The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014

 Liberia, Malawi Sign Economic, Technical Pact is  the dominant story of today’s media summary.

DOMINANT STORIES

Malawi, Liberia Sign Agreement On Economic & Technical Cooperation

An inside page top lead of the Heritage newspaper reports that at the end of a three-day state visit to Malawi, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her host, President Joyce Banda, witnessed the signing of an Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the two Governments, as a framework for consolidating the  existing ties of economic advancement between both countries. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, signed on behalf of the Liberian Government, while the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MP Ephraim Mganda Chiume, signed for the Malawian Government. According to a dispatch from Lilongwe, under the Agreement, which will form the basis of a Joint Commission for Cooperation, the  two Governments will cooperate in a number of areas, including agriculture and livestock; trade industry and tourism, including agriculture and livestock; trade, industry and tourism; monetary and financial arrangement; development and utilization of natural resources; health, education, development and utilization human resources; institutional development; irrigation and water development; gender mainstreaming, women empowerment and children and social welfare; and natural conservation and environmental management.

Related Caption: Liberia, Malawi Sign Economic, Technical Pact – At End Of State Visit, Malawi and Liberia Sign Agreement, Cooperation (FrontPage)

22^nd AU Summit Adopts African Common Position On Post-2015 Development Agenda

A top back page lead story of the Heritage newspaper asserts that the 22^nd Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit has ended in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, with the adoption of important decisions by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The Summit, which had as its theme “Agriculture and Food Security,” was held January 30-31. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf joined her African counterparts at the Summit. The next AU Session will be held June 26-27, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, preceded by meetings of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PSC) and the Executive Council fromJune 21-22 and June 23-24, respectively.

OTHER STORIES

U.S Embassy Constructs Ivorian Refugee Women Center

Still on the back page lead of the Heritage newspaper, the United States Embassy near the Liberian capital, Monrovia, has constructed a refugee women center in Little Webbo Camp in Harper, Maryland County. The building which is estimated at over US$5,000 is for the use by Ivorian refugee women residing in the camp. Presenting the building to the camp management following its completion over the weekend, US Ambassador Debora Malac told the 10,000 Ivorian refugees that her Government was concerned about their plight and decided to identify with them. She then urged the refugees to make maximum use of the facility, and hoped other benefits could follow in the future.

Customs Bureau Modernizes System

The Bureau of Customs at the Ministry of Finance says it has completed a strategic plan aimed at improving its revenue department. Acting Customs Commissioner Dixon Seboe said the strategic plan was crafted on four pillars that highlight objectives that are being implemented by the four thematic modernization pillars, the Heritage newspaper writes.

US$100,000 Ben Town School Gets Furniture To Start Academic Work – Rotary Club of Monrovia Promises Teachers’ Quarters, Library & Play-Ground

A newly constructed US$10,000 Ben Town School in Marshall City. Margibi County was, during the weekend, given 466 armed chairs and tables to start academic work. During the presentation of the chairs and tables, the president and members of the Rotary Club of Monrovia promised to build housing units for teachers and a library and play-ground for students. According to Mr. Milton A. Weeks, president of the Rotary Club of Monrovia, the Ben Town School is situated in the middle of six towns without access to schools, clinics and safe drinking water.  He said the Ben Town area was selected based on the fact its only operational school at the time had its students in a single mat house and they sat on the floor, Daily Observer newspaperwrites.

African Petroleum Appoints New CEO

The News newspaper reveals that African Petroleum Corporation Limited, a West African Oil and Gas Company exploring for crude oil in Liberia and other countries in the sub region, has announced the appointment of Dr Stuart Lake as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective 1 February 2014. Dr. Lake replaces Mr. Karl Thompson who stepped down from the role of CEO on 1 February 2014.

Several ‘Armed Robbers’ Arrested

Police in Monrovia have arrested and charged several persons in connection with an armed robbery incident which took place on Benson Street in Monrovia over the weekend. Those arrested, according to the police, are Sam Genplay, alias G-Unit, Saah Joseph and Ansu Sannoh, among others. Details of their arrest and subsequent detention contained in a police charge sheet confirmed that their arrest was based on a complaint filed by one Morris Kanneh, who told the police that while at the D.C. Trading Shop on Benson Street, five unknown men armed with cutlasses and other deadly weapons attacked him. Victim Kanneh who alleged that the incident occurred on January 17, 2014 at about 9:30pm, informed the police that the armed men placed him under constant threat, while three other armed men burst into one Mr. Korto’s shop, the News newspaper reports.

Fire Victims Appeal For Help

Victims of a recent fire disaster in the Borough of New Kru Town where women and children were made homeless are appealing to the Liberian government and humanitarian organizations to come to their aid. Complainant Kanneh further informed investigators that the men made away with several cll phones and one public address system. Police said during investigation, one of the defendants, Saah Joseph, told them that he and another accomplice onl identified as Killer Bean were on Broad Street and later decided going on Benson Street where they encountered their arrest. However, Amel Lloyd who was used as an expert witness, testified that on Friday, January 17, he was awaken from his bed by a sound of gunfire and came outside, only to notice that his parked car had been walled by some officers of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) of the Liberia National Police (LNP), taking strategic position with their arms, the News newspaper writes.