The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

Our summary of the local dailies today includes news of President Sirleaf’s Congratulatory Message to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, His Excellency Mr. Almazbek Atambayev, on the 26th Independence Anniversary of that country on August 31st, 2017 and the Bill submitted to the Legislature by President Sirleaf to attach tenure to the position of the Inspector General (IG) of the Liberia National Police, among others.

President Sirleaf Congratulates The Kyrgyz Republic On 26th Independence Day

The INSIGHT newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a Congratulatory Message to her colleague, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, His Excellency Mr. Almazbek Atambayev, on that country’s 26th Independence Anniversary onAugust 31st, 2017. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name, extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to President Atambayev, and through him the Government and people of the Kyrgyz Republic on the occasion of its 26th Independence Anniversary. “I entertain the hope that the cordial ties of friendship and cooperation subsisting between our two countries and peoples will be strengthened, as we work together in furtherance of deeper cooperation at the United Nations and other international forums aimed at promoting international peace, security and development in our world,” the Liberian leader said.

‘We’ve Enjoyed Long Standing Relationship’… Foreign Minister Tells Ivorian Delegation

Liberia’s Foreign Minister Madam Marjon Kamara says the Republics of Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire have enjoyed long-standing and good relations especially sharing common border. Speaking on the importance of good neighborliness, Foreign Minister Kamara told the visiting Ivorian Government delegation that both Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, have stressed that every agreement that both nations signed years ago, should be revived. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Foreign Minister Kamara spoke Monday, August 28, when she welcomed a 24-member Ivorian Government delegation, in the country attending, along with their Liberian counterparts, a three-day Joint Commission Meeting. Foreign Minister Kamara furthered that she and her Ivorian counterpart, HE Mr. Marcel Amon-Tanoh, hope that the work of the technical teams will be successful and will enable them to sign some agreements on Wednesday morning, last day of the three-day meeting, reads the INSIGHT newspaper.

Ellen Discovers Gap In The Current Police Act Tells Legislature To Amend Act

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted to the Legislature a bill intended to attach tenure to the position of the Inspector General (IG) of the Liberia National Police (LNP). In a communication dated August 21, 2017 and addressed to House Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay, the Liberian leader intoned that “there exists a gap in the current Police Act,” and that there is a need for the gap to be filled. According to President Sirleaf, though the IG of the Police serves at the will and pleasure of the President, the law does not state how long he/she will serve in the position. Considering such gap, she said may create “vulnerability” for the Director General, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Pres. Sirleaf Extols ECOWAS’ Continued Progress As She Receives Vice President of ECOWAS Commission

An inside story of the FOCUS newspaper reads that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf commended the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Edward Sighatey, for the progress ECOWAS has made and is making in the region. She said she looks forward to a strong support to Liberia during these elections and termed his visit as fundamental at this time. President Sirleaf assured Vice President Singhatey that the overall environment of the elections are now better off than before, something
she said, tells that Liberians are ready and prepared to continue on the path of peaceful elections and democracy. According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader made the commendation on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 when Vice President Edward D. Singhatey and members of his delegation paid a courtesy call on her, during which she was, among other things briefed on the purpose of his visit and other activities of the Commission, the paper says.  

Conduct Of Transparent Elections Highlighted 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has assured people of the sub-region and the rest of Africa that her government is committed to holding free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections in Liberia. President Sirleaf noted that transparent election is essential for peace to foster socio-economic development in the region, and assured that Liberia will set the hallmark to ensure that the sub-region remains stable through the democratic process. President Sirleaf gave the assurance Monday in Monrovia at the start of  a two-day seminar organized by ECOWAS, UNOWAS and the MRU partnering for peaceful elections in Liberia, reports theFOCUS
newspaper.

Liberia’s Elections Crucial to the Sub-Region

As Liberia approaches the twilight and the pivotal point towards consolidating its budding democracy in the upcoming Legislative and Presidential elections in October 2017, it has become vital to the leaders of the sub region as well as the international community’s concern that all expect that there should be a peaceful elections. The most dreaded concern of the world at large depicts that during the last two decades, Liberia has been the epicenter of violence conflict in the ECOWAS Region due to partly historical tensions that polarized the country along ethnic and class line and undermined trust among and between the political
classes, leading to a protracted political turbulence, the FOCUS news daily reads.

ECOWAS Delegation Engages UNMIL

The Vice President of ECOWAS Commission, Edward D. Singhatey has disclosed that the purpose of his visit to Liberia is to engage the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) on the transfer of UNMIL Radio when the Mission withdraws from Liberia and for the establishment of ECOWAS equipment storage facility in Liberia. Vice President Singhatey indicated that upon transfer the radio station will be turned into a
specialized agency of ECOWAS, something he said, he is extremely excited about. The ECOWAS Vice President made the disclosure Tuesday when he and his delegation paid a courtesy call on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at her Foreign Ministry office in Monrovia, the FOCUS newspaper says.

MRU Official Warns Against Repeat of War in Liberia

The Deputy Secretary General of the Mano River Union (MRU), Konan Jacquelint, has warned that the issue of civil conflict should not be repeated in West Africa, particularly in Liberia. Madam Jacquelint pointed out that the MRU is prepared to assist Liberia with the necessary logistical support to ensure credible and peaceful elections. The MRU Deputy Secretary General make the remarks Monday at the start of a two-day seminar for peaceful elections in Liberia organized by the ECOWAS, UNOWAS and the MRU held in Monrovia, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

U.S. Gov’t, MOE Launch Project To Reach Out-of-School Children

The United States Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Education on Monday, August 28 launched the Accelerated Quality Education for Liberian Children project. The project will provide quality basic education to out-of-school children in Liberia between ages 8-15. The new project will be implemented in 260 Accelerated Learning Project sites in Bong, Grand Bassa, Lofa, Margibi, Montserrado, and Nimba counties over four years. Is will provide access to basic education for 48,000 children and adolescents who are currently not in school, the FOCUS newspaper says.