THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2015

News of President Johnson Sirleaf’s appreciation of the outgoing United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General and Coordinator, United Nations Operations in Liberia, Madam Karin Landgren, Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan’s pronouncement on the appointment of Ms. Antoinette Wolo as Deputy Chief of Protocol of the Republic of Liberia and the United States Embassy in Monrovia celebration of its country’s 239^th Independence Anniversaryare among stories dominating today’s edition of the summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

‘Thank You For Serving Liberia’: EJS Honors UnmilLandgren

President Ellen Sirleaf has bestowed on the outgoing United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) and Coordinator, United Nations Operations in Liberia, Madam Karin Landgren, one of Liberia’s highest honors. She was admitted into the Order of the Star of Africa with the grade of Grand Commander. On behalf of the Government and people of Liberia, the Liberian Chief Executive, who is also Grand Master of the Orders of Distinction, commended the outgoing SRSG for her service and contribution to maintenance of peace and stability in Liberia. According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader made the statement during an Investiture Ceremony & Farewell Luncheon hosted by the Government of Liberia in honor of outgoing SRSG Landgren at a local hotel on Thursday, July 2nd, 2015. Conferring the honor, President Sirleaf said apart from those who served with her during her tenure here as SRSG and being knowledgeable about her commitment demonstrated during her tenure, Liberia owes her a depth of gratitude for her many years of service to Liberia. “Your success is an inspiration to all of us,” the Liberian leader noted. She said although it is not established as to where Madam Landgren’s next assignment would be, but wherever she goes, her rich success story from Liberia will be exemplified. “Thank you for serving Liberia,” the President Sirleaf said, noting that her contribution to maintaining Liberia’s nearly 12 years of peace since the end of the armed conflict is commendable. Responding, Madam Landgren applauded President Sirleaf and other functionaries of her government, as well as Liberians in general for their openness in cooperating with her during her period of service (2012-2014). The outgoing SRSG said maintaining the peace in Liberia is one of the best ways of keeping the country peaceful. She reminded all Liberians that maintaining this peace must be nurtured and sustained by all.

Related Captions: Ellen Honors Outgoing SRSG Landgren(Informer), Pres. Sirleaf Honors Outgoing SRSG Landgren-Admits Her Into The Order Of the Star Of Africa With With The Grade Of Grand Commander(INSIGHT)

Foreign Ministry Appoints New Deputy Chief of Protocol

The FOCUS newspaper reports that: The Administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially appointed Ms. Antoinette Wolo as Deputy Chief of Protocol of the Republic of Liberia. Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan made the announcement about the appointment of Ms. Wolo during a meeting with staff of the Protocol Bureau on Monday, June 29, 2015 at the Foreign Ministry. According to a Foreign Ministry release, Ms. Wolo's appointment as the Deputy Chief of Protocol followed the recommendation of four persons for the position by Ambassador Rufus Neufville, Chief of Protocol of the Republic of Liberia for the post of Deputy Chief of Protocol. The Foreign Minister said during the meeting that the selection and approval of Ms. Wolo's appointment is due to the effectiveness in her role as a Protocol Office, and her level of dedication, commitment and ability to deliver on assigned tasks. Minister Ngafuan commended the newly appointed Deputy Chief of Protocol for her preferment and hoped it will bring the desired change to the protocol bureau of the ministry, adding that she exhibits a strong sense of commitment, discipline and team spirit in her new role. Also speaking at the meeting, the Chief of Protocol Rufus Neufville commended Minister Ngafuan and the leadership of the ministry for the selection and appointment, and assured he is ready to work with Ms. Wolo to move the bureau forward.  "I am very comfortable with her appointment as she is a hard worker”, Ambassador Neufville remarked. He called on all employees of the bureau to give their new deputy chief the fullest cooperation. For her part, Miss Antoinette Wolo thanked Minister Ngafuan and the senior staff of the ministry for her preferment. She promised to work with fellow colleagues for efficient service delivery. The New Deputy chief of Protocol called for team work for the betterment of the protocol bureau. Prior to her appointment to the new position, Ms. Wolo served as a Protocol Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Related Captions: Foreign Ministry Appoints New Deputy Chief Of Protocol (INSIGHT), New Deputy Chief Of Protocol Appointed(The New Republic)

