in the township of Crozerville, Montserrado County where internment took place in the old churchyard of the Christ Episcopal Church. Charles Gyude Bryant, born January 17, 1949, died on April 16, 2014 in his 65th year, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: Bryant Buried (New Democrat), Ellen Eulogizes Bryant-As Former NTGL Chairman Laid to Rest(The News), Pres. Sirleaf Eulogizes Late Charles Gyude Bryant(The Analyst). In a related story under the caption Bryant Laid To Rest: Liberians Witness Emotional Funeral, the FrontPage Africa newspaper, Liberians gathered in their numbers Wednesday to bid farewell to the former National Transitional Government of Liberia Chairman Charles Gyude Bryant in a funeral attended by scores of government officials including President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.  The coffin bearing the mortal remains of the late Bryant was not wrapped with the National Flag as is done with individuals given state burial, an indication that the last wish of Bryant according to his family to not be accorded state burial was adhered to.  It was an emotional scene with tears and words of sorrow from several sections of the church as Liberians bid farewell to the man who played a role in bringing peace to a nation at the time in trouble. The Bryant family has announced moment after the death of Bryant that the former NTGL Chairman had made a wish not to have the involvement of the state in his funeral. Broad Street, Central Monrovia was soon taken over by cars and crowd entering the Trinity Cathedral Episcopal Church to pay their last respect to the former fallen Transitional Chairman who turned over power in 2006 to the government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.  The church was packed to capacity with members of the cabinet, including President Sirleaf, members of the National Legislature, members of the Mason, Church members, families, friends and other well wishers as the church edifice could not hold the crowd with some sitting and standing outside, lining the main street.

Relation Caption: Thousands Bid Chairman Farewell(The Inquirer)

Liberia’s Envoy to S/Leone Dies

The New dawn newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release announcing with profound regrets the death of His Excellency, Ambassador Thomas Brima, Liberia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary accredited to the Republic of Sierra Leone. A Foreign Minister release says Ambassador Brima died May 12, 2014 at the Hannibal International Hospital in Tunis, Tunisia where he had gone for medical attention after a brief period of illness. He had been flown there for medical attention. The Late Ambassador Brima was one of Liberia’s outstanding statesmen who served his country with dedication and commitment in several capacities including serving as Superintendent of Lofa County, Minister of Internal Affairs and in his last capacity as Liberia’s Ambassador accredited to the Republic of Sierra Leone.  Prior to his accreditation to Sierra Leone in 2006, he served in several capacities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The fallen Liberian Ambassador was the longest serving Ambassador in that neighboring country which made him the Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps there. Meanwhile, his remains will be flown back home from Tunisia pending funeral and burial arrangements.

Related Captions: Liberia’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone is Dead (FrontPage Africa), Liberia Envoy to Sierra Leone is Dead (The News), Liberia’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone is Dead (Heritage), Liberia’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone is Dead (In Profile Daily), Liberia’s Amb. to Sierra Leone is Dead (INSIGHT), Liberia’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone is Dead (The Analyst)

President Johnson-Sirleaf Off To U.S., State Of Qatar

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has departed the country for visits to the United States and the State of Qatar. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf departed the country late Wednesday, May 14, for the United States, to participate in the Opening Plenary of a two-day Forum, IDEASPHERE, celebrating the launch of the Campaign for the Harvard Kennedy School. The Liberian President is a distinguished alumna of the School’s Edward S. Mason Fellows Program.  The visit, on May 15-16, will include the unveiling of a portrait of President Sirleaf, which will hang in the Library of the Harvard Kennedy School to inspire and motivate generations of Kennedy School students and beyond to render public service for the promotion of global peace and development.  Harvard's Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) will host a private reception in President Sirleaf's honor, on May 15, where her portrait will be unveiled. Portrait Artist Stephen Coit, also a Harvard alumnus, was commissioned by the Kennedy School to create a full-length portrait of Liberia's and Africa’s first female President.  Later on May 15, President Sirleaf will be an honored guest at a Gala Campaign Leadership Dinner to celebrate the power of public service and launch the Campaign for Harvard Kennedy School. After the U.S., President Sirleaf journeys to Doha, Qatar, for a State Visit to that Persian Gulf nation, at the invitation of Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani reports the FrontPage Africa daily.

Related Caption: Pres. Sirleaf Departd For U.S. and the States of Qatar(INSIGHT)

Pres. Sirleaf Makes Appointments In Govt.

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has made a number of appointments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Liberia Telecommunications Authority, the Board of the Liberia Electricity Corporation, Lofa Community College, and the Bong Community College, pending confirmation by the Honorable Liberian Senate, where applicable:
those appointed include Dr. Wede Brownell, Inspector General of the Foreign Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Maria G. Harrison, Commissioner;  Liberia Telecommunications Authority, Mr. Nathaniel Kevin, Member; Liberia Electricity Corporation Board and  Dr. Frederick S. Gbegbe,  Dr. T. Edward Liberty, Dr. James N. Kollie, Chairman,  Vice Chairman and  President respectively of the Lofa County Community College among others.

