The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017

ECOWAS and AU Chairs’ intervention in Liberia’s electoral process, and the suspension of all political activities for the November 7^th Presidential run-off election by National Elections Commission are the dominant stores in today’s dailies.  

ECOWAS, AU Intervene in Electoral Standoff 

According to the Daily Observer, the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are making frantic efforts in resolving the political impasse that has gripped the Liberian nation since the release of the results October 10 President and Legislative polls over three weeks ago. ECOWAS Chairperson, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé and his AU counterpart and President of the Republic of Guinea, Alpha Condé, early Wednesday morning arrived in the country to meet with major political stakeholders to help quiet down the growing tension in the ongoing electoral stalemate in the country. The two African statesmen were received upon arrival at the RIA by President Ellen Jonson Sirleaf and were taken straight to a local resort in Monrovia where they began immediate closed-door interactions with leaders of political parties in the ongoing electoral process. Political leaders invited at what could be termed as the Monrovia peace conference were the aggrieved standard bearer of the Liberty Party (LP), Charles Walker Brumskine; Senator George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Vice President and standing bearer of the ruling Unity Party (UP); Alexander B. Cummings of the Alternative National Congress (ANC); businessman Benoni W. Urey of the All Liberian Party (ALP), and the political leader of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), Sen. Prince Yormie Johnson, who was absent from the meeting, according to the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Be Independent…AU, ECOWAS Urge Supreme Court (Analyst), ‘Stay Above The Fray’….AU, ECOWAS Caution Ellen (NEWS), and Stay Above The Fray…ECOWAS, AU Warm Ellen Against Electoral Interference (Heritage)  

Nov. 7 Runoff “Does Not Look Possible,” Says Korkoya 

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has accepted to abide by the Supreme Court’s order calling for a stay order on all ongoing elections processes pending the announcement of final rulings into the case between the Commission and the Liberty Party of Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine. Addressing journalists today at during a press conference held at the Commission’s headquarters in Monrovia, the chairman of NEC, Cllr. Jerome George Korkoya said his office has ordered the Coalition for Democratic Change and the Unity Party to put halt to all their campaign activities for the runoff pending a ruling from the Supreme Court in the October 10th alleged electoral frauds case filed by LP. On request of the LP, the Supreme Court has issued a Writ of Prohibition ordering the NEC He noted further that from the loss of Wednesday, Nov.1, 2017 as one of the NEC’s working days, means that the November 7, 2017 date set for the runoff presidential election does not look possible, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Nov. 7 Not Possible…As Liberia’s Runoff Election Activities Suspended (FrontPage Africa), Runoff on Hold -As Supreme Court Issues ‘Alternative Stay Order’ – LP, NEC’s Lawyers Debate Before Full Bench Today (Analyst), Runoff Halted (In Profile Daily),’Run-off Faces Delay’…NEC Points To Stay Order (NEWS), and Election Not Possible On November 7 (New Democrat)  

Liberia’s Education Minister Addresses UNESCO 39th General Conference 

Liberia’s Education Minister George Werner has addressed the 39th General Conference of UNESCO in Paris, France emphasizing that Liberia has been making frantic efforts aimed at ensuring that all Liberian children will have access to free, quality education by focusing on three crucial areas: improving the quality of teaching, ensuring effective monitoring, and exploring innovative solutions. Mr. Werner said as efforts to improve the quality of teaching and management in Liberian schools is progressing, is essential to effectively measure the impact this is having, thus developing a framework for School Quality Assessment, which will monitor improvement in school quality from Early Childhood Education up to Senior Secondary, and enable the provision of objective feedback to school administrators and teachers. “UNESCO’s support for the Joint Program to Accelerate Efforts to Advance the Rights of Adolescent Girls in Liberia has also made a significant impact," writes FrontPage Africa newspaper.  

President Johnson-Sirleaf Launches Boss Center For SMEs 

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has officially launched the Small Business Administration (SBA) Business Opportunities through Support Services (BOSS) center at the Ministry of Commerce. In May 2016, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in partnership with the United Nations Development Programs developed the project to establish a network of business opportunities through support services. The BOSS centers are in existing county service centers across the country, working with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Country Director of UNDP, Mr. Pa Lamin Beyai, said BOSS is a partnership between the Commerce Ministry, Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). “BOSS provides an opportunity for beneficiaries to become their own ‘BOSSES’ by empowering them with skills and knowledge to conceive business ideas, developed business plans, and use them to grow and manage their own businesses.  

Wienco-Liberia Donates Trucks, Meters to Cocoa Farmers 

The partnership between Wienco Agriculture and local cocoa farmers in Liberia moved to another level when the company donated four pick-up trucks to thousands of cocoa farmers in Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties to ease the constraints farmers face in transporting their products from farm to market. In addition, Wienco gave four moisture meters to the farmers to measure the moisture content of their cocoa bean to enable the farmers sell their cocoa at an improved quality. At a turn over ceremony at Weinco’s Headquarters in Sinkor on Tuesday, October 31, the General Manager of Wienco, Patrick Vanbrakel noted that the vehicles will be used by farmers to, among other things, collect cocoa beans, distribute fertilizers and chemicals, writes FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: Commerce, UNDP Launch SBA BOSS Center (Daily Observer)

Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Center Donates To ULSU

The Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Center (LIMPAC) early this week donated L$500,000 to the leadership of the University of Liberia Students Union (ULSU) towards its ongoing scholarship drive on the campuses of the state-run university. LIMPAC said the fund is intended to financially assist students, who are not in the position to continue their studies this semester. Presenting the cheque on the campus of the university, the executive director of LIMPAC Del-Francis Wreh revealed that it is based on Minister Boima S. Kamara’s desire and determination for education, mandated LIMPAC to work with ULSU to provide whatsoever assistance to support the government so as to keep students in school. According to him, the partnership with ULSU leadership started last semester when LD$1,000,000 was donated to support the scholarship program, pens FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: LIMPAC Gives L$500K To ULSU (Daily Observer)

Japanese Gov’t Boosts Local Rice Production

According to the Daily Observer, the Japanese government has donated to Liberian farmers some energy saving farming equipment that will enable them to produce more rice to feed the country’s growing population.  The equipment, which comes with a US$500,000 price tag, includes 31 pieces of BCS rotary tillers and 424 pieces of garden weasels. The donation is part of the Japanese Rice Grant Project implemented by the Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP) in five of the 15 counties that suffered the worst of the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and 2015. The counties are Lofa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Bomi and Montserrado. CHAP is a locally-based nongovernmental organization working with local farmers to build their capacity.