THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

News of President Johnson Sirleaf’s tribute to former Armed Forces of Liberia Command Officer-in-Chargeand Head of the ECOWAS Advisory Team of the AFL, Maj. Gen. Suraj Alao Abdurrahman, Guinean President Alpha Conde  commendation to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and the Government of Liberia for the dedicated effort in containing the deadly Ebola Virus Disease and  the commissioning of Isaac Nyenabo as Liberia's Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Belgium and concurrent accreditation near the Kingdom of Netherlands, Grand Duchy of Luxemburg and the European Union are among stories dominating today’s summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

President Sirleaf Pays Homage to former AFL Command Officer-in-Charge, Maj. Gen. Abdurrahman-As Attorney Woods Calls for Rebranding and Reshaping the Armed Forces of Liberia

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has said that the former AFL Command Officer-in-Charge and Head of the ECOWAS Advisory Team of the AFL, Major General Suraj Alao Abdurrahman brought professionalism, credibility and regimentation in the restructuring of the AFL and his leadership laid the foundation for the building of a vibrant AFL with gallantry and utmost loyalty and his legacy remains in the professional conduct of the AFL.  According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the AFL, made the comments when she paid homage to the late Nigerian seconded to the AFL during programs marking the 58^th Armed Forces Day celebration at the Barclay Training Center in Monrovia on Wednesday, February 11, 2015. The Day was celebrated under the theme: “Enhancing the Capabilities of the Armed Forces of Liberia to Conduct Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief Operations”. Major General Abdurrahman served the AFL from June 2007 to February 2014. Speaking earlier, Defense Minister Brownie Samukai said the professional development and capacity building of the AFL remains on track. He noted that during the past year, the AFL under the leadership of Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Daniel Ziankahn, the AFL conducted its first vetting and recruitment process for new entrants into the AFL and was done only by Liberians. They successfully trained and graduated its first recruit class of bonafide members and at the moment the AFL Training Command has returned to its original base at the Tubman Military Academy, and is better prepared and ready to carry out further recruit training.  Delivering this year’s Keynote Address, former Public Works Minister Samuel Kofi Woods called for more financial and moral support and the cooperation between military and civilian leaders to ensure a new professionalized Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) that will enable them to contribute to the nation building process.  Mr. Woods, who is the former founding National Director of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Liberia, said there was a need for our men and women in arms to be trained as medical doctors, nurses, engineers, policy analysts, teachers amongst other professions as a nation cannot have abled-bodied men and women waste away while it continues to make claim that it is without skilled personnel. Speaking further, Mr. Woods called on the new AFL to increase local interaction with various communities as a way to seek redemption and reconciliation with citizens especially with those who reside in the West Point community. He stressed that civil-military relations are very important and should be revived and the best vehicle for this revival and renewal is our army. “Civil-military relations should be guided and characterized by winning hearts and minds not brute force and intimidation,” he warned, adding that their legacy lies fear of brutality and a history of extortion and intimidation. He urged them to invest in rebranding and reshaping their new image, improve their communication and interaction with the people, according to the INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: Kofi Woods Suggests Civil Military(New Democrat), Woods Stresses New Focus For Army(The Inquirer), New Weapons: Diggers, Shovels, Pens, Paper(Daily Observer), Kofi Heaps Praises On AFL(Daily Observer), Woods - AFL Must Seek Redemption and Reconciliation With West Pointers (Heritage), Samuel Kofi Woods Says Liberia Military Must Change Methodology(FrontPage Africa)

