The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2018

First Lady Mrs. Clar Weah’s call for women to move beyond advocacy, the launch of laws and policies on Forest Governance, the closure of APM Terminal Unit, and the holding of a two-day Peace Building Confab by Government of Liberia and Partners are among selected stories for today’s media summary.

‘Time to Move Beyond Advocacy’ - Liberia’s First Lady Tells Event On Gender Equality And Empowerment Of Rural Women And Girls

The First Lady of Liberia, Clar Marie Weah says it is time to progress from advocacy for gender equality in Africa to participation and concrete actions. Delivering special remarks at a Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) side event organized by Liberia in New York, Mrs. Weah urged women to build a culture of competitiveness and take advantage of gender equality laws crafted specifically to increase women's participation in politics, society and the economy. Reflecting on the event's theme: Rural Women and Girls Economic Empowerment, Madam Weah said it was time to empower rural women by giving them land ownership and access to credit to increase their agriculture output and provide much needed income. She believes such action would reverse some cultural practices that intentionally create gender inequality. Quoting a dispatch from Liberia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the FrontPage Africareads that the First Lady pledged to dedicate her service and mobilize the support of President George Manneh Weah to ensure that actions are taken to address the plight of rural women and girls. 

Related Captions:“Access To Land, Credits, Education, Crucial For Women Empowerment”…First Lady Clar M. Weah Asserts (The INQUIRER), and‘It’s Time to Move Beyond Advocacy’ - First Lady Weah Asserts At Women Event (In Profile Daily)

Liberia Issues 31,000 Birth Certificates Printed in Nine Months

The Bureau of Vital Statistics, a Ministry of Health department responsible to print birth and death certificates, has disclosed that under the watchful eyes of ‘caretaker’ Mary T.  Broh, it issued out at least 31,000 birth certificates in nine months. The Bureau made the disclosure at program marking the official turning over ceremony by the outgoing Acting Principal Registrar Mary Broh to her successor, Prince Momolu Kaba. Making remarks at the turning over ceremony, Madam Broh, who is the Director General of the General Services Agency (GSA), said under her administration, services at the birth certificate office improved speedily. She further indicated that since she took over last July, the bureau was able to generate Liberian$1.5 million (US$11,111 at street exchange rate of LD$135 to US$1).She thanked employees for working along with her during her short stay at the Bureau. In brief remarks, Kaba, the new Principal Registrar, promised to do his best and to remain committed to working for his country at all times. He thanked Madam Broh for improving the bureau while she took care, according to the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Captions:Broh Urges Youths To Commit To National Rebuilding(The INQUIRER),and Perform Your Duties With Passion Rather Than Seeking Riches In Gov’t “General” Broh Challenges Youths(Heritage)

House Extols UNMIL Ahead of March 31 Departure–For Liberia’s Peace and Development, But Wants Strong Monitoring Mechanisms in Place to Advise UN Headquarters On Political Developments

Ahead of the final departure of the United Nations Mission in Liberia on March 31, after 15 years in the country, the House of Representatives of the 54^th Legislature, through a joint resolution has acknowledged UNMIL for its enormous contributions towards the country’s peace and development. Thirty-three members of the House affixed their signatures to the joint resolution on Tuesday, March 20, during the 18th day sitting, constituting a simple majority, and was forwarded to the Senate for concurrence. In the resolution, the lawmakers acknowledged the invaluable role of UNMIL’s various sections and capacities, including the Political Section, Rule of Law Section, Peace Consolidation and Logistics Section and Radio, which have facilitated Liberia’s democratic progress and supported the successful conduct of four major elections – 2005, 2011, 2015 and, only recently, the 2017 historic presidential elections and peaceful transition from one democratically elected government to another, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Caption:Lawmakers Praise UNMIL For Peace(The INQUIRER)

To Upgrade Slums, NHA Signs Protocol Agreement with Chinese Company

The Daily Observer quotes a release as saying that the National Housing Authority (NHA) has signed an official protocol with the Shandong Tiancheng Municipal Highway Engineering Co., Limited. The Managing Director of the NHA, Duannah Siryon signed for his entity and Mr. Duan Xiaoquan, (Deputy General Manager) signed on behalf of his company on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at the NHA’s head office in Monrovia. According to Mr. Siryon, the protocol agreement is a legal instrument that provides the two organizations common ground for further discussions in the housing sector. He explained that the protocol agreement paves the way for representatives of the NHA to travel to the People’s Republic of China to meet with officials of the Chinese company. He said it is his understanding that through the partnership, the Chinese company would secure funding for the project, which is consistent to President George Weah’s pro-poor agenda to empower impoverished Liberian people.  

