The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014

President Johnson Sirleaf’s call for Liberia and Africa to conserve their natural resources to achieve their development agenda, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission Executive Chairperson’s participation in a Regional Conference on Asset Disclosure for West and Central Africa and Golden Veroleum Liberia’s US$97,000 donation to the Steering Committee of the July 26 Independence Day celebration are among stories highlighted in our Tuesday, May 27, 2014 summary of selected dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Pres. Sirleaf Wants Africa’s Natural Resources Preserved

The Insight Newspaperreports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said Liberia and Africa need to conserve their natural resources if they must achieve their development agenda under the six pillars of the Common African Position (CAP) by 2030.The Liberian leader emphasized that it is about time that Liberia and Africa’s natural resources are preserved, managed and used for the benefit of their peoples. She made the statement at the national launch of the Common African Position (CAP), on post 2015 Development Agenda held in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday in Monrovia. According to the Liberia News Agency, President Sirleaf said Liberia and the entire African continent want to be peaceful, stable and secure, where they will be able to compete and achieve the same level of development as other regions of the world. President Sirleaf noted that Liberia and Africa need a global and full partnership that ensures mutual respect and responsibility from other regions of the world. The Liberian leader said the launch of the CAP is a historic development not only for Liberia but the entire Africa because it is the first time that all African leaders have agreed on one common agenda with one voice, although there will be recognition of local specificities in the formulation of national priorities. She said the launch of the CAP in Liberia is to afford policy makers and stakeholders the opportunity to have an idea about the development agenda that will succeed the Millennium Development Goals that ends 2015.

Related Captions: Ellen Wants Liberians Take Ownership of CAP…Says It Represents African Aspirations (The Inquirer), ELLEN: We Want Our Natural Resources Conserved For the Benefit of Our People (Heritage), ‘Peaceful & Stable Environment’-President Sirleaf Dubs CAP (In Profile Daily), Liberia To Adopt ‘Own’ Operational Scope- Moves From Externally-driven Initiatives Towards Domestically-Inspired Action, Says President Sirleaf  (Daily Observer)

LACC BOSS ATTENDS REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON ASSET DECLARATION

The Newsnewspaper reports that the Executive Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Cllr. James N. Verdier, Jr., is in Dakar, Senegal to participate in a three day Regional Conference on Asset Disclosure for West and Central Africa. According to a release, he is expected to deliver a paper on the experience of the LACC in Asset Declaration. The conference, which takes place from May 26-28, 2014, is organized by the UNODC in collaboration with the World Bank, UNDP, the Center for Studies and Action-Research on Governance (CERAG), the National Office for Fight against Fraud and Corruption of Senegal (OFNAC), OSIWA, the Governance and Peace Program of USAID in Senegal and the Embassy of France in Senegal. The aim of the conference is to obtain comprehensive overview of legislations and practices on asset disclosure in West and Central Africa; share technical experiences between the countries of the region;  adopt a statement outlining guiding principles to encourage the countries of the region to put in place adequate practices and policies in terms of collecting and verifying the asset declarations; and to adopt a research and advocacy strategy on asset disclosure for countries of the region. Recently, the LACC boss represented Finance Minister, Amara Konneh at the 13th GIABA Ministerial Committee Meeting in Niamey, Niger, on May 10, 2014.

Related Captions: LACC Boss Attends Confab on Asset Disclosure (The Inquirer), LACC Boss Attends Confab on Asset Disclosure (Heritage), LACC Boss Attends Regional Conference on Asset Declaration (The News), LACC Boss Attends Regional Confab on Asset Disclosure (The New Republic), LACC Boss Attends Regional Confab on Asset Disclosure (In Profile Daily), LACC Boss Attends Regional Confab on Asset Disclosure (Daily Observer)

GVL Donates  US$97K To “July 26” Celebration

Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL), an oil palm company operating in Southeastern Liberia, has donated US$97,000 to the Steering Committee of the July 26 Independence Day celebration as its contribution towards preparations for the day. Presenting a check at the General Services Agency (GSA) in Monrovia, Friday, GVL Vice President for Government Relations, Mr. Henry Harmon, said his company was pleased to identify with the Liberian Government as it prepares for the country’s Independence Day celebration, The New Republic reports.