Guinea Applauds Pres. Sirleaf

President Alpha Conde of the Republic of Guinea has applauded his counterpart of Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and the Government of Liberia for the dedicated effort in containing the deadly Ebola Virus Disease here. In a joint Press Stake-Out with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and senior government officials in Monrovia Tuesday, February 10, 2015, the Guinean leader called for more robust effort between the two countries because the number of cases in the sub-region was still high, except for Liberia, which he noted, has “bait slow” cases. He stressed that Liberia needs great preparedness in eradicating the deadly Ebola virus, adding that his coming to Liberia is to demonstrate partnership and solidarity between Guinea and Liberia. The Guinea President called on the international community to stand behind the affected countries, and stressed the need for the reestablishment of basic social services, including health and economic activities in every Ebola affected countries.  He also pleaded with national stakeholders to work together to preserve Liberia’s hard won peace, and commended all Liberians for doing their part in ensuring a peaceful senatorial election by observing public health care guidelines against Ebola, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions:Guinean President And MRU Chair Pays One-Day Solidarity Visit To Liberia(FrontPage Africa),Guinea Joins Liberia On Weak Health Sector(New Democrat), Guinea President Pays One-Day Solidarity Visit(West Africa INFO POST), Ebola Isolation Bothers MRU (The New Dawn), “Continue The Fight Against Ebola”…Guinean President(The News), Guinean President Alphent Alpha Conde Pays One-Day Solidarity Visit To Liberia (INSIGHT), Ebola Isolation Bothers MRU(The New Dawn). Under the caption “MRU To Hold Summit On Ebola - Chairman Conde Calls for United Front in Post-Ebola Development Agenda”, the Daily Observer reports that quotes President Conde as saying that the Secretariat of the Mano River Union (MRU) will hold a two-day technical and ministerial meeting among three of the four members who were the worst Ebola affected countries.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Commissions Amb. Nyenabo

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has commissioned Liberia's Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Belgium and concurrent accreditation near the Kingdom of Netherlands, Grand Duchy of Luxemburg and the European Union at a ceremony in Monrovia. According to an Executive Mansion release, at the ceremony which took place in the Cabinet Room on Tuesday, February 10, 2015, President Sirleaf challenged Ambassador Isaac Nyenabo in light of his new role as a major responsibility as he would be representing his country in Belgium and the European Union (EU) - she referred to as Liberia's strongest development partner that has tremendously contributed to the country's development aspirations. She stressed the need for maintaining a strategic presence in Belgium and at the EU. For his part, Ambassador Nyenabo assured the President that as her personal representative, he will perform to her expectation in implementing Liberia's Foreign Policy while in Belgium by attracting genuine investment, trade and commerce as well as securing the needed resources to assist with fostering the Agenda for Transformation (AFT) and lifting the country to middle income level by 2030, INSIGHT newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Nyenabo Commissioned(New Democrat), Pres. Sirleaf Commissions Nyenabo As Ambassador(West Africa INFO POST), Nyenabo Envoy To EU(The News)

VP Boakai Honors Samaritan's Purse

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has lauded the International Charity Samaritan's Purse and its Liberian Partner Eternal Love Wining Africa (ELWA) Hospital for their immense support to Liberia in the fight against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which has claimed more than 3,000 lives in the country. Vice President Boakai said during the outbreak of the Ebola virus in March last year in the country, Samaritan's Purse was one of first International Humanitarian Organizations that began partnering with the Government of Liberia in fighting the epidemic. The Liberian Vice President cited the manifold worthwhile projects that the Samaritan's Purse has undertaken in Liberia, including the ongoing construction of a 100-bed hospital complex in Paynesville. He also recalled the Philanthropic Organization's invaluable gesture in renovating and refurbishing several local airstrips in Liberia, including the Foya Airstrip which the Vice President dedicated in July 2013. Vice President Boakai made the recognition over the weekend at his Rehab Residence in Paynesville when he hosted a farewell dinner in honor of departing Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) Country Director Will Elphick, who has ended his tour of duty as Country Director. Vice President Boakai praised Mr. Elphick for his diligent services to Liberia, for which the Vice President noted he will always be remembered, reports the Inquirer newspaper.

