THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015

News of United States Delegation’s visits to Liberia and Guinea and the holding of a high level roundtable dialogue gear toward addressing the economic and constitutional implications of Liberia’s dual currency are stories dominating our summary of today’s local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

US Health Officials Visit Liberia, Guinea

The U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary for Health, Karen DeSalvo, Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs, Jimmy Kolker, and Deputy Chief of Staff Dawn O’Connel will visit Liberia and Guinea for three days this week to visit Ebola response sites in the region, the U.S. embassy here has disclosed. In Liberia, they will tour the Monrovia Medical Unit (MMU), a 25-bed field hospital dedicated to provide care to health care workers who become infected with Ebola, and the Liberian Institute for Biomedical Research. They will also meet with key representatives from the Government of Liberia, the World Health Organization and other U.S. agencies involved in the Ebola response. The MMU is staffed by the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, an elite uniformed service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The delegation will also meet with leaders in Guinea, including Prime Minister, Mohamed Fofana, and the Minster of Health, Colonel Remy Lamah, as well as representatives from Doctors without Borders, French Red Cross, and other agencies working to eradicate Ebola in Guinea, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services Delegation Visits Liberia, Guinea(In Profile Daily), U.S. Health Delegation Visits Liberia, Guinea(The News), U.S. Dept. Of Health And Human Services Delegation To Visit Liberia, Guinea(The Inquirer) US Delegation To Visit Liberia (New Democrat), U.S. Delegation Due To Liberia, Guinea-From Dept. Of Health And Human Services(The Analyst)

Stakeholders Discuss Dual Currency Dilemma, Calls Mount For De-Dollarization

The FrontPage Africa reports that a high level roundtable dialogue gear toward addressing the economic and constitutional implications of Liberia’s dual currency has taken place in Monrovia, with calls from several stakeholders for de-dollarization of the Liberian economy with recommendations for a single currency system. At the roundtable conference organized by the Governance Commission in collaboration with the Constitution Review Committee held at the Monrovia City Hall on Monday, February 23, 2015, discussants brainstormed on several measures that could lead the post war country transition from a dual currency regime to the use of the Liberian dollars as the single legal tender.

Related Captions: ‘Talks On Dual Currency Not New To Liberia’(Daily Observer), Dual Currency Bad For Liberia – Pro-Tempore Says Appropriate Legislation Needed (INSIGHT)

OTHER STORIES

Ellen  Hails Estonia 97^th Independence Anniversary

The Heritage newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry as saying that the President of the Republic of Liberia, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has congratulated the Government and People of the Republic of Estonia on the occasion commemorating the 97^th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of that country. In her message to His Excellency Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic Of Estonia, President Johnson Sirleaf extended heartfelt felicitations and best wishes to the Government and People of Estonia on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia.  President Johnson Sirleaf also expressed Liberia’s deepest appreciation to the Government of Estonia for the great contributions it has made to the ongoing fight against the Ebola virus disease in West Africa. “As a nation and people, we take deep pride acknowledging that Liberia and Estonia share similar values including the respect for democracy, press freedom and human dignity”, the President declared. The Liberian President further hoped that the two governments could work together for the enhancement of friendly ties with the aim of exploring areas of cooperation mutually beneficial to their respective governments and peoples. The Liberian leader then wished for President Hendrik Ilives personal well-being and continued peace and prosperity for the people of Estonia.   

Elections For Judiciary & Defense C’ttees Today Senators Varney Sherman, Steve Zargo Potential Candidates

Senators of the 4^th Session of the 53^rd Legislature will go to the polls today to elect chairpersons of the committees on Judiciary, Claims, Petitions, and Human Rights; and that of Defense, Intelligence, and Security & Veteran Affairs. During the close of last Thursday’s sitting, the Pro Tempore announced that Senators interested in contesting for the two vacancies should apply in writing by the deadline yesterday February 23. The two positions became vacant following the resignation of Senator Joseph Nagbe from the committee on Judiciary to run for the post of President Pro Tempore. His decision was in line with guidelines for the Pro Tempore election which stated that candidates chairing statutory committees shall resign before contesting. The position for the Committee on Defense was last Thursday declared vacant after its Chair, Nimba County Senator Prince Yormie Johnson made a surprise announcement that he was resigning to vie for one of the two posts allotted for Senate representation at the ECOWAS Parliament, report the Daily Observer.

