THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Today’s dominant stories in the local dailies include President Johnson Sirleaf’s Proclamation declaring Tuesday, December 9, 2014 as International Anti-Corruption Day, the deployment of a thirty- nine member ECOWAS medical team to Liberia to help the country battle the deadly Ebola Virus, as well as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Medical Team’s donation of anti-Ebola materials to the Paynesville community.

DOMINANT STORIES

Today Is International Anti-Corruption Day

The Heritage newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has issued a Proclamation declaring Tuesday, December 9, 2014 as International Anti-Corruption Day to be observed throughout the Republic as a Working Holiday.  President Johnson Sirleaf has therefore called upon all Ministries and Agencies of Government, Local and International Organizations, the United Nations System and the General Public to join the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations and the National Integrity Forum, to plan and implement appropriate programs befitting the occasion.  A Foreign Ministry release says the observation is in consonance with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption which was adopted 31st October 2003 by the United Nations General Assembly declaring December 9th of each year as International Anti-Corruption Day to be observed by Member States.  The significance of the observance of this day is to raise awareness about corruption and promote Anti-Corruption campaign activities, the role of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in combating and preventing it.  According to the release, this year marks the 6^th commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day campaign in Liberia and will be celebrated in Monsterrado County. The 2014 International Anti-Corruption Day will be celebrated under the Global theme: “Break the Corruption Chain”.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Declares International Anti-Corruption Day(FOCUS), Today Is International Anti-Corruption Day(In Profile Daily), Ellen Declares Today Anti-Corruption Day(The Reporter), Today Is International Anti-Corruption Day(The Analyst)

ECOWAS Joins Ebola Fight …..Deploys 39 Member Strong Medical Team to Liberia

The Heritage newspaper, quoting a Foreign Ministry release says the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its health body the West African Health Organization (WAHO), has deployed a thirty- nine (39) person strong medical team to Liberia to help the country battle the deadly Ebola Virus. The ECOWAS Medical Team which is headed by Dr. Kabba Joiner arrived in Liberia on Sunday, December 7, 2014 on board a United Nations Aircraft at the Roberts International Airport. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the 39 member team consists of 10 medical doctors, 17 nurses and 12 specialists in different medical areas. Medical personnel from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Mali, Benin and Nigeria make up the ECOWAS contingent. The ECOWAS Medical team will work under the supervision of the African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA) under the leadership of Major General Dr.Julius F. Oketta. Receiving the delegation at the RIA, Major General Oketta said the mission is a joint AU-ECOWAS civil military response operation to the Ebola outbreak in the region. Dr. Oketta disclosed  that the mission of the joint AU-ECOWAS initiative  is to work on the following pillars: medical and non medical, dealing with the Ebola Treatment Units and surveillance ,humanitarian  support to distress communities, physo-social support and social mobilization, communications and coordination  and collaboration with partners in the fight against Ebola. “All of us from the African soil have come here in support of government’s effort in eradicating Ebola, I normally use the word eradication because we don’t want to suspend Ebola, we must finish it robustly and therefore we are here to ensure by the time we stepped on the ground Ebola must be declared finished that is our spirit”, Major General Dr. Oketta told the zealous looking medical personnel. He urged the medical personnel to serve as not only ambassadors for their respective countries but also for ECOWAS by showing love, care and support for people in the communities where they will be assigned. For his part, the head of the ECOWAS Medical team, Dr. Kabba Joiner said he was glad to be in Liberia and to make a contribution to raid the West African sub-region of the deadly Ebola virus. Dr. Joiner said the team was carried through the entire basic preventive training and skilled through the steps in treating Ebola victims. “We are here to work directly with the AU Mission, the Ministry of Health and other partners to ensure we win this war. My team hopes to be deployed to wherever the authorities in Liberia decide and will work in all terrains”, he said. Dr. Joiner said apart from Ebola the ECOWAS Medical team will focus on other critically needed health areas as requested by the Liberian government adding we want to help Liberia rebuild its human resources in the medical field that’s why we have brought all these trained professionals from across the region.  The ECOWAS Medical Team was received on arrival by officials of the West African Health Organization, ECOWAS National Unit, the African Union Liaison Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health among others.

Related Captions: Deploys 39 Member Strong Medical Team to Liberia(FOCUS), ECOWAS Deploys 39 Member Strong Medical Team to Liberia(INSIGHT), ECOWAS Deploys 39- Member Medical Team to Liberia(IN Profile Daily), ECOWAS Deploys Medical Team to Fight Ebola Here(The Reporter)

Chinese Army Medical Team Donates To SKD Community, Others

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Medical Team has donated anti-Ebola materials to SKD Community, nearby police stations and the Red Light Market. The donation was done by PLA and the Chinese Expert Group on Bamboo and Rattan Waving and Vegetable Plantation and East International Group on Friday, December 6, 2014. Official ceremonies marking the donation of the items were attended by Chinese Ambassador accredited to Liberia, Zhang Yue. According to a Chinese Embassy statement, the donated materials included: disinfection powder and buckets, motor bicycles, rice, cooking oil among others valued at US$40,000. Speaking during the donation, Mr. Wang Yungui, Head of the Chinese PLA Medical Team, thanked the people to work together with the local people to win the battle against Ebola For their part; representatives from the SKD community appreciated the long-term and selfless support that China provides to Liberia, Heritage reports.

