The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARYFOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

The story of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s annual message to the National legislature on different issue relative to the development of the country, Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan and delegation trip to the 24^th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council (EC) of the African Union (AU) in Ethiopia and German Ambassador reaffirmation of continue support to the development of Liberia arehighlighted in our summary of the selected dailies for today, Tuesday January 28, 2014.

Dominant Stories

Gov't to Exercise Eminent Domain on Undeveloped Lands

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Monday delivered her ninth State of the Nation address calling on Liberians to strive for a better Liberia, noting that all Liberians will take the credit for an improved country. The message catalogued the achievements of the government in 2013 and outlined plans and undertakings the administration has set for the country in 2014. Delivering the message at the 53rd Sitting of the National Legislature on Capitol Hill on Monday, President Sirleaf said government will enforce the zoning law to curb wanton abuse of public spaces by individuals who deface the Liberian capital. She said the government will not hesitate to exercise eminent domain where land owners continue to hold on to property in the capital city that they have failed to develop over many years and, thereby, stalling the transformation of the city. The Chief Executive announced that 500 housing units will be built in the vicinity of the University of Liberia Fendell Campus, outside Monrovia, as part of efforts to address the housing problem, while plans are underway to transform the West Point slum into better living quarters. Pres. Sirleaf spoke of plans to complete some construction projects and refurbish other public buildings like the MVTC, SKD Complex, Ducor Hotel, Hotel Africa, National Housing and Savings Bank and the E.J. Roye building, reads the front page story of the Insight newspaper.

Dual-Citizenship Lifted –Ellen Throws Full Weight Behind  The Drive

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf among many things highlighted yesterday in her message to the 53th Legislature has thrown her full weight behind the campaign to have the dual-citizenship bill passed into law; as such, she has appealed to that August body to speedily pass it. President Johnson-Sirleaf made the statement Monday during her state of the nation address at Capitol Building in Monrovia. According to her, when passed, the law will help increase economic growth in the country, as Liberian business people in the Diaspora will be provided the opportunity to contribute to the economic transformation of the nation. Story from the In Profile Daily.

Ellen Talks Tough About NGOs

According to The Inquirer Newspaper, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf yesterday, talked tough about local and non-governmental organizations operating in the country. Accordingly, she said henceforth, these NGOs will be required to submit their report of annual activities to relevant Government’s institutions to ensure that they work in line with Government’s plan. In her State of the Nation Address, President Sirleaf pointed out that Liberia has a total of 997 NGOs, including874 national 123 international operating throughout the country, but it is unfortunate that in executing their functions, some of them are imbalanced as they lack national and international governance status and rules in transparency.

Liberia AFL Chief of Staff To Be Named Soon – Ellen

The Commander-in-Chief (CIC) of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has announced that Liberian Army Chief Of Staff of the AFL will shortly be named and forwarded to the National Legislature for approval. The CIC said the Army Chief Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff; and the Commanding General of the AFL will conduct to the affairs of the army after the departure of the Nigerian commanding general. The Liberian leader’s pronouncement was contained in her State of the Nation Address, reports the InProfile Daily Newspaper.

Bill Against Repressive Laws Insight

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has announced the submission of series of bills to the National Legislature that will seek to decriminalize all anti-free speech laws in Liberia. President Johnson-Sirleaf said following the signing of the Table Mountain Declaration, it has become necessary to take steps toward repealing all laws that tend to hinder press freedom and free speech in Liberia. Delivering her State of the Nation Address Monday before the Joint Session of the National Legislature at the Capitol in Monrovia, the President said the move to repeal repressive laws is in line with government’s commitment to the promotion and protection of democracy in Liberia, pens the News Newspaper.

Ngafuan Leads Liberia Delegation At AU Executive Council 

The In profile Daily quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that the 24^th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council (EC) of the African Union (AU), comprising African Ministers of Foreign Affairs, convened Monday at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The EC meeting is preparatory to the 22^nd Summit of African Heads of State and Government, which will be held on 30-31 January under the theme “The Year of Agriculture and Food Security in Africa”. The Summit also marks the 10^th Anniversary of the adoption of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP). President Ellen Jonson Sirleaf is expected in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, 28 January for the 22^nd Summit. Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan is at the head of the Liberian Delegation to the Executive Council meeting, which was preceded by a three-day Foreign Ministerial Retreat in the Ethiopian resort city of Bahir Dar focused on the AU’s landmark Agenda 2063 Framework. The Executive Council meeting is expected to take stock of the work of the AU Commission over the last six months, elect new members of the AU Peace and Security Council, discuss various items proposed by Member States, and deliberate on issues of relevance to the Continent including recent conflicts South Sudan and the Central African Republic. Speaking during the Opening Session, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma emphasized that in order for Africa to ensure sustained and inclusive growth of 7% and higher, agriculture and agro-processing are critical. Dr. Zuma further noted that “The AU Commission will take special measures by working with UNECA, African Development Bank, Regional Communities, Member States and civil society to ensure that women, who are the largest part of agricultural work force and food producers on the continent, have access to training and capital, and are supported in forming cooperatives, marketing structures and agribusiness”. Dr. Zuma furthered that “Africa will not succeed in eradicating poverty, disease, conflict and hunger unless African countries have a greater integration of their economies, industrialize, and increase agricultural production”.

