THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2015

The European Union’s mobilization for more support to fight the Ebola Virus Disease, President Johnson Sirleaf’s call for an international aid plan to help rebuild economies in Liberia and other West African countries, the signing of the EUR 279 million 11^th European Development Fund National Indicative Program for cooperation with Liberia and the opening of a new Ebola Treatment Unit in Fish town, River Gee County are stories dominating today’s summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

EU Mobilizes Efforts To End Ebola

The "Ebola: from emergency to recovery" conference kicked off in the Belgium capital, Brussels, Tuesday, under the organization and patronage of the European Union. The New Dawn newspaper quotes a release as saying that while international efforts have reduced the number of Ebola infections in recent months, it is critical to maintain the momentum to prevent a sharp increase in new cases.  The release noted that the conference aims to sustain the international mobilization and to plan the next steps in the fight both against the current outbreak and the Ebola virus in general. The Ebola conference is co-chaired by the European Union, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia and the Presidents of Guinea and Sierra Leone, the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It brings together all key international players to prepare the actions needed now to bring the number of Ebola infections down to zero - and the measures to help the affected countries recover from the severe blows that the epidemic has dealt their people and economies.  The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Junker said: "Го end Ebola and ensure sustainable development in the affected region is the best way to honour the memory of the victims. Together with our Member States, we have mobilized more than €1.2 billion for the fight against this disease. And we will continue to help until we win the battle against Ebola". Tuesday's conference reviewed progress and outlined concrete steps to ensure funds already pledged are made available and maintain international support to medical teams, laboratories, epidemiologist, research effort and other resources until there are no cases of Ebola. Priority areas for recovery include resuming and improving basic services (health, education, water, sanitation) and the need to return to sustainable economic development.  At the conference, the governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone presented their assessments and plans for national recovery, the release said.

Related Captions: EU Mobilizes To End Ebola And Alleviate Its Impact(Daily Observer), The “Ebola: From Emergency To Recovery” Conference Opened(In Profile Daily), EU Mobilizes Efforts To End Ebola(The News), From Emergency To Recovery-EU Rallies Liberia’s Support(FrontPage Africa)

Ellen Wants ‘Marshall Plan’ – To Rebuild After Ebola

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called for an international aid plan to help rebuild economies in Liberia and other countries in West Africa once Ebola is under control, FOCUS has gathered. The Liberian leader, addressing fellow regional leaders and delegates at a major international conference on Ebola in Brussels said: “we need our international partners to remain committed to us”, as the number of deaths from the disease approaches 10,000.

Related Captions: ‘Marshall Plan’ For Ebola-Hit Countries(New Democrat), Ellen Wants ‘Marshall Plan’…To Rebuild Ebola Hit Economies(The News), Ellen Calls For ‘Marshall Plan’ For Ebola-Affected Countries(The Inquirer)

EU, Liberia Sign National Indicative Program

The EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, has signed the 11^th European Development Fund (EDF) National Indicative Program (NIP) for cooperation with Liberia in the 2014-2020 period, which amounts to EUR 279 million. The signing ceremony with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, as National Authorizing office (NAO) of the EDF, Amara Konneh, took place at the High-level International Conference on Ebola, INSIGHT reports.

Related Captions: EU, Liberia Sign National Indicative Program(Heritage), EU, Liberia Sign National Indicative Program(In Profile Daily)

New ETU Opens In Fish Town

The American Refugee Committee (ARC), an international non-governmental organization, over the weekend opened a new Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Fishtown, River Gee County.  At the opening ceremony, Dr. Alfred Chessor-Samukai, ETU Medical Director, said the ETU will likely be repurposed into a regional ETU for all counties in southeastern Liberia. She lauded ARC for the facility, which was designed as a semi-permanent structure. Dr. Chessor-Samukai thanked God and the people of River Gee for welcoming her and her team to the county and for giving them a space to build the ETU. Even though the number of Ebola cases in the country has significantly reduced, “Liberia still has a lot of work to do to curb the disease completely, as long as there are still cases in neighboring Sierra Leone and Guinea,” she said.  According to the In Profile Daily, the ARC medical team, made up of doctors, physician assistants, nurses, a laboratory technician and a pharmacy assistant, will staff the newly opened ETU.