Related Captions: Veep Boakai Honors Samaritan's Purse International, SIM(ELWA) (FrontPage Africa), VP Boakai Honors Samaritan’s Purse(The New Dawn)

Sherman, Saytumah Confirmed Winners

Liberia’s Supreme Court has finally ordered the National Elections Commission (NEC) to certificate two senators-elect, Cllr. Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount and Bomi County’s Morris Saytumah, climaxing more than a month long legal battle with their defeated colleagues. According to the New Dawnnewspaper, in its first opinion handed on Tuesday, February 10, 2015, the court found that the counsel for the former ruling National Patriotic Party’s defeated senatorial candidate, Lahai Lasana of Bomi County, abandoned his case against Mr. Saytumah, while in the case involving Cllr. Sherman of Cape Mount, his contender Dr. Fody Alhaji Kromah, claimed he was no longer pursuing his case due to plea from his kinsmen. The court has meanwhile lifted its stay order imposed against the NEC, dismissed the alternative and pre-emptory writs of prohibition issued against the Commission regarding petitions separately filed by Mr. Lasana and Dr. Kromah, and ruled that the winning candidates be certificated and given their full entitlements.

Related Captions: Supreme Court Orders NEC To Certificate Sherman, Saytumah; As Tornonlah, Brown Fate Undicided(FrontPage Africa), Sherman, Saytuma Cleared(New Democrat), Supreme Court Clears Sherman, Saytumah…Senate Goes To The Polls Today(         ), Varney Sherman, Saytumah Cleared-Supreme Court Gives Green Light For Certification(INSIGHT), Sherman, Saytumah Cleared(Daily Observer)

LWSC Gets Three Sewer Trucks

The United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF) with assistance from the United States Aid for International Development (USAID) has donated three de-clogging trucks to the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC). UNICEF handed the three trucks to the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation for use in the safe disposal of liquid waste at a brief ceremony held on the compound of the LWSC in Monrovia. Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, LWSC’s Deputy Managing Director for Technical Services, Mr. Frankie N. Cassel, said the Corporation has been planning and cooperating with its partners in ensuring that Monrovia and other parts of the country’s sewer system are running, the Inquirer reports.

Related Captions: LWSC Gets 3 Sewer Trucks Valued At US700K(Daily Observer), UNICEF, USAID Donate 3 Sewer Trucks To LWSC(Heritage), LWSC Gets Three Sewer Trucks… For Waste Disposal (The News), UNICEF, USAID Donate 3 Sewer Trucks To LWSC(INSIGHT)

Liberia Delays School Reopening As Ebola Virus Decline

Liberia has for the third time announced a delay in the reopening of school following improvement in the fight against the outbreak of Ebola in the country. Schools were ordered closed during the early time of the outbreak beginning March and were expected to reopen on February 2. Ebola has killed 3,146 people with a total of 8,881 cases reported in Liberia alone. Following a drop in the number of cases of the virus, the Government announced that school would have resumed on February 2 but that date was pushed further by two weeks to the 16 before another announcement of a new date to March 2, 2015. The Ministry of Education in a release said the decision to delay the reopening of schools from February to March is in response to appeals by parents and school administrators. The ministry has called on school authorities to honor the new date as they prepare for the reopening of schools across the country. The Ministry decision comes in the wake of a three-page report recently released by the National Legislature, which called for the postponement of the reopening of schools from February 16 to March 2 2015, according to FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Captions: Reopening Delayed Again(New Democrat), reopening of Schools Remains Unclear(The Inquirer), Education Ministry Extends Opening of Schools To March 2(Heritage)

OTHER STORIES

President Sirleaf  Congratulates The Vatican City State On 86th Anniversary

The FrontPage Africa newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry statement as saying that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to His Holiness Pope Francis of the Holy See and the People of the Vatican City State, on the occasion commemorating the 86th Anniversary of the founding of Vatican City State. According to the statement, President Sirleaf in her message to His Holiness, Pope Francis, extended warmest congratulations and best wishes to the Peace Loving People of the Vatican City on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia and in her own name. President Johnson Sirleaf noted that the Catholic Church remains a strong partner in Liberia's development program, including its significant impact on the Liberian educational sector as well as its immense contributions to the strengthening of democratic institutions, thus promoting peace and reconciliation in Liberia. President Johnson Sirleaf recalled her state visit last April to His Holiness at the Vatican City where she was assured that Liberia and the Vatican City will continue to work collaboratively in expanding and enriching the excellent relations between the two states while striving together for the attainment of world peace and stability. The Liberian leader further indicated that Liberia's relations with the Holy See have spanned more than a century and a half while the partnership continues to garner remarkable mutually rewarding benefits for the two states. The Liberia President then wished for His Holiness, good health and God's blessings of Peace and Prosperity for the People of the Holy See.