Envoys Re-Affirm Commitment To Liberia

The Government of Germany has reaffirmed its commitment to continue bilateral support and deepen its cooperation and ties with Liberia in the energy sector and other areas of development. German Ambassador to Liberia, Ralph Timmermann, said it was based on this commitment that rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydropower project when the Liberian Government approached it along with Norway in 2011. According to the Liberia News Agency (LINA), Ambassador Timmermann spoke Saturday during programs marking the commemorative launch of the Mount Coffee hydropower Rehabilitation Project in Harrisburg, Montserrado County. Ambassador Timmermann emphasized that Germany realizes the huge advantages the rehabilitation of the plant would bring to the development of Liberia. He noted that the rehabilitation of Mount Coffee will not only reduce the cost of electricity, but will also enable small and medium businesses to increase productivity and create significant revenue generation for the government, report the In Profile Daily and Insight newspaperunder similar captions.

Other Stories

26 Recruited in Gbarpolu for UNMIL-LNP Training

An Inside story of the Insight newspaper reads that the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL and the Liberia National Police phase seven Leeward Recruitment Exercise has recruited twenty-six (26) persons in Bopolu City Gbarpolu County for police training. According to the paper, day one of the process witnessed the arrival and registration of applicants and the conduct of a workshop. At the end of the three days process, the 26 persons including two females were accepted as recruits and transferred to the National Police Training Academy in Monrovia to undergo months of intensive training.

Vatican Wants War Perpetrators Out of Public Life

The back page story of the Insight newspaper reads that the Vatican has warned that Liberia will slip back into war if masterminds and perpetrators of the country's civil war do not confess the truth and facts about the country's tragic conflict. The Papal Nuncio accredited to Liberia, Archbishop Miroslaw Adamczyk, said truth and justice are preconditions for forgiveness and genuine reconciliation. The Vatican Ambassador accredited to Liberia indicated that reconciliation is the guarantee for peace and therefore must be treated as a matter of urgency. Making remarks Monday, January 27, 2014, at the opening of a weeklong workshop in peace building and reconciliation for Catholic Priests and Bishops in post war Liberia, the Papal Nuncio stated that the national reconciliation process will be meaningless if justice and reparation are excluded. He noted that Liberia's peace and stability is tied to a reconciliation process wherein the country's evils are documented and those responsible for deaths and destruction of properties are identified and brought to justice. The three Catholic Bishops representing the two Dioceses and an Archdiocese together with their Priests are attending the workshop sponsored by the Catholic Relief Services and the Catholic Bishop Conference of Liberia, according to the Insight newspaper.

USAID Delegation Visits IWASH Projects

A delegation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) traveled to Bong County to visit sites of the Improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (IWASH) Project. The IWASH Project is funded by USAID and has been working in Bong, Nimba and Lofa counties since 2010.  The visiting delegation included Chris Holmes, USAID Global Water Coordinator, and other USAID representatives from both Washington D.C. and the Liberia Mission.  They were accompanied by implementing partners, Global Communities and PSI in addition to Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mrs. Sekau Wiles, and the Bong County Health Officer. The purpose of the visit was to see the major improvements to sanitation and water access being achieved by Natural Leader Networks and WASH Entrepreneurs. The FOCUS newspaperwrites that the visit began with a round-table discussion attended by the USAID delegation, partners and nine members of the Natural Leader Network (NLN). The Natural Leaders have led their own communities to Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and then lead neighboring communities to become ODF.

Missing Liberian Tanker Found

The front page story of the FOCUS newspaper reports that the Greek managers of a Liberian-flagged oil tanker reported missing earlier this month off the coast of Angola in Western Africa said Monday they had re-established contact with the vessel and that the ship had been attacked by pirates. An Angolan official, however, cast doubt on the piracy claim, saying fears of an attack had proved unfounded.Dynacom Tankers Management said pirates had stolen a large amount of cargo from the Kerala, with which the company had lost contact on Jan. 18 from an anchorage in Luanda. It said it had re-established contact with the ship on Sunday. One crew member was wounded but all were alive and accounted for, it said, adding that "all have clearly been affected by their ordeal." The company did not say how many crew members were on board and refused to provide any further details, furthered the FOCUS newspaper.

US$500,000 Skills Training Center

The family and friends of a young Liberian accountant and basket baller, Curtis Y. Tomah, who was killed in a motor accident last June in the United States of America, have broken ground for the construction of US$500,000 skills training gymnasium. Cooper Tomah, father of the late 24-year-old Curtis said the project is a family initiative intended to honor their son who, prior to his untimely death, had always dreamed of establishing a training center in Liberia. Mr. Tomah disclosed that the center, also his family’s contribution to the community when completed, will provide skills training for young people in Liberia, reports The News Newspaper.

Farmers Trained In Cassava Processing

The News Newspaper reports that More than 55 farmers from Getelleh Town in lower Montserrado County have benefitted from a one-day cassava processing and small business management training. The training was organized by Falama Incorporated with funding from Lifting Farmers. The farmers who were mostly women praised the organizers for the training and said it has broadened their knowledge on how they could grow, produce and manage their local products. The beneficiaries were taught how to add value to the processing to cassava, good customer service practice as well as the new method of planting cassava, eddoes, and plantain among others.