THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

News of the United States Government’s reassurance of support to West Africa’s Ebola recovery program, President Johnson Sirleaf’scongratulatory message to Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark and the World Bank’s report of continued economic progress in Liberia are stories dominating our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Obama Assess West Africa’s Ebola Dilemma ‘We Can’t Get Complacent’

Three West African countries hardly hit by the worse ever outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus continue to gain hope of recovery from the aftermath of the virus with assurances of support from international partners. Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea have been plagued by the virus which has killed thousands of people in all three countries since the virus first started in Guinea before spreading to the remaining two countries. Amongst the three countries Liberia has shown significant improvement in defeating the virus and has now gone 26 days since the case confirmed case and 18 days following the last safe burial of an Ebola victim. Guinea and Sierra Leone are struggling to contain their outbreaks even though they are also showing signs of improvement but United States president Barrack Obama has told leaders of the three countries to avoid complacency and work to completely defeat the virus. In a meeting with leaders of the three countries, President Obama reiterated that US will continue to help the countries until the disease is fully eradicated. “We’re proud to partner with you and we intend to see this through until the job is done”, President Obama said during a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C. Wednesday. According to a Washington dispatch, the West African leaders including Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Alpha Conde  of Guinea and Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone were invited by President Obama “assess progress today and to look ahead”, Frontpage Africa newspaper reports.

Related Captions:  USA’s Condolences Obama Meets Leaders Of 3 Ebola-Ruined Countries(The Analyst), Obama Reassures U.S. Help In West Africa’s Ebola Recovery(Heritage), Pres. Obama Reassures U.S. Help In West Africa’s Ebola Recovery(The Inquirer), Obama Hosts Leaders Of Ebola-Stricken Nations  (New Democrat),  Obama Reassures U.S. Help In Ebola Recovery(The News)

President Sirleaf Congratulates Queen Margrethe II On 75^th Birth Anniversary

The INSIGHT newspaper says President of the Republic of Liberia, Her Excellency Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a congratulatory message to Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, on the occasion marking the Seventy-fifth Birth Anniversary of Her Majesty on April 16, 2015. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Johnson Sirleaf observed with deep appreciation that both countries have continued to enjoy excellent friendship cultivated more than a century and a half ago. “Today, our bilateral partnership, as well as our shared perspectives on multilateral and international issues signify our determination to enhance the already cordial ties subsisting between the peoples of Denmark and Liberia”, President Johnson Sirleaf stated.

Related Captions: Ellen Congratulates Queen Margrethe II On 75^th Birth Anniversary(Heritage), Pres. Sirleaf Congratulates Queen Margrethe II(FOCUS)

Surveys Show Economic Progress In Liberia…World Bank Reveals

As Liberia approaches zero Ebola cases, triggered by the resumption of school and work by civil servants, the World Bank has indicated that surveys have shown continued economic progress in the country as the Ebola-ravaged nation gradually reaches an end point of the epidemic. Progress in the West African sub-region comes as heads of state from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea are holding discussions in Washington, DC at the World Bank Group’s Spring Meetings to share their Ebola recovery plans with finance and development ministers and international partners. “Liberia has made great progress in its fight against Ebola and I have great hope that all affected countries will get to and maintain zero cases”, said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Group Vice president for the Africa Region, the News newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Liberia Achieves Economic Progress(The New Dawn), Liberia Makes More Progress-World Bank Survey Shows(FOCUS)

OTHER STORIES

UNHCR Hands Over Clinic To Dougee Community

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Liberia and the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) today in an official ceremony handed over a newly constructed clinic to the residents of Dougee Town in Grand Gedeh County. At a ceremony witnessed by the Government and UN officials, local authorities and members of the host community, UNHCR’s Head of Sub Office, Mr. Christopher Raymond, symbolically handed over the key to the clinic signifying the turnover of the facility to the community. “This gesture is a token of appreciation to the Dougee Town community for hosting about 6000 Ivorian refugees during the peak of the Ivorian refugee emergency”, he said expressing gratitude to the Government and people of Liberia. This donation also comes at a crucial time, following the Ebola epidemic and will go a long way in serving to fill some of the gaps created in the national health delivery systems as a result of the Epidemic, Inquirer newspaper reports.

Related Caption: UNHCR Hands Over Clinic In Grand Gedeh(FOCUS)

$2 Million Project Resumed – By Samaritan Purse And ELWA-SIM

A nonprofit Christian organization – the Samaritan Purse, in collaboration with ELWA-SIM, has recommenced construction work on a medical facility that worth more US$2 million dollars. The project which started in June 2012 was halted nine months ago due to the deadly Ebola outbreak, according to Mr. Gentry Taylor, the project manager. Samaritan Purse Chief Administrator Bev Kauffeld hailed the recommencement of construction works on the medical facilities as a positive milestone, noting that Samaritan Purse as a faith based organization has served Liberia for the past twelve years, and that its mandate is to exceed limits where others would not reached The Analyst reports.

