Bureau of PublicAffairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2018

President George Manneh Weah’s congratulatory message to the Swiss Confederation; the celebration of Liberia’s Independence Day near Beijing, China; the pledge made by ECOWAS leaders to support the Liberian Government and the launching of EU Technical Support to the General Auditing Commission,  GAC are among stories selected for today’s media Summary.

Weah Congratulates Swiss Confederation On Its 727^th National Day

The Heritage newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release: The President of the Republic of Liberia His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, has sent a message of congratulations to the Government and People of the Swiss Confederation on the 727^th Independence Anniversary of that country’s National Day. In the message to His Excellency Mr. Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation, President Weah expressed warm congratulations and profound best wishes to the Government and People of the Swiss Confederation on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia and in his own name. According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs release, President Weah stated that Switzerland’s proud history of neutrality and the promotion of global peace continue to inspire the people of Liberia and the world at large. The Liberian leader added that Liberia and Switzerland have enjoyed long-standing friendly ties dating back to the 19^th century. He said his Government intends to strengthen the historic bond of amity by engaging in joint undertakings that will foster social and economic collaborations between the two countries and people’s. President Weah then pledged Liberia’s continuous commitment to the shared desire for peace and prosperity for all mankind”.

Related Caption: President Weah Congratulates Swiss Confederation On Its 727th National Day (FrontPage Africa)

In 15 Years, Liberia’s Embassy Near Beijing Celebrates Independence Anniversary In Style

For the first time since Liberia reestablished diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) nearly 15 years ago, the Liberian Embassy in Beijing hosted a diplomatic reception in observance of the country’s 171^st Independence Anniversary. Relations between Liberia and the PRC have been broken and reestablished several times since February 17, 1977 when diplomatic relations were first established during the administration of President William Richard Tolbert.  However, on October 12, 2003, during the brief administration of President Moses Z. Blah, Liberia dropped diplomatic relations with Republic of China (Taiwan), established by President Charles Taylor, and reestablished ties with the PRC. Since then, Liberia has had a diplomatic presence in Beijing. According to a dispatch from Beijing, the occasion, which was characterized by cultural and other performances by Liberian and Chinese groups, was graced by the Special Representative for African Affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Xu Jinghu. His Excellency Mr. Dudley McKinley Thomas, termed the country’s National Day as one of “freedom”. “This 171^st anniversary of our independence marks another milestone reached by the courageous and remarkable journey embarked upon by our nation’s founders to build a nation state that would forever remain free, sovereign and independent,” he emphasize, reports the Heritage newspaper.

Related Caption: Liberia’s Embassy Near Beijing Celebrates Independence Anniversary in Style (Insight)

ECOWAS Leaders Pledge To Support Liberia Govt.

The Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps in Liberia, E.S. Elhadj Abdoulaye Dore, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Guinea says  leaders of the Economic of West African States (ECOWAS) wholehearted welcomed Liberia’s peaceful and democratic Legislative and Presidential elections in 2018, and pledges ECOWAS’s support to the new government He observed that with a young and peaceful Liberian former soccer legend and politician taking the realm of leadership over the people of Liberia, it is hopeful that socio-economic, political and democratic transformation will return not only in Liberia, but the rest of the African Continent. The Guinea envoy made the remarks on Thursday 26, in the historic hall of the Centennial Memorial Pavilion on Ashmun Street at programs marking the 171 National Independent Day celebrations which was held in grand style in the Liberia Capitol, Monrovia, reports the Inquirer newspaper.

Legislature To Support Fight Against Human Trafficking

According to the Insight newspaper, As Liberia joins other Countries around the world in observance of World Day Against Human Trafficking, Senate President Pro-Tempore, Albert T. Chie, has committed the Government of Liberia, especially the Legislature to enactment of stronger laws against human trafficking, and other related crimes in the country. Pro-Tempore Chie said the government of Liberia will continue to maintain Partnership with International organizations, community leaders, the private sectors, NGOs and Civil Society Organizations to fight human trafficking and all other forms of human rights abuses in Liberia.

EU Launched New Phase Of Technical Support To GAC

The European Union (EU) and the General Auditing Commission (GAC) of Liberia officially launched a new phase of technical support to the GAC at the Office of the National Authorizing Officer (NAO) on July 31, 2018 on the grounds of the Executive Mansion Grounds. According to the Daily Observer, the EU funded project, which has a value of EUR 1.215 million (approximately USD 1.4 million), will continue until May 2020.Building on the results and lessons learned from two previous phases, the new long-term technical assistance (LTTA) to the GAC will support the further development of the GAC into a modern Supreme Audit Institution (SAI), fully compliant with regional AFROSAI and international INTOSAI standards. Moreover, the support will strengthen and improve GAC relationships with its stakeholders and further improve the impact and efficiency of the GAC activities. The dally reads that the project will be implemented by the Italian consultancy EUROSUPPORT in association with the Ghanaian branch of the international audit firm KPMG.

Stakeholders Promise To Support Home Grown School Feeding

National stakeholders comprising representatives of the Government of Liberia (GoL) and development partners have expressed commitment to support Home Grown School Feeding program, to ensure that every Liberian child receives quality education to reach their full growth and potential.The stakeholders expressed the commitment over the weekend at the end of a one-day conference, to explore the opportunity of implementing the program in the country. The Daily Observer says the program was launched in May, 2017, alongside the national Zero Hunger Strategic Review Report, which was also launched by GoL and its partners. Foreign Minister Gbehzohngar Findley, who delivered the keynote address on behalf of President George Weah, underscored the importance of the school feeding program, and therefore wants the government to take it seriously, considering its social impact on health, education, gender and agriculture.He then challenged government and partners to remain committed to the implementation of the program, despite the economic constraint facing the country.

Related Caption: Liberia, United Nations, Sector Partners Hold National Stakeholders’ Conference On Home Grown School Feeding Progamme (FrontPage Africa)

Fake LEC Employee Jailed

The Magisterial Court on Bushrod Island, outside Monrovia, over the weekend sentenced a 32-year old man to jail for impersonating (acting, posing as) an employee of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).According to LEC authorities, Prince Bridge was arrested a week ago in the Caldwell Township, while he was impersonating as an employee of the corporation and “extorting money” from residents under the guise of connecting their homes with power supply.LEC said the arrest and the subsequent trial of Bridge is part of the Corporation’s reinforcement of its campaign against power theft, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Man, 32, Sentenced For Power Theft (In Profile Daily)

Rhoda Weeks-Brown Appointed To Top Legal Post At IMF

Ms. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on Tuesday, July 31, 2018 announced her intention to appoint Rhoda Weeks-Brown, a Liberian national, as the IMF’s General Counsel and Director of the Legal Department. Ms. Weeks-Brown succeeds Mr. Sean Hagan whose retirement was announced previously. She is expected to begin her work in this capacity on September 17, 2018. According to the Daily Observer, Ms. Weeks-Brown joined the Fund’s Legal Department in 1997 and rose through the ranks to become Deputy Legal Counsel in 2010. She then joined the Fund’s Communications Department in 2012 as Deputy Director. Before joining the IMF, Ms. Weeks-Brown was in private practice in the United States.