American Embassy Observes Indep. Anniversary

United States Ambassador to Liberia, Deborah R. Malac has urged Liberians to find a collective spirit again to build a better Liberia. Ambassador Malac, speaking at the celebration of the United States 239 Independence Day held in Monrovia yesterday said, “Liberia and the United States have had many ups and downs in its history; we have often failed to live up to our ideas, but we have never given up in our quest to overcome those shortcomings nor abandoned our collective commitment to look optimistically to the future”, the U.S. Ambassador said, “Noisily, publicly, and sometimes tragically, the United States has learned and is still learning to embrace its differences and to build on the strength of their diversity”, the Inquirernewspaper reports.

Related Captions: Liberia Salutes United States(The Independent), Liberia Congratulates the United States On 239 Independence Anniversary(Heritage), Pres. Sirleaf Lauds USA On 239^th Independence Anniversary(The Spirit Of Truth)

Ellen Commends Firestone’s Rubber Wood Production

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has expressed delight for FireStone Liberia’s “significant progress” particularly, diversification of activities, which leads to the processing of rubber wood. After touring Fire Stone’s rubber wood processing factory in Harbel, Margibi County on Wednesday, President Sirleaf described that component of the company’s operation as a “very welcoming initiative because it is a major contribution” to Liberia’s economy. Last year, Fire Stone introduced the production of furniture out of rubber woods that the President observes were previously left to rot or use as charcoal. She encouraged the company to expand the rubber wood processing factory, while also encouraging Liberian carpenters and wood processors to use the products for the local market. According to the New Dawn newspaper, the Liberian leader also requested FireStone Liberia to give technical help to people, who desire to establish the same kind of facility outside of Monrovia, like in Nimba, Bong and other places to enhance job creation across the country.

Related Captions: Ellen Tours Firestone Natural Rubber Company (Informer), Ellen Tours Firestone Plantation(The Independent), Ellen Tours Firestone Natural Rubber Company(Heritage), Ellen Pushes Firestone To Adhere To Decent Work Bill(FOCUS), Firestone Urged To Uphold Decent Work Bill(INSIGHT)

Students Obstruct President’s Convoy

Hundreds of angry students Thursday prevented the motorcade of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from leaving the Monrovia City Corporation (MCDC), forcing her to disembark and walk to her office. The students said the government’s decision to shut down schools on July 31, 2015 is detrimental to the educational development of the country. “They allowed our parents and guardians to spend their money, paying our tuition and attending to other academic needs before announcing the premature closure of schools.  After Ebola, we begged them to delay the opening of schools so as to afford us the opportunity to better prepare ourselves, but they refused. “Now we are ready to learn and they are saying no. we will not leave the streets until the President addresses our plight in the most amicable way,” shouted student Emmanuel Kollie, who led his colleagues to obstruct the President’s convoy. Their protest also affected the free flow of traffic along the Tubman Boulevard and other key areas within central Monrovia, the New Democrat writes.

Related Captions: Students Besiege Capitol…Want Education Policy Revised(The Independent), Students Block Ellen’s Convoy(Daily Observer)Angry Students Barricade Ellen’s Convoy-Lampoon Gol’s New Education Reform Measures(FOCUS), Students Protest Over New Education Policy-Block President’s Convoy(INSIGHT), Students Besieged President’s Convoy(The New Dawn

Number Of UNMIL Peacekeepers To Be Reduced To 3,400 By September

According to the FOCUS newspaper, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Madam Karin Landgren, said effective September 2015, the number of UNMIL military personnel remain in Liberia will be reduced to about 3,400. She said the draw down process was halted due to the Ebola crisis but resumed. "The Security Council's decisions to resume the UNMIL drawdown and set 30 June 2016 as the deadline for security for security transition demonstrates the progress Liberia has made in 12 years of peace", the SRSG said.