Interactive Forum on New NASSCORP Act Begins Today 

A two-day interactive forum organized by authorities of the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) for employees of the private and public sectors opens today, March 21 in Monrovia, a press release from NASSCORP has said. According to the release, today’s forum will educate employers and employees in the private and public sectors on the new NASSCORP Act. It can be recalled that on December 27, 2016, the Legislature passed an Act repealing Decree No. 14 of the People’s Redemption Council (PRC) of the Armed Forces of Liberia and creating a new Chapter 89 of the Executive Law establishing the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation of the Republic of Liberia. The Act was approved by then President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on February, 2017 and printed into handbill. The Act, the release said, increased the contribution rates and broadened the coverage of NASSCORP to include the President and Cabinet, the Legislature, the Judiciary and members of the para-military forces to include officers of the Liberian National Police and the Liberia Immigration Service, etc, reads theDaily Observer.

Related Caption:To Provide Education On New NASSCORP Act: 2-Day Interactive Forum Opens In Monrovia Today(Heritage)  

Chamber, IFC Begins Second Women’s Confab Today 

The Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Milton Weeks will today, March 21 declare open the second edition of the More Women Better Boards Conference in Monrovia. According to the Daily Observer, the event is organized by the Liberia Chamber of Commerce (LCC) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), under the theme, “More Women Better Boards.” A release issued by the LCC stated that the platform is to raise awareness of the benefits of having a diverse board; supporting the need for targeting more women to become more actively involved in Business Members Organizations and boards across all sectors. According to the LCC’s secretary general, SalaMartu Stephanie Duncan, the event will examine the challenges faced by women in accessing boards and more formal business spaced and also considers strategies for proactively progressing the diverse board agenda.  

Laws, Policies on Forest Governance Launched 

According to the Daily Observer, a day-long dialogue on laws and policies on Forest Governance in the country was launched on Tuesday in Monrovia with a call to decentralize the program. Panelists analyzed Community Forestry Management Agreement (CFMA), which was signed in most communities of High Conservation Value Forest in the country. The CFMA seeks to promote community inclusion in forest protection and ensure meeting of national and international requirements on forests. The daily says the launch of the dialogue marks this year’s International Day of Forests Celebrations, which is observed worldwide in March each year.  

Ministry of Justice, UNMIL Keen on Anti-Child Trafficking Measures 

The Ministry of Justice through its Child Justice Sector says, it is keen on ensuring that anti-child trafficking measures are effective in Liberia. Child Justice Section Coordinator and Program Manager J. Alben Greaves told FrontPage Africa Tuesday that an exit Clarence procedure has been put in place in ensuring that children –adopted, special medical needs and those accompanied by non-biological parents - traveling out of Liberia meet a specific need. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, Mr. Greaves said the decision to put in place an anti-child trafficking procedure is intended to ensure that Liberia conforms to national and international standards that mandate the Ministry of Justice to issue immigration parents to adoptive parents leaving Liberia with adoptees.  

IMF welcomes Weah Pro-poor Agenda 

The International Monetary Fund or IMF welcomes the Weah-led administration’s adoptionof a strongly pro-poor agenda here, stressing that the needs of the poorest segments of the population are clearly large, and it is commendable that the authorities have made this a policy priority.Within this ambition, it would be particularly important to ensure that the increase in expenditure goes hand-in-hand with measures to ensure macroeconomic and debt stability, as the impact of instability would fall disproportionately on the most vulnerable groups and undercut the goal of poverty reduction”, says Mika Saito, who headed an IMF visiting team to Monrovia from March 7-20, to conduct discussions for the 2018 Article Consultation with Liberia. The team met with President George Manneh Weah and several government officials, including Speaker Bhofal Chambers, Senate President Pro-Tempore Albert Chie, Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah, Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia, Milton A. Weeks. It also met with the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Wilson K. Tarpeh, Public Works Minister Mobutu Mobutu Nyenpan, Sr. and Mines and Energy Minister, Gesler E. Murray as well as private sector representatives and development partners, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption:IMF: Road Expansion Will Enhance Weah’s ‘Pro-Poor’ Agenda(Heritage)

Gov’t, Partners To Hold Two-Day Peace Building Confab

The Liberian Government in partnership with the Liberia Peace-Building Office has slated a two day National Reconciliation Conference aimed at strengthening the country’s peace effort. Making the disclosure on a local radio in Monrovia on Monday, the Executive Director of the Peace Building Office, Edward Molubah, said the initiative was jointly developed by the Liberian Government, United Nations and other international partners in Keeping with UN Security Council resolution 23333 of December 2016. According to Molubah, the government mad commitments under the Liberia Peace-building Programmed, including a Country Reconciliation Dialogue, in order to develop a platform for a national reconciliation conference, pens the Heritage newspaper.

APM Terminals Closed Until…

APM Terminals-Liberia’s operations came to a halt Tuesday, March 20, 2018, after workers of the institution resumed their go-slow actions. APM Terminals is an international organization that is handling cargo at the Freeport of Monrovia, under a concession agreement with the Liberia government. Mr. Tee Wehyee Gaye and Mr. Ballah Kpaded, APM Terminals Workers Union President and spokesman respectively told this paper via mobile on Tuesday that they will not return to work until their concerns are addressed. It can be recalled that the aggrieved workers had assembled with placards at the Freeport of Monrovia, calling on the government to urgently intervene in the concerns they have with management to address their concerns, writes the In Profile Daily.