 Related Caption: More Appointments At Foreign Affairs, LTA, LEC Board(Front Page Africa)

Ellen Salutes Aureus Operations

According to the New Republic newspaper, Aureus Mining ,  the parent  company of BeaMountain  is on the verge of setting an unparalleled record of becoming the trailblazer of Liberia’s post-conflict mining sector, building the first gold mine ever in its (Liberia’s) history. Halfway into its eight-year operations in Liberia, the company has made triumphant and ground-breaking strides in giving Liberia what it missed about centuries since its foundation. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf under whose regime the company berthed did not conceal her sensations when she visited the operational sites of Aureus Mining in Kinjor, Kola-Konneh District, Grand Cape Mount County. “I am exceedingly upbeat that for the first time in Liberia, we have a gold mining operation,” President Sirleaf intoned when asked by reporters what she made of the ongoing operations of the company. “And, I am particularly impressed with the way the concession has managed things.”  Currently, the company is constructing about 325 modern housing units for residents to be relocated. This is to allow the company embarks on effective mining in the place. The town is situated on   huge gold deposit. The president said she was particularly impressed about the   construction system being put into place.  The modern houses will be turned over to the residents with each family member possessing a title deed to the property. This means, Bea Mountain, a subsidiary of Aureus Company will have no claim over the houses in the future. Madam Sirleaf toured the Kinjor, the site where residents are being relocated from, rock valley, where the company is constructing about 325 homes, and the main operation site where the factory is being built.

Related Caption: President Tours New Gold Mine(New Democrat)

Around Liberia! Liberian Joins 'Bring Back Our Girls' Strike

Liberian women from all sectors are expected to stage a sit-in-action in solidarity with women of Nigeria for the over 270 kidnapped Nigerian girls. According to authorities, the action is expected to take place in front of the Nigerian Embassy in Congo Town opposite the Christ the King Catholic High School. The women under the banner of the ‘Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia’ (WONGOSOL) said they were taking the action to join women of Nigeria in their cry for the save return of the kidnapped girls by the Islamic militants group, Boko Haram. Boko Haram in a local Nigerian language means Western Education is evil. The students were kidnapped by the Islamic group and taken to unknown locations late April 2014.  The sit-in-action is being staged on International Families day. May 15 each year and will be celebrated as International Families Day. The day is set aside in honor of young families across the country. Liberian women are expected to present a special statement to the Government, women and People of Nigeria in recognition of the pains the children and their mothers go through after the arrest of the school girls.   It is expected to be read by a high school student of Liberia as a symbol of collective engagement of the women of Liberia and the student community of the country (Liberia), writes the FOCUS newspaper.

Related Caption: Liberian Women Protest Today(The Inquirer)

OTHER STORIES

Chief Patron Of Sports Donates 22-seater Bus To Amputee Lone Star

The Chief Patron of Sports, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has donated a 22-seater Higer bus to the Liberia Amputee Football & Sports Association (LAFASA) in recognition of the many successes scored while representing the country on the international stage. The Liberian leader said she’s pleased with the performance of the amputee team and that they deserved the donation. The Liberian Leader speaking at the bus presentation Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told representatives of LAFASA that the donation is in response to their appeal made to her for transportation. She reminded the team in a joyous mood, adding, “They have always done well during difficult periods, especially commuting from one place to another in preparation of these games.” According to the FOCUS newspaper, the bus presentation was a result of a request for transportation made by the LAFASA to President Sirleaf during the presentation of a soccer trophy won in Nairobi, Kenya last year.

ECOWAS Want EX-Presidents Recognized

The 2nd Vice President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr. Togar G. McIntosh has expressed the need for former African Heads of State to gain national recognition when they are alive. He spoke Wednesday in an exclusive interview at programs marking the funeral service of the ex-Chairman of the National Transitional Assembly Government (NTGL) Charles Gyude Bryant.  Dr. McIntosh said ex-Presidents of countries in West Africa and Africa at large served their respective nations and as such, they need to be recognized after they relinquish state power. According to him, democracy cannot be vibrant if past African leaders are not given national recognition after they have served their terms in government, reports the FOCUS newspaper.

BFF, Others Celebrate Liberia’s 50^th Unification Jubilee

Liberian civil society organizations will on 30, May, 2014, observe the 50^th Jubilee of National Unification Day in Monrovia. The program, organized by the Better Future Foundation (BFF), in collaboration with the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation, Montserrado County Peace Committee (MPC), and the Liberia House of Prayer, among others has, as its Theme: “National Unification Day@50;Reviewing the Past and Preparing for the Future,” The jubilee celebration (1964-2014), will be focused on Bong, Lofa, Nimba, and Grand Gedeh Counties, created in 1064 and their subsequent integration into the Republic of Liberia. BFF President Rev. Augustine Arkoi, giving a historical overview of the National Unification Day celebration disclosed that it draws attention to one of the most pressing issues that faces the country throughout its histry. He made reference to the then animosity between the Americo-Liberian and the indigenous population. Rev. Arkoi historicized that under the leadership of President William V.S. Tubman, who led the country from 1944 to 1971, the divide between these two groups was minimized, if not totally eradicated, IN PROFILE DAILY reports.