509th Patient Recovered From Ebola in Elwa III in Liberia

The FrontPage Africa newspaper writes that for the 509th time an Ebola survivor has left ELWA3, the Ebola Centre managed by Médecins Sans Frontières or Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Monrovia. A thirteen year-old boy was driven home by a MSF vehicle on 19 February to be reunited with his big sister and two younger brothers. "He has been our only confirmed patient for a few weeks. The entire medical team was caring for him," said Gloria Lougon, head nurse in ELWA3.

Related Caption: 509^th Patient Recovered From Ebola In ELWA 3(The Inquirer)

21 Ambulances Expected For Government

At least 21 H-1 based city ambulances are expected to be donated by Hyundai Motor through the United Nations (UN)  to the Government of Liberia (GoL) in April of this year. Hyundai Motor, a leading motor industry based in South Korea, but some of its products are sold here through its sole representative Africa Motor. According to a press release, the donation is aimed at buttressing the many strives made by Liberia in the improvement of its health delivery system. The company noted that the ambulances, equipped with respirators, oxygen tanks and other medical kits, will be delivered to the GoL through the UN.  Africa Motors (Liberia) Incorporated was contacted and it was confirmed that the company (Hyundai) indeed, promised to contribute those Ambulances to the country. Africa Motor also disclosed that the 21 ambulances are expected to arrive in Liberia by April of this year. “I am pleased to inform you that Hyundai Motor Company has taken the decision to contribute 21 units of fully fitted ambulances through the United nations to the Government of Liberia to show our solidarity with the people of Liberia as well as Africa Motors (Liberia) Inc”, said Mr. Tom Lee, Vice president and head of the Africa and Middle East Regional headquarters of Hyundai Motor in a communication addressed to Mr. Ghassan Basma, Chairman of Africa Motors Liberia Incorporated, Heritage reports.

Related Caption: Hyundai Motor To Donate 21 Ambulances(The Inquirer)

Over 40 Health Facilities Benefit From CHAL

The Executive Director of Christian Health Association of Liberia (CHAL) Patricia S. Kamara has disclosed that 47 health facilities around the country are massively benefiting from the support of her organization. She said: Health facilities were closed, bodies were all in the streets, health workers were at risk, but we took the risk to cater to the sick at various centres. According to her, CHAL is creating the opportunity for people to stay in Liberia and take their treatments instead of going overseas. Madam Kamara stated that all their facilities are given quality drugs as supplies and sooner over 12 motorbikes will be provided to as to monitor those facilities. Also speaking, an official of World Renew (partner of CHAL) based in Canada, Harry Bergshoeff said he has been in the country as partner to CHAL to support Liberians in the fight against the deadly virus, Heritage reports.

UN Women, 12 Men Partner To End Violence Against Women

The United Nations Women and 12 Men non-governmental organizations have begun a collaborative campaign to tackle the growing wave of rape and other forms of violence against women. The two organizations last week engaged over 50 community dwellers in a one-day dialogue in the Moulton Corner Community in Brewerville outside Monrovia. The community mourned the recent death of a 13-year old girl who was allegedly raped to death by a man in his 50s. The dialogue, according to Mr. Arkie J. Tarr, lead facilitator of 12 Men, was intended to help community members to discuss and find ways to curb the gruesome act perpetrated against women, mainly children, according to the Daily Observer.

EU Rescues ‘Dormant’ Fishing Industry….But, Local Vessels Decry Deliberate Exclusion

The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the Liberia Maritime Authority (LMA) in collaboration with the European Union (EU) have concluded a high level discussion in Monrovia aimed at reviving the dormant fishing industry. According to the In Profile Daily, a high level summit is expected to convene in Brussels among authorities of MOA, LMA and EU Representatives to finalize and formally sign the agreement, which is dubbed, as a land marked achievement for the aquatic industry. 

“Global communities” Holds Border-Monitoring

In an effort to combat the deadly Ebola virus, “Global Communities” has ended a one-day Internal Borders Monitoring Meeting in Kakata, Margibi County with participants from Grand Bassa, Gbarpolu, Bong and Margibi Counties. The County Health Officer of Bong County, Dr. Simpson Azuakoi who gave the overview of the meeting, said the meeting was to discuss inter-county movement of dead bodies and sick people, information sharing, screening of patients at crossing points within the four counties and resource sharing, the Inquirer newspaper writes.