THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2015

The European Union’s invitation for President Johnson Sirleaf to co-chair a High Level Conference on Ebola in Belgium, the departure of the United States Joint Forces Command after five months of vigorous support to the Government of Liberia’s fight against the deadly Ebola virus and the House of Representatives suspension of three of its members for displeased behaviors are among stories dominating today’s summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

EU Braces For Ebola Recovery Confab.

The European Union (EU) has invited President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to co-chair a High Level Conference on Ebola. The Liberian leader is expected to address the Ebola conference on behalf of the Mano River Union (MRU). The Presidents and Ministers of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Togo as well as representatives of the African Union Commission, the UN, the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and the European Union will all be  in attendance. The Conference is taking place at the historic Egmont Palace, Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday 3 March 2015 and is to be attended by Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of Belgium. The main focus of the Conference is to maintain current efforts of preventing the spread of the Ebola virus and to also put in place a plan to help Liberia and the other main African countries to recover now, as well as to plan for the future.  During this High Level Conference, the 11th European Development Fund National Indicative Programme for Liberia 2014-2020 will be signed between Liberia and the EU.  This Fund is allocating EUR 279 million (USD326 million at current rate of exchange) to Liberia, which will be divided into the four areas of: Good Governance, Energy, Education and Agriculture. The EU and its Member States have so far pledged around EUR1.2 billion to respond to the Ebola crisis in West Africa, writes the News newspaper.

Related Captions: EU To Hold Int’l Ebola Recovery Conference(In Profile Daily), EU Earmarks US$326 M For Liberia(Heritage), EU To Hold Major International Ebola Recovery Conference(FrontPage Africa), EU To Hold Ebola Recovery Confab…Pres. Sirleaf To Attend(The Inquirer), Pres. Sirleaf To Address Ebola Confab In Belgium(The New Dawn)

U.S. Joint Forces Command Departs Saturday

According to the New Dawn newspaper, the Joint Forces Command (JFC) United Assistance of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division departs Liberia this Saturday, 28 February 2015 for the United State of America after five months of vigorous support to the Government of Liberia’s fight against the deadly Ebola virus. Speaking Thursday at the Barclay Training Center in Monrovia, during a Color Casing Ceremony, the Commander of the Joint Forces Command United Assistance, Major/General Gary J. Volesky, said, the mission in Liberia was to support lead federal agency, the United States Agency for International Development or USAID, by providing unique military capabilities to help contain the virus and reduce the spread of Ebola in Liberia, and to execute the tasks with speed and flexibility that would not only help build confidence among Liberians that the virus could be defeated, but also help garner the support of the international community to also assist in the fight against the disease. For his part, AFL Chief of Staff, Brig./Gen. Daniel Ziankahn, said working with the JFC was great and appreciated the time they spent in Liberia.

Related Captions: U.S. Military Departs After Successful Mission(The Inquirer), U.S. Withdraws Troops From Liberia…Only 100 Troops To Monitor Progress Against Ebola(INSIGHT), US Wraps Up Military Mission(New Democrat), US Military Ends Ebola Mission In Liberia(FOCUS)

Three Lawmakers Suspended

The House of Representatives has suspended three of its members for displeased behaviors. The decision, which was endorsed Thursday, followed a report by the committee on Rules, Order & Administration. The suspended lawmakers are Roland Opee Cooper of Margibi County, Henry Baryogar Fahnbulleh of Montserrado County and Samuel G. Kogar of Nimba County. The committee, in its recommendation said the actions of the three lawmakers contravened rule 42.2 of the House standing rules which states “no member of the House shall abuse, cause disruption or impede normal legislative activities”; while rule 48.7C of the House rule also says that “a member of the House of Representatives may be suspended for no more than thirty days unless otherwise”. With separate suspensions, Representative Roland Opee Cooper of Margibi received the highest punishment and was suspended for three months or ninety days without salary, allowances and benefits. The Margibi County lawmaker was suspended after admitting to the investigation committee of physically assaulting Bong County Representative Adam Bill Conneh. The committee also recommended that Cooper apologize to the people of Bong County, plenary and Liberia for his action against Representative Conneh. As for Henry Baryogar Fahnbulleh and Samuel G. Kogar, they were both suspended for one month each, forfeiting their salaries, allowances and benefits. The committee also recommended that they write letters of apology to plenary and Liberia by regretting their actions, reports the News newspaper.

Related Captions: House Suspends Deviant Members(INSIGHT), Three Lawmakers Suspended(FrontPage Africa), Three Lawmakers Suspended Without Pay and Allowances, But...(Heritage), House Suspends Three(The New Dawn)

MPW Projects US$2.2 Billion For Road Construction

The Ministry of Public Works says the Government of Liberia would need US$2.2 Million to link all 15 counties with paved roads. Speaking Thursday, 26 February at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism’s daily press briefing, Minister Gyude Moore, said, “Road connection is expensive, but it brings development to the people”. He said because the Government doesn’t have such money to connect all of the 15 counties, it has organized a joint seminar with the Public Works Ministers of neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone to launch an appeal to the African Development Bank or ADB for financial assistance to connect major roads in the three highly affected Ebola countries. He also said the Ministry of Public Works presented proposal for US$1.19 Million loan to the Liberian Legislature to connect the Fish Town-Kaweakan road in River Gee County and other community roads in Montserrado County, including Soul Clinic, Rock Hill community, Chucky Taylor, and Chicken Soup Factory, among others, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: 25 Roads To Be Recondition Soon(INSIGHT), $2bn Needed For Road Network(New Democrat), Caldwell Bridge To Be Completed Aug….Gardnersville Road To Be Rehabilitated(The Inquirer), Rehabilitation Of Several Roads Insight(Heritage)

