THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016

Today’s edition of our summary highlights news of President Sirleaf’s message  of congratulations to His Excellency, Mr. Michel Aoun on his election as President of the Republic of Lebanon and the signing of two separate agreements valued at US$3.3 million between the Government of Liberia and the United Nations Population Fund.

DOMINANT STORIES  

President Sirleaf Congratulates Lebanon On Successful Elections 

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has sent a Congratulatory Message to His Excellency, Mr. Michel Aoun, President-Elect of the Republic of Lebanon, on his election as President of that country. The New Dawn newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that in her message to the Government and People of Lebanon, President Sirleaf, on behalf of Liberia, applauded the people of Lebanon for the peaceful conduct of recent presidential election after more than 29 months of political stalemate in that country. “As you assume the mantle of leadership of your great country, I entertain the hope that the relations between our two countries will continue to expand and flourish in our shared desire to sustain peace, economic development and security within the context of our historic bilateral relations,” the Liberian President declared. She prayed that the Almighty God will continue to endow President Michel Aoun with abundant wisdom and strength, as he leads his people to greater prosperity.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Congratulates Lebanon on Successful Elections (Focus), Ellen Congratulates Lebanon On Successful Elections (Heritage) 

GOL, UNFPA Sign US$3.3M Agreements

According to the Daily Observer, the Government of Liberia and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have signed two separate agreements valued at US$3.3 million. The two projects are geared toward supporting the Government of Liberia’s investment plan to build a resilient health care system in 18 health facilities across 13 counties. During the signing ceremony, UNFPA Liberia Country Representative Dr. Oluremi Sogunro said “These interventions will contribute to the government’s efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in Liberia through a strong maternal, newborn, death, surveillance and response, and a more effective delivery of emergency obstetric and newborn care to women and girls.” Finance and Development Planning Minister Boima Kamara said the government welcomed every effort aimed at improving the life of its people and called for strict adherence to the overall objectives of the two projects. “We hope that the signing of these agreements can bring about tangible results for the people. The two projects are funded by the World Bank, through an additional financing grant to support the government’s effort to building a resilient health system in Liberia.

Related Captions: GOL, UNFPA Sign US$3.3M Agreement (FOCUS), GOL, UNFPA Sign US$3.3M Agreement (Heritage),UNFPA And GoL Sign US$3.3 Million Agreement to Strengthen Maternal And Newborn Health Sector of Liberia (FrontPage Africa), UNFPA, GoL Sign US$3.3m (Inquirer), UNFPA, GoL Ink US$3.3M Agreement (Insight)

OTHER STORIES

Fulanis Dupe Govt On Work Permit

The New Dawn newspaper reports that four Fulanis have been charged and taken to court on multiple offenses after allegedly photocopying a single ECOWAS Biometric work permit belonging to one of their compatriots to avoid paying annual work permit fee of US$100.00 into government revenues. According to the daily, the charged sheet lists defendants Mamadou Barry, Chirno Mamadou Jallow, Abraham E. Jalloh and Mohammed Wura for the alleged commission of criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation and economic sabotage. The complaint was filed by Assistant Labor Minister for Regional Labor Affairs Atty. Prince M. Korvah alongside the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN). Atty. Korvah told investigators that the defendants were caught using photocopies of original Government of Liberia (GoL) ECOWAS biometric work permit receipts that belong to one of them,” Atty. Korvah said. He said the photocopies were identified and seized during a routine system check by ROVIA Gate Technology, the service provider, concluding that the defendants should be prosecuted. Defendant Mohammed Wura claimed that he applied for work permit and it was allegedly issued to him, and implicated defendant Chirno Mamadou Jallow of allegedly asking him for his work permit payment receipt to do a photocopy for the labor inspection purpose. The police charge sheet says defendant Wura agreed to Jallow’s request and allowed him to photocopy his work permit receipt. 

EU Delegation Visits Liberia’s National Elections Commission

A three-member delegation of the European Union (EU) headed by EU Ambassador to Liberia, Tiina Intelmann, on Mondaymet with the Chairman and Executive-Director of the National Elections Commission (NEC) at the Commission’s headquarters in Monrovia. During the meeting, Ambassador Intelman lauded the National Elections Commission for the level of work being done towards the sustenance of democracy in Liberia. Ambassador Intelmann said the EU will continue to partner with the Commission in the process of ensuring the conduct of free and fair elections in 2017. During the meeting, NEC Chairman Jerome Korkoya updated the delegation about the state of the 2017 Elections and the level of support being provided by the Government, EU and other donors to the electoral process, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Liberia Holds Country Dialogue To Review Catch-up Plan

The UN system, Government of Liberia, nongovernmental organizations and civil society representatives have reviewed a draft emergency plan developed to scale-up HIV and AIDS response in Liberia to reach UNAIDS’ 90-90-90 targets in 2020 and ending AIDS as public health threat in line with the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The multi-stakeholder country dialogue was held on Tuesday, November 1, 2016 at the Corina Hotel in Monrovia with support from the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV and AIDS in collaboration with Liberia’s National AIDS Commission, the National AIDS/STIs Control Program and other partners active in the HIV Sector, including People living with HIV and AIDS and CSO networks, the FOCUS says.

GoL, Partners Consider High Prevalence Counties

The Government of Liberia (GoL) through the National Aids Commission (NAC), UNAIDS and other partners in the health sector have ended a one-day emergency catch-up plan meeting to accelerate and sustain the HIV and AIDS response by 2017 to 2020. UNAIDS is the joint United Nations Programme to tackle HIV and AIDS. It is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Heritage newspaper reads.

Conference On Demographic Dividends Set For Stakeholders

According to INSIGHT newspaper, the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) will on Monday, and Tuesday, November 7 and 8 host a two-day national demographic dividend stakeholders’ round table in Monrovia, with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf expected to address the gathering. The aim of the round table is to develop a national road map for reaping demographic dividend in Liberia. The conference is expected to bring together about 150 representatives of youth and youth-led organizations, learning, heads of diplomatic mission accredited to Liberia and other stakeholders from key sectors, including health, education, and governance. Youth and Sports Minister Saah Charles N’Towsays “This theme signifies that African leaders recognize the need to focus their attention on how the continent can increase investment in its young people to utilize their energies to lift the continent to another level.”

Liberia, China Sign Martial Art Development Agreement

The Liberia Wushu Association (LNWA) and her Chinese counterparts signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday, October 31, 2016 at the Coast Guard based on the Bushrod Island. The MoU according to both parties was intended to promote the friendship between China and Liberia and spread the traditional Chinese culture, with discussion between the Martial Art Agency of 4th China FPU (MAA). The memo further said that both institutions will advocate the conception of all martial artists live in one family and follow the principle education, competition, health and interaction, joining hands to enhance the development and dissemination of the traditional art of the two countries, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Caption: China, Liberia Sign Martial Art Union MoU (Heritage)

Church Aid, Others To Observe World Statelessness Day

In observance of the United Nations’ Day of the “Belong Campaign” November 4, 2016 which highlights the issue of statelessness for millions of people the world over, Church Inc. a national organization in collaboration with Campaign to End Statelessness in Africa, UNMIL, UNHCR, LRRRC, the Inter-faith community and other stakeholders will on Friday November 4, 2016 join the world in observance of the World Day against Statelessness in Africa. According to the release, the celebration will bring together student communities, youth leaders, government officials and other well-wishers in observance of the day, reports the INQUIRER newspaper.