Related Captions: New ETU Opens In River Gee(The new Dawn), ARC Opens ETU In Fish Town(The New Republic), American NGO Opens ETU In Fish Town(Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES

IMF Gives US$130m To Liberia’s Recovery

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, has disclosed that the institution gave US$130 million to Liberia’s recovery for the past five years. Lagarde indicated that the amount covers new financing and debt relief, which include about US$45.6 million from its Rapid Credit Facility and about US$36.5 million in debt relief recently approved by the Executive Boars. She noted that the debt relief is the first time such assistance was provided under the institution new Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust, INSIGHT reports.

Related Caption: IMF Gives US$130m To Liberia’s Recovery(In Profile Daily)

Ellen Pushes For Gola Forest Park – Submits Legislation To Lower House

The President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted to the House of Representatives a legislation seeking the enactment into law of An Act to Establish the Gola Forest National Park. According to the Liberia News Agency, President Sirleaf, in a letter to House Speaker J. Alexander Tyler dated February 19 and read in session Tuesday, disclosed that surveys of the biodiversity of the Gola Forest have revealed its unique place among the world’s biodiversity hotspots. The President narrated that apart from the presence of species like elephants, chimpanzees and pygmy hippos in the forest, research has discovered three plant species, 13 dragonflies and butterfly species, one frog and possibly one mammal species, all new to Science. Following the reading of the letter, Plenary forwarded it to the House Committees on Judiciary and Agriculture for scrutiny with the mandate to report in two weeks, FOCUS reports.

Related Caption: Pres. Sirleaf Wants Gola Forest Protected (INSIGHT)

Progress Of Developing An ECOWAS Policy On Women And Energy Kicks Off

The development of a policy that will help address barriers hindering participation of women in energy access in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region is underway. The policy is being developed together with a strategy that will guide its implementation across the countries. The process was launched during a workshop that was held on Tuesday, February 24 at the African Development Bank (AfDB) headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.. The initiative is being spearheaded by the AfDB in collaboration with the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), and United States-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). According to Mahama Kappiah, Executive Director of ECREEE, “Women and children given their role in the household energy supply, are the most affected, The New Republic reports.

GoL Develops Economic Recovery Plan

Dr. Mounir Siaplay, Deputy Minister of Finance and Development Planning has disclosed that the government has developed an economic stabilization and recovery plan (ESRP) that seeks to address structural deficiencies. Dr. Siaplay said the plan will improve service delivery and protect investments made since the end of the civil war, FOCUS writes.

Related Caption: Govt. Develops Economic Stabilization, Recovery Plan(INSIGHT)

Traditional Chiefs Join Ebola Sensitization

Traditional chiefs in Liberia have vowed to support ongoing cross border Ebola sensitization of Mano River Union countries being implemented by the Liberia Crusaders for Peace with sponsorship from the UNICEF. The Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF ) Monday, March 2,2015 held a one day Stakeholders and Traditional leaders forum in support of Ebola prevention in bordering communities of Bong, Lofa, Nimba and Grand Cape Mount Counties, respectively.  The chiefs in a joint statement from the three counties vowed to uphold value that comes out of the sensitization of citizens of bordering communities, writes the New Dawn newspaper.

Liberian Senate Donates LD$100k To Lofa County Students

The leadership of the Liberian Senate has presented a cash donation of LD$100,000 to the authorities at the Lofa County Community College (LCCC). According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the donation which was made over the weekend in Voinjama-Lofa county by Senate Pro Tempore, Armah Jallah, is intended to aid financially stricken students hit by Ebola and help in the purchase of instructional materials for the pending school year following the deadly Ebola outbreak which stuck Lofa and other counties. Senate Pro Tempore, Armah Jallah said the Senate was pleased to be associated with the educational development of Lofa. Expressing regrets for the loss of citizens during the height of the Ebola outbreak, Senator Jallah pledged the Senate’s commitment to supporting the county post Ebola era especially in road development and education.

Related Caption: Senate Donates LD$100,000 To Lofa Students(Heritage)