THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016

Stories highlighted in today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies include news of Liberia’s application for Membership to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Liberia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Dr. C. William Allen’s endorsement as Chairman of the ECOWAS Group of Ambassadors at UNESCO.

The summary also includes news of the signing of two MoUs on Information and Political Consultation Mechanism by theGovernments of Liberia and Egypt and the passing of Major-General Dr. Julius Oketta, former Head of Mission to the African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Liberia Applies to Join Islamic Cooperation Organization Deputy Chief of Mission Begins Work 

The Daily Observer says Liberia has applied for membership to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). According to a dispatch from Riyadh, Liberia’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Brahima D. Kaba, presented Liberia’s application when he met with the Secretary General of the OIC, Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani recently. During the meeting, Mr. Madani informed Ambassador Kaba that Liberia’s application is being positively considered at the highest level, stressing that authorities concerned are working assiduously towards the actualization of the country’s membership. The OIC is a sociopolitical organization whose membership is drawn largely from Muslim and non-Muslim countries who share common interests in furthering understanding and peaceful dialogue among all nations. Current membership of the OIC comprises 13 of the 15 ECOWAS countries, in addition to all of North Africa and several central and southern African countries.

Related Captions: Liberia Applies To Organization Of Islamic Cooperation (The INQUIRER), Liberia Applies for Membership to Organization of Islamic Cooperation Deputy Chief of Mission Begins Work (FOCUS)

Allen Endorsed As ECOWAS Ambassadors Chair

Liberia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Dr. C. William Allen, has been unanimously endorsed as the Chairman of the ECOWAS Group of Ambassadors at UNESCO. Ambassador Allen replaced his Senegalese counterpart, Ambassador Abdou Sourang, whose tenure expired in June 2016. In his handover remarks, Ambassador Sourang thanked his colleagues for the level of support they accorded him and the accomplishments they achieved during his tenure. In his acceptance remarks, Ambassador Allen, who is the first Liberian Ambassador to chair the group, promised to coordinate his activities with his colleagues at the Bureau of the Africa Group of Ambassadors so that important issues affecting the West Africa sub-region can be addressed and promoted. Ambassador Allen proposed the coordination of the various programs at the level of African Ambassadors and regional groups into a single calendar to derive maximum benefits at the different organizations. According to the Protocol of the ECOWAS Group of Ambassadors at UNESCO, the country currently chairing the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State automatically becomes the chair of the sub-regional group of Ambassadors and Permanent Delegates at UNESCO reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Liberia Envoy Chairs ECOWAS (The New Dawn), Amb. C. William Allen Endorsed As Chair Of ECOWAS Group Of Ambassadors At UNESCO (FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES  

Gov’t, Egypt Sign Two MOUs on Information and Political Consultation Mechanism 

The Governments of Liberia and the Arab Republic of Egypt have signed two separate bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) on media and information sharing and the establishment of a political consultation mechanism. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the signing ceremony took place in the Foreign Ministry’s conference room when the visiting Egyptian envoy paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister, Ms. Marjon V. Kamara, last Friday, November 4, 2016. Liberia’s Foreign Minister Kamara signed the two MOUs on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia, while the visiting Assistant Minister for African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Mr. Mohamed F. Edress, signed on behalf of his Government, the FOCUS newspaper said.

Related Caption: Liberia, Egypt Sign Two MOUs On Information & Political Consultation Mechanism (Heritage)  

Liberia Mourns Major-General Dr. Julius Oketta’s Passing

Liberia has joined the Republic of Uganda and the African Union (AU) to mourn the death of the former Head of Mission to the African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA), Major-General Dr. Julius Facki Oketta. Dr. Oketta passed away in Kampala, Uganda following a heart attack on Saturday, November 5, 2016. He was 60 years old. During the height of the Ebola epidemic in the Mano River Union (MRU), he headed the ASEOWA Mission, which included 855 civilian and military health volunteers, who battled the fight against Ebola in the sub-region. According to a Foreign Ministry release, Major-General Oketta, being a very disciplined soldier, led the successful defeat of Ebola without the AU losing a single soldier (health volunteer) in 2014, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Related Caption: Liberia Mourns Death Of Former Head Of Mission To ASEOWA (Heritage)

MYS Begins Validation On A Road Map To Tckle Youth Unemployment

According to the FOCUS newspaper, about 150 stakeholders on Monday joined the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) to validate a national road map aimed at reaping the National Demographic Dividend in Liberia. The two-day meeting is being held under the theme: “Our Youth Our Liberia-Harnessing the Demographic Dividend.” Speaking during the opening of the meeting, MYS Minister Saah Charles N’Tow says the theme signifies that African leaders recognize the need to focus the attention on how the continent can increase investment in its young people to utilize their energies to lift the continent to another level. He hoped that by the end of the meeting government will be able to address the issue of youth unemployment in the country. 

Liberia Hosts Second Annual Scientific Meeting

Liberia has hosted the second annual general scientific meeting with delegates from African countries all of whom are surgeons and physicians hosted by the Liberia College of physicians. Dr. Madam Roseda Marshall, President of the Liberian College of Physicians, at the start of the two-day event held in Monrovia said, this college was formed by an act of legislation in December 2012 and the first residents started their training September 30, 2013 in four call areas which are pediatrics, internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Marshall said the future of the college is to maintain a strong collaboration with the West Africa College of physicians and surgeons. Serving as key launcher Vice President Joseph Boakai gave his commitment to fully supporting and ensuring that the College is reflected in the National Budget could improve their work reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

LRA CG Ascends to African Tax Administration Forum Governing Council

A front-page story of the Insight newspaper reads that the Commissioner-General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Elfrieda Stewart Tamba, and Liberia have scored another milestone in international taxation landscape with her ascendency to the newly-elected Governing Council of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) as a Council Member. This took place at the Fourth General Assembly held in Durban, South Africa, recently. ATAF is the apex tax organ on the continent. Commissioner General Tamba also currently chairs the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF). Mr. Babatunde Fowler, the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) of Nigeria was elected Chair of the Council, while Mr. Sudhamo LAL of Mauritius Revenue Authority was elected as Vice Chair, the paper says.

Related Caption: LRA Commissioner General Ascends To African Tax Administration Forum Government Council (The INQUIRER)

EU Support Delights LRA Boss

The Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Elfrieda Stewart Tamba has lauded the European Union for its invaluable support towards strengthening the LRA Customs Department, aimed at improving trade facilitation and boosting customs revenue. Commissioner General Tamba said the LRA is particularly appreciative of the Long Term Technical Assistance to the Customs Department and stressed the need for further support to cover the Domestic Tax Department, in transforming revenue administration in Liberia, and making the LRA a modern tax entity, the INSIGHTnewspaper says.

Gov’t Can’t End Health Problems

According to the Heritage newspaper, Liberia’s Health Minister, Dr. Bernice Dahn, has asserted that the challenges facing country’s health sector are enormous that the current Unity Party (UP) led-government cannot complete. Dr. Dahn pointed out that addressing the challenges will be a continuous process that will not be completed by this current government. The Health Minister made these comments while speaking in an interview with reports following the official launch of the ongoing three-day 8^th joint annual review health conference being held at the Paynesville City Hall outside Monrovia.

Great Loss RCI Deputy Program Manager Itricia Ceimon Is Dead

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reports that Broadcast Journalist Itricia Ceimon of the Renaissance Communication Incorporated (RCI), owners of Truth FM and RTV, has died. The late broadcast journalist served as Deputy Manager for Programming. She died Monday morning after a brief illness at the ELWA Hospital on the Roberts International Airport Highway.