Related Caption: GVL Donates US$ 97K to “July 26” Celebration (Heritage)

AfDB US$40,000,000 Grant To LWSC – Buchanan, Zwedru To Beefit Pipe Borne Water Soon

Officials of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) have informed this paper that of the US40 million the corporation received from the African Development Bank for Urban Water Supply Sanitation Projects (UWSSP), US$6.1 million dollars has been earmarked for the restoration of pipe-borne water to the cities of Zwedru and Buchanan. Official ground breaking ceremony for the reconstruction and restoration of the LWSC’s facility and water supply was performed last week by AfDB and LWSC at the port city of Buchanan in Grand Bassa County. Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for the water project, AfDB’s Country Representative Dr. Margarett Kilo urged beneficiaries to work with the LWSC/UWSSP officials to ensure that the water project be completed on time, Daily Observer reports.

Related Captions: LWSC Breaks Ground For Pipe Borne Water in G. Bassa (The Inquirer), LWSC Breaks Ground For Water Supply to Buchanan (Heritage) 

Liberia Observes Global AIDS Week – As Network Of People Living With HIV Calls For Support

The Liberia Network of People Living with HIV (LIBNEP+) Sunday night joined the rest of the world to celebrate this year’s “Global AIDS Week of Action” (GAWA). GAWA is a campaign aimed at ensuring quality treatment and support for persons living with HIV and advocating for the reduction of stigma and discrimination against HIV infected persons. J. Alexander Zoegbay, Sr. said this was important because the national guides for HIV care and treatment, anti-retroviral therapy, benefits the recipient, the community and the nation, National Chronicle

Related Caption: Network of People Living with HIV (The News)

Lebanese Union Prexy Raps On Youth Empowerment

The President of the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU) has underscored the need to train young Liberians in the business sector to empower them to help develop the nation. Mr. Ezzat N. Eid said the empowerment of young Liberians in the business sector will ensure the speedy development of Liberia, noting that it is only prosperous people and not poor people that can develop a country, Heritage reports.

Related Caption: Lebanese Union Prexy on Youth Empowerment (The New Republic)

OTHER STORIES

Liberia localizes Africa’s fight

Liberia’s Foreign Minister and Dean of Cabinet, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, says by and large, Africa has achieved liberation from … colonialism, but “We now have another liberation struggle ongoing- that is, the war against poverty.” To localize the struggle in waging war against poverty and others, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who is also Chair of the African Union High Level Committee or HLC on Post-2015 Development Agenda, launched the Common African Position or CAP in Monrovia on Monday, 26 May.  At the launch, Minister Ngafuan said the crafting of the CAP enhances that struggle, amid applause from the audience of government officials and diplomats, among others. Having recalled the launch of the common position in Chad’s Capital N’Djamena on February 28, Mr. Ngafuan explained that what the Liberian Government is doing now by launching it in Liberia is to close the ownership gap between what is done internationally and the domestic appreciation. In his remark at the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ngafuan said the overarching aim of the Post-2015 Development Agenda is to eradicate poverty by the year 2030. He recommended for Africa’s partners and friends – the US, China, UK and others, to demonstrate their friendship and translate their good intention for Africa into deeds by bonding closely with the continent as the Global Development Frame Work concludes in New York, reports the New Dawn.

Liberia Rallies With Qatar

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has returned from Qatar, where she led a delegation of Liberian officials to meetings with the Qataree Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani and authorities. Liberia’s Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, says the Liberian delegation met with the head of the Qatar Foundation, Qatar Investment Authority, people from the charity side and investors, who intend to come and invest in Liberia. Mr. Ngafuan announced that there will be a delegation to Liberia from the Qatar Investment Authority including business people to identify investment opportunities “In our various sectors.” During President Sirleaf and her delegation’s meeting with the Qataree authorities, the Liberian Foreign Minister says both countries signed agreement on manpower and labour. Additionally, he says people from the Qatar Care and the Qatra Foundation headed by the mother of the Emir, have agreed to come to Liberia to identify areas of investment, including health, education, sanitation and others, New Dawn reports.

Ellen Recommits To Improving Human Resource

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says her government will continue to invest in Liberia’s human resource development as one of the surest ways of securing the future of Liberians. President Sirleaf said she was pleased that Liberian students who have had the opportunity to study abroad have demonstrated a high degree of academic excellence which has shown the world that Liberians have great potential when given the opportunity to exploit them, Heritage reports.

Liberia’s Envoy Observes Egypt’s Presidential Election

The Embassy of the Republic of Liberia near Cairo honored the Egyptian Government’s request to observe the voting  process during the country’s presidential elections, and H.E. Alexander H.N. Wallace, III, Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiary, visited two polling precincts in Cairo where he observered the casting of ballots. According to the In Profile Daily, this election is Egypt’s second presidential election since the revolution that ousted President Hosny Mubarak in February 2011 and the first since the removal of President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013.