Related Captions: Chinese Army Medical Team Donates To SKD Community, Other(Heritage), Chinese Army Medical Team Donates To SKD Community(Daily Observer)

UNDP Donates To Carter Center, LACC

As part of efforts to further strengthen the partnership with the Carter Center and LACC to advocate for transparency and accountability in the use of EVD resources in Liberia, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has initially donated one hundred (100) wind –up solar energy radios to the LACC. UNDP Deputy Country Director for Programme, Cleophas Torori said the gathering was not merely about the donation of the radios, but rather signifies the unique partnership that has existed between the UNDP and the LACC over the years and its recent partnership with the Carter Center’s on-going Ebola resource monitoring project in Liberia. Speaking at the turnover of one hundred mini solar energy radios to the LACC for onward distribution to selected less privileged communities in four counties in Liberia, Mr. Torori said the UNDP also sees the partnership with the Carter Center that has already been working in these targeted communities as a unique opportunity to impact rural communities. He said the support will provide the opportunity for underserved community dwellers to access information about how resources being contributed to the fight against the deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD) are being used. The items were handed over to the LACC and later turned over to the Carter Center for distribution to the targeted counties. Receiving the radios, LACC Executive Director, Daniel Tipayson expressed appreciation to UNDP for the continuous support to the LACC over the years. Also speaking, the Project Lead of the Liberia Access to Information Project, at the Carter Center Cllr. Negbalee Warner said while the Carter Center was working to ensure that government provides information to the people, it was also working with community dwellers and civil society organizations to demand information from the government. The Liberia Access to Information Project Lead said at a recent meeting with civil society organizations, concerns were raised about resources that are being committed to the EVD fight in the country. Cllr. Warner said the radios will be distributed to less privileged communities in the initial four out of seven (7) targeted counties, reports the  INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: UNDP, Carter Center, LACC Ensure Accountability For Ebola Resources(Heritage), Carter Center, LACC Get UNDP Donation (The News)

OTHER STORIES

Public Transport Gets Boost India Donates 15 New 52-Seater Buses to GOL

At least some of the traveling woes of pedestrians are now relieved this festive season, with the donation of 15 new 52-seater buses to the Liberian Government by the Indian Government. The buses were yesterday dedicated and turned over to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf by the Honorary Indian Consul General to Liberia, Mr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva, at ceremonies held on the grounds of the National Transit Authority (NTA), along the Somalia Drive. Consul General Sachdeva, commonly known in Liberia as ‘Mr. Jeety’, said the 15 buses are in fact an addition to 25 buses previously donated in October 2010 by his country’s government and people. According to him, the additional buses are his country’s way of identifying with GOL’s policy program of “setting up a reliable, efficient and sustainable public mass transit system in line with the Poverty Reduction Strategy”. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf thanked the Indians for the buses and urged the National Transit Authority (NTA) to put them on the roads so they can begin to convey people. She reminded the NTA management that one-third of the country’s population resides in Monrovia and its environs, writes the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Indian Gov’t Gives More Buses(The Inquirer)

Plan Liberia donates food and non-food items to children affected by Ebola

According to INSIGHT newspaper, the international aid agency, Plan has started huge distribution of food and non-food items across Liberia. 92 orphans including 528 beneficiaries in 16 communities of Bomi County’s 3 districts received rice, oil, sanitary kits, used clothes and other assorted materials. According to Plan Liberia Bomi Program Unit Manager Alphan Kappa, this is Plan’s way of showing humanitarian concern to those affected by Ebola particularly, orphans. In its bid to help Liberians kick this deadly virus out of Liberia, and save thousands of lives, Plan International Liberia took truck load of rice, oil, preventive materials and assorted items to two of Liberia’s fifteen counties in Lofa and Bomi. Items distributed include: rice, cooking oil, salt, Clothes and shoes.

Related Caption: Plan Liberia Makes Orphans Smile Donate Several Food And Non-Food Items To Children Affected By Ebola(FrontPage Africa)

GoL Collaborates With UNMEER To Host A Regional Technical Meeting On Ebola Control

The Government of Liberia and the UN Mission for the Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) are bringing together the national leaders on the Ebola response as well as UNMEER Ebola Crisis Managers from Guinea, Mali, Liberia and Sierra Leone to discuss strategies to stop the cross border spread of Ebola. Representatives from Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal will also participate and share lessons and good practices. The President of the Republic of Liberia will open the one-day technical meeting on Cross Border Collaboration on the Prevention and Control of Ebola in West Africa in the Cecil Dennis Hall at the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Tuesday, December 9th at 8:30am.  Delegates will examine key issues in the cross border transmission of the virus and will create opportunities for closer cooperation between the affected countries in their Ebola response, according to the INSIGHT newspaper.

UNFPA, GoL On 2014 Annual Review

The United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) and the Government of Liberia are having a three days annual review and planning meeting to know what they have achieved in 2014 and how to begin the new year. Speaking with reporters yesterday at Wulki Farm in Careysburg where the annual review is taking place, UNFPA Officer in Charge, Dr. Remi Sogunro who spoke on various issues said they are looking at what they have succeeded with and planning on what to focus on the coming years. He said UNFPA supports youth programs to ensure that the youths of Liberia are educated on issues that concern them and stressed that the youth’s center is helping young people to think positively every day. Also speaking, the Deputy Minister for Youth Development at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Saah Charles Tow stated that UNFPA is doing a great job by supporting youth friendly centers because these programs allow young people to stay focused, the Inquirer reports.