VP Boakai Lauds Samaritan Purse For ELWA Hospital Project

The Vice President of Liberia, Joseph N. Boakai, has described the ongoing construction works on the proposed ELWA Hospital Project valued at US$2m undertaken by Samaritan Purse as commendable. During the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic, Hon. Boakai recalled that the Samaritan Purse gave support of needed supplies for the prevention of the Ebola Virus Disease, In Profile Daily reports.

 Jackson F. Doe Hospital To Get MRI Center

Jackson F. Doe Hospital in Tappita, Lower Nimba County will on Saturday, April 18, 2015 break ground for the construction of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) center. MRI is a  a technology that allows one physician to scan the entire body of a patient and diagnose illnesses. Speaking Wednesday April 15, 2015 at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing, Deputy Health Minister and Chief Medical Officer designate Francis Kateh said the money to build the MRI center was made available through an increment of budgetary allocation for the hospital in the current budget. Deputy Minister designate Kateh noted that it is the first time in the history of Liberia to have an MRI, INSIGHT Writes.

24,200 Ballot Papers For River Cess By-Election Arrive

The National Elections Commission (NEC) through its Acting Chairman, Cllr. Sarah M. Toe, has announced the arrival of 24,200 ballot papers for the River Cess County district #2 By-Election. NEC is the body is the body responsible for the conduct of all electoral activities within the territorial confines of Liberia. The River Cess County District #2 By-Election, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, is triggered by the election of former Representative Francis Paye to the Liberian Senate in the December 20, 2014 Special Senatorial Election conducted across the country. In accordance with Article 37 of the Liberian Constitution, the Speaker of the House of Representatives J. Alex Tyler informed the NEC about the vacancy created by former Representative Paye’s election to the Senate. Making the announcement on Wednesday, April 15, Cllr. Toe disclosed that the ballot papers arrived in the country on Monday, April 13 from Ghana, where they were printed, Heritage newspaper reports.

Related Caption: Ballots For R’Cess By-Election Here….Election Sets For Tuesday(The Inquirer)

Hydroelectric Plant For Liberia

New Democratasserts that Hummingbird Resources has signed an agreement for planting and development of a 20-30MW hydroelectric power plant in southeast Liberia. Under the agreement, signed with IFC Infra Ventures and Aldwych International, the company will develop the hydro project in an area around 10km from Hummingbird’s 4.2Moz Dugbe 1 Gold Project. Knoght Piesold Consulting (Vancouver) will carry out a prefeasibility study on the project in order to assess the technical and economic viability of the project, with work to be conducted in two phases.

YMCA Turns Over Royesville High school To Government

The Heritage newspaper reports that the official turn over and dedication of the Rebecca James Memorial High School has taken place in Royesville, Lower Montserrado County. Presenting the keys of the school complex to the Ministry of Education, the Vice Chairman for Finance of the Liberia YMCA, Mr. Abraham B. Samukai, said he was humbled on behalf of the national board of the Liberia YMCA that Madam Rebecca James could look back to remember the people of Royesville by providing funds from her estate for the construction of a high school in Royesville. “The challenges of young people she may have experienced in Royesville owing to the lack of a high school led Madam James in doing what she has done for you all”, Mr. Samukai said.

WHO Warns Ebola Survivors On ‘Safe Sex’

The World Health Organization or WHO has urged Ebola survivors to be even  more cautious during sexual contact to ensure the virus is not passed on to their partners.  The warning comes after a survivor was found to have traces of Ebola in his semen almost six months after recovery. This some 90 days later than previously documented. It is unclear whether Ebola can still be spread at this point. But officials have launched further investigations to evaluate the risks. But according to Dr. Nathalie Broutet, a medical officer at the World health organization, the recent case prompted experts to strengthen their advice, the New Dawn newspaper reports.

Pres. Sirleaf Submits RIA Loan Agreement

West Africa INFO Postnewspaper reports that a loan agreement signed between Liberia and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) has been submitted to the House of Representatives for ratification by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The loan, intended to co-finance the rehabilitation of the Roberts International Airport (RIA), is in the amount of US$10 million, the Liberia News Agency reports. According to the President, government shall repay the principal of the loan in 40 semi-annual installments after a grace period of 10 years from the first day of the month following the first withdrawal from the loan account. In a communication to House Speaker J. Alexander Tyler dated March 25, 2015, President Sirleaf explained that the interest rate on the loan is one percent per annum on the principal amount withdrawn and outstanding from time to time.  The Chief Executive also informed the House that interest and other eventual charges shall be payable semi-annually. “In view of the important purpose of this financing arrangement and the need to rehabilitate the Roberts International Airport runway, I ask your ratification of this instrument”, President Sirleaf said.