Related Caption: Ellen Congratulates Vatican City State On Its 86^th Anniversary(Heritage)

Ellen Calls For Ebola Vigilance

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf  Wednesday vowed that the country would get to zero Ebola cases soon as the U.S. Military announced it will be withdrawing most of its troops who have spent the last several months helping to battle the disease. Speaking at the Armed Forces Day celebration, Liberian leader noted the significant gains, as the country had just four confirmed cases a week ago.  It’s a dramatic reduction from August and September, when some 300 cases a week were being registered. “We must remain vigilant and determined as we always have been”, the 76-year-old president said at an Armed Forces Day program Wednesday that also was attended by top U.S. Military officials in Liberia, New Democrat reports.

Related Caption: Ellen Targets Zero Ebola Cases-Calls For Vigilance(The News)

Pro-Tempore Election Today

Members of the Liberian Senate will today, Thursday, 12 February to go to the poll to elect a new President Pro-Tempore and chairpersons of statutory committees to stir the affairs of the upper House for the next three years. In consonance with the rules of the Liberian Senate, its Secretary, Mr. Nagbolor Singbe, announced the vacancy last week Thursday for the position of President Pro-Tempore for which he encouraged interested senators to apply or seek nomination. Similar announcement was made for the chairpersons of the statutory committees on Ways, Means, finance; the Executive; Rules, Order and Administration; and Banking and Currency, respectively. Others expected to be filled during the election include Chairman on Youths and Sports of former Senator Jonathan Banney of Rivercess County, and the position of Representative to the ECOWAS Parliament occupied by former Sinoe County Senator Mobutu Vlah Nyenpan. Currently, there are three Senators in the race for the Pro-Tempore seat - Gbarpolu County Senator Armah Jallah of the National Patriotic Party or NPP; Sinoe County Senator Joseph Nagbe of the Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD and Margibi County Senator, Oscar Cooper of the ruling Unity Party, writes the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: Who Wins Senate Pro Tempore Post Today?(Heritage), Who Replaces Findley?(The News)

World Bank, ECOWAS, Others Hold Second Tripartite Meeting

According to the Daily Observer, the World Bank Group, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) on Tuesday, February 10 began a two-day Tripartite Meeting in Accra to deliberate on issues pertinent to the socio-economic development of the ECOWAS Sub-region. UEMOA is an economic, integrating and cooperation organization that was created on January 14, 1994. The organization has eight member states, which share a common monetary currency several decades ago, decided to join forces. The meeting reviewed the status of implementation of the Abidjan Action Plan and was agreed during their first meeting in Abidjan in July 2013, and will focus on a number of key thematic areas such as Ebola, Agriculture, Regional Infrastructure and Cross Border Management. According to statement issue by its World Bank office in Monrovia, the World Bank Africa Region's Director responsible for Regional Integration, Mr Colin Bruce, said given the debilitating effect of Ebola on the sub-region, the bodies will spend ample time deliberating on how to mitigate impacts, particularly on the three countries most affected.

Related Caption: Tripartite Meeting On Regional Integration Held(The News)

Minister Addy Attends French-African Forum

Commerce and Industry, Minister Axel Addy, accompanied by Liberia's Ambassador to France Dr. C. William Allen on Friday, February 6, attended the French-African Forum for Shared Growth hosted by the French Government in Paris. The Forum, attended by heads of state of France, Senegal, Gabon, and Ivory Coast, brought together Trade Ministers from over 50 countries, young entrepreneurs, and leaders of the private sector, aimed to create new opportunities for dialogue, meetings and cooperation. The forum was jointly organized by the French Ministry of Finance & Public Accounts, and the Ministry of Economy, Industry & Digital, in connection with MEDEF International, writes the News newspaper.