Related Captions: One Year Remaining For Liberia(FrontPage Africa), One Year Left For UNMIL (The New Dawn)

OTHER STORIES

‘Don’t Panic’Gov’t. Is Capable of Containing New Ebola Outbreak -Pres. Sirleaf

According to the Daily Observer, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called on Liberians not to panic over the reported resurgence of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country. President Johnson Sirleaf she reassured the public that the government is well prepared to deal with the situation and bring it under control as quickly as possible.Commenting on the new outbreak of the EVD in the country, President Sirleaf said though the news is disturbing, the Incident Management System (IMS), headed by Deputy Health Minister Tolbert Nyenswah, is well prepared to handle the situation, which she strongly believes cannot turn into a crisis.“I’m very confident that our IMS has the capability to contain it, isolate it and keep it to where it is and that it does not go any further,” she told reporters on Wednesday during a tour of Firestone’s Rubber Wood Factory in Margibi County.She indicated that the IMS is being “very proactive” with the case and putting in place all other necessary measures to ensure that it is quickly contained.“We have already quarantined all of the young people that were involved with this person who died,” she stated.

Global Communities Strengthen Liberia/Guinea Border Surveillance

Global Communities, an American-based development organization, recently concluded a daylong cross border surveillance meeting for Ebola response between Liberian and Guinean authorities in the Liberian Town of Belefanai, Zota District in Bong County.The objective of the forum was to enhance cross border surveillance as a means of maintaining the gains being realized by both countries in an effort contain the further spread of the Ebola virus, despite reports of renewed outbreak in the Liberia, while Guinea and Sierra Leone are still battling with the virus.At the meeting, officials representing the two countries seized the opportunity to provide each other with situation updates about the EVD in their respective countries.The Liberia delegation was headed by Bong County Superintendent, Selena Polson Mappy, while the Prefecture of Youmou, was represented by an official of the Guinean Government.The meeting was organized by the America-based international development organization, Global Communities (GC) with funding support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), reports the Daily Observer.

Liberia Urged To Ratify Kampala Convention On IDP

Executives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission in Liberia have called on the National Legislature to ratify the Kampala Convention.The Kampala Convention calls for the establishment of a legal framework for preventing external displacement, and protecting and assisting of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). It is a framework for solidarity, cooperation, promotion of durable solutions and mutual support between state parties. It provides for the respective obligations of armed groups, non state actors and other relevant actors, including civil society organizations.ECOWAS Special Representative to Liberia, Ambassador Tunde O. Ajisomo, said the workshop about Post-IDP Conference Advocacy Mission to Liberia was meant to discuss the adoption of the commitment Liberia had made with respect to the Kampala Convention about the welfare of the IDPs, the Daily Observer reports.

Ebola Still Stands At 2

The New Dawn newspaper reports that the Deputy Minister of Health-designate and Head of the Incident Management System (IMS), Tolbert Nyenswah, has disclosed that there are two new cases of Ebola in the ETU so far.Nyenswah said the two new cases came from the 17 years old boy, who reportedly died in Nedowein, Lower Margibi County. Giving an update yesterday, July 2, 2015 at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism on capitol hill during its weekly press briefing, Minister Nyenswah noted that the incident Management team was working along with health authorities in Margibi, and were currently doing a line-listing of people in the county where the boy fell prey to the virus.He said all of the tests conducted by health authorities were negative, except the 175 contacts made by the boy, saying all of such contacts are being line-listed to avoid further spread of the virus in the county.He told reporters that the 175 contacts were under proper monitoring system and self quarantine for the next 21 days by the county health authorities to ensure that there’s no other case.

PPAL Launches Video 

Planned Parenthood Association of Liberia (PPAL) recently launched the, ‘Getting It Right, Family Planning Ends Poverty,’ video during its 22^nd Annual Members’ Assembly at the Corina hotel in Monrovia. This year’s theme, the 22^nd Members’ Assembly is ‘Maintaining Sexual Reproductive health (SRH) Activities During and After the Ebola Crisis.’ The Public Policy Advisor to the Vice President of Liberia, Anthony Kesserly, said that the Vice President, Joseph Boakai is concerned about alleviating poverty, the Inquirer newspaper writes.