LEC to light up health facilities

The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has unveiled plans to connect hospitals in counties that are within the zones of the corporation’s current power distribution network. LEC Deputy Managing Director Joseph Myers said the corporation has already connected all major health facilities in Monrovia and its environs, including the JFK Medical Center, Redemption and Catholic Hospitals, Malag, Snapper Hill and Medlink Clinics as well as Chinese clinics within its network area. According to the Liberia News Agency (LINA), Myers spoke recently in Monrovia when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Public Works and Rural Development and the House Committee on Health and Social Welfare for a public hearing on the National Housing Policy of Liberia in the Joint Chambers of the National Legislature. Myers told the lawmakers that the LEC has also targeted the Ganta Methodist and Jackson F. Doe Memorial Hospitals in Nimba County to be connected to the corporation’s grid, reports the Insight Newspaper.

Sinoe Gears Up For Independence Day Celebration

Sinoe County Development Superintendent, Thomas Romeo Quioh, has said the stage is being set for this year’s Independence Day celebration in Sinoe County, with only 35 percent of major projects left to be completed. He named on-going projects as the Administration Building to house the Superintendent in Trentar Statutory District, construction of a multi-purpose youth center, 15-bedroom executive lodge, Superintendent’s Compound and a sports stadium. Speaking to the Liberia News Agency via mobile phone recently, Quioh said all these projects will be dedicated by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaaf as part of the independence festivities in Sinoe County. He said even though the Independence Day Celebration Budget was reduced from US$6.3, million to one million, enthusiasm among citizens is high to ensure the success of the celebration come Saturday, July 26, 2014. Mr. Quioh told LINA that county authorities are yet to receive the remaining funds for the project, and lauded the Liberian-owned companies executing the projects for continuing to work while awaiting the balance funds. Since taking the helm of authority in 2006, the Unity Party-led government decentralized the observance of the country’s independence, giving each county or group of counties the chance to host it. Counties that have hosted the celebration are Grand Bassa, Margibi, Bong, Lofa, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Montserrado and Nimba counties. The celebration is usually accompanied by the dedication of development projects in the host area, according to the Insight Newspaper.

US Embassy Donates Office Equipment To LNP

The United States Embassy near Monrovia has donated several office equipment worth US$5,435 to the Professional Standards Division (PSD) of the Liberia National Police (LNP). According to a LNP press release the items donated included five Dell computer sets, five filing cabinets, five surge protectors,  five AVR 500A stabilizers, two HP Deskjet printers and three Kaspersky Anti-Virus kits. The Director of International Narcotics Law Enforcement at the US Embassy, Sally Schegil, along with other senior staff, presented the items on behalf of the United States Embassy, Heritage reports.

Buchanan Port Dedicates Modern Facilities

The management of the Port of Buchanan over the weekend dedicated modern canteen, meeting hall and two newly constructed security booths within the port yard. The Port Manager Mr. Patrick M. Konnah said using warehouse for meeting and transacting business will now be a thing of the past, the New Republic writes.

IIC Takes FOI To Grand Bassa – Trained 85 Locals

In an effort to reach out to the people to know that access to information is a right, the Independent Information Commission (IIC) of Liberia over the weekend ended a two-day workshop on the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and Law in Buchanan. ICC Commissioner Cllr. Mark Freeman said the workshop is aimed at creating more awareness about the Freedom of Information Act, its mandate, scope, exemptions, appeal process and the procedure to fle complaint to the commission which he noted is cardinal in the process of access to information, the New Republic reports.

Veteran Bureau Accelerates Agricultural Program – Hails MOA/MOF Collaboration

Rodulph Kolako, who some time ago assumed the task as Director General of the National Bureau of Veterans Affairs (NBVA), has over the last few months stepped up his agricultural campaign, aimed at buttressing the government poverty reduction strategy (PRS) as well as seeking the welfare of all veterans around the country, National Chronicle reports.

Coaching Seminar Launched In Ganta

The Youth and Sports Ministry’s quest to impact the soccer skills and talents of the young people in Liberia took a positive trend with the kick off of a pilot program aimed at providing the opportunities for kids to learn some basic fundamentals of playing football. The program started at the weekend in Ganta City Nimba County where the Technical Director for Sports Development at the Youth and Sports Ministry, the retired Liberian international football player Kelvin Sebwe staged a seminar and soccer clinics for local coaches and kids between the ages 8-16 years. The coaches that attended the seminar were drilled through technical aspects of the game both practical and theoretical and taught how to organize the trainings for the different categories of kids aspiring to become football stars and their relationship to club or teams authorities. Speaking following the end of the seminar in Ganta at the weekend, Sebwe said the event was the beginning of several seminars and soccer clinics the Youth and Sports Ministry hopes to carry out across the country, FOCUS reports.