Veep Boakai Pledges Support To Implementation Of FOI Law Implementation

The Analystnewspaper reports that Vice President Joseph Boakai has pledged his full support to the timely and effective implementation of the Freedom Of Information (FOI) Law. VP Boikai noted that appropriate public awareness  and understanding of the FOI Law and other legal instruments passed into law was paramount for full compliance of the public to these laws, and attributed non- compliance to lack of understanding of the law. He spoke Wednesday when the Commissioner of the Independent Information Commission (IIC), Counselor Mark Bedor-Wla Freeman paid him a courtesy call at his Capitol Building office.

Related Captions: Boakai Backs FOI Law Implementation(The News), VP Boakai Pledges Support To FOI Law(Heritage), VP Boakai Pledges Support To FOI Law(In Profile Daily)

UNDP Reaffirms Support To LACC

The Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Liberia, Dr. Kamil Kamaludden has reaffirmed the organization's support to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in enhancing its work. Speaking Thursday when the Executive Chairperson of the LACC, Cllr. James N. Verdier, Jr., paid him a courtesy call to familiarize him with the pending Partners Conference scheduled to take place on March 19, 2015, Dr. Kamaludden said the work of the LACC was unique and critical to good governance and that the UNDP would continue to support the LACC in dealing with the issue of corruption in Liberia. Earlier, LACC Executive Chairperson Cllr. James N. Verdier pointed out that the provision of necessary resources to the Commission by partners would help strengthen the independence of the LACC. Cllr. Verdier also reiterated the Commission's determination to remain fearless and robust in its work and noted that the LACC was prepared to reverse the impression that people will continue to engage in acts of corruption and go with impunity, according to the News newspaper.

Related Captions: UNDP Reaffirms Support To LACC(FrontPage Africa), UNDP Reaffirms Support To LACC(The Analyst)

OTHER STORIES

Ellen to Thank Americans for Support Against Ebola

The Heritage newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and delegation will today go to Congress to thank the American Government and people for their continued partnership and support in the ongoing fight against the Ebola Virus Disease. In meetings with both Democratic and Republican members of both Houses of Congress, including members of the Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Relations, the Liberian leader will make the case for increased US support for Liberia's post-Ebola recovery. President Sirleaf is on a three-day official visit to the United States. She will also meet Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama today, Friday.

Ellen Meets with USAID Boss, Senior US Officials

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says Liberia has now seized back its future that was once threatened by the dreadful Ebola Virus Disease that plagued the country. The Liberian leader attributed the success in the fight against the killer disease first to the resilience of the Liberian people who took ownership of the fight at the community level and the national efforts supported by the international intervention led by the United States of America. “Your role was also very crucial providing the much needed support that enabled our people in the towns, villages and communities who were the victims to take ownership of the fight. The U.S. has been a great partner,” she indicated. According to a Dispatch from Washington, D.C., U.S.A., President Sirleaf made the remarks when she met with the Administrator of the United States Aid Agency for International Development (USAID), Rajiv Shah and senior officials of the U.S. Government Inter-Agencies on Wednesday, February 25, as part of her on-going official visit to the U.S. The USAID Administrator and other senior officials of Inter-Agencies lauded President Sirleaf for her brilliant leadership role and cooperation with the U.S. in the fight against Ebola. They committed to work with the Liberian Government to, first ensure that Liberia reaches the zero case benchmark and to also remain engaged with Liberia so that the country not only gets back on track with its national development programmes upset by Ebola, but also explore new areas of cooperation, reports the Heritage newspaper.

Related Caption: Pres. Sirleaf Meets USAID Administrator, Senior Officials Of US Inter-Agencies(The Analyst)

US Helps Restore Liberia's Education

According to the New Democrat newspaper, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched the Education Crisis Response program to help the Liberian government restore basic education disrupted by the Ebola outbreak, according to a statement published on the agency's website. "USAID announced the $18.7 million Education Crisis Response program today to assist the Government of Liberia in restoring basic education in the Ebola-affected country and help return children to school safely," the statement, issued on Wednesday, stated. The statement noted that the program aims at helping reopen schools in all 15 Ebola-affected counties in Liberia, protect already made education gains and investments, as well as prevent future disruptions in education.

Related Caption: America Launches US$18.7 Million Education Crisis Response Program In Liberia(FOCUS)

IMF Beefs Up Support For Liberia

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $82.2 million financing package for Ebola hit Liberia in view of its pronounced fiscal and external financing needs. The plan covers a disbursement of $45.6 million from the Rapid Credit Facility and an immediate debt relief of about $36.5 million under the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust. The credit facility fund will help the authorities fight the epidemic by covering urgent budgetary and balance of payments needs and by strengthening international reserves, writes the New Democrat newspaper.