The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2014

Health Ministry’s letter to Plenary of the Liberian Senate requesting an additional US$1.5 million to combat the deadly Ebola virus, President Johnson Sirleaf’s decision to render justice in the case involving some violent protesters at the Acelor Mittal facilities in Nimba County and the World Bank Group’s $15.3 billion to Sub Saharan Africa’s development in fiscal year 2014 are stories dominating our summary of today’s selected local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

US$1.5m For Ebola Again-MOH Writes Senate, As Ebola Fight Intensifies

According to theINSIGHT newspaper, authorities at Liberia’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare have written the Plenary of the Liberia Senate requesting an additional amount of US$1.5 million to combat the deadly Ebola virus. As per the request, the Liberian Senate has unanimously endorsed a motion by Lofa County Senator George Tamba Tengbeh for the leadership of the House of Senate and Representatives and MoH authorities to urgently meet and discuss the proposed amount. Health authorities had earlier received an amount of US$250,000 following a request of US$1.2million during the first outbreak of the Ebola virus in Liberia.

Related Captions: Legislature to Allot Over U.S.$1 Million to Eradicate Ebola Virus

(FrontPage Africa), Senate Proposes US$1.5M To Fight Ebola(FOCUS), Senate ProposesUS$1.5M for Ebola(The New Republic), US$1.5M Needed to Fight Ebola(The Inquirer)

The State Will Be Decisive - Says Ellen of Violence At Arcelor Mittal

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has vowed that perpetrators of the violent protest at the Acelor Mittal facilities on July 3rd and 4th will have their day in court, and justice will be done. "Because of the precedence this could set, because of the national security implications especially in the area where this occurred, and given our recent past, the State will be decisive in its response", the Liberian leader emphasized, adding, "We will send a message to deter any such occurrence again, either in Nimba or anywhere else in the country". According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf made the strong statement when she briefed Liberia's development partners on the violent protest in Yekepa, Nimba County, the Ebola epidemic, and the continuing flooding in some parts of Monrovia and its environs during the heavy rains. According to the Heritage newspaper, the meeting, which included the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), diplomatic missions accredited near Monrovia and International Non-Governmental Organizations, took place in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium on Monday, July 7, 2014.

Related Captions: Pres. Sirleaf Vows Prosecution For Nimba Demonstrators(INSIGHT), Gov’t To Set Example On Nimba Rioters(The New Dawn), ‘The State Will Be Decisive-Says President Sirleaf On The Violent Protest At Arcelor Mittal(Daily Observer)

World Bank Sets Historic New Development Financing Record

The World Bank Group committed a record-breaking $15.3 billion to Sub Saharan Africa’s development in fiscal year 2014 (July 2013 to June 2014), supporting shared prosperity in the Region and focusing on increased efforts to reduce poverty, according to a press release issued in Monrovia. “Africa is making significant progress and at the World Bank we are stepping up the momentum to innovate and think big in order to help our clients achieve their development goals,” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Africa. The release says Bank Group worked collaboratively to tackle development challenges and the World Bank’s new $150-million Africa Higher-Education Centers of Excellence project is funding 19 university-based centers for advanced education in West and Central Africa. It will support regional specialization among participating universities in mathematics, science, engineering and ICT to address regional challenges, the release concludes, the In Profile Dailywrites.

Related Captions: World Bank Group Sets Historic Record In Africa(The New Dawn), World Bank Commits US$15.3b-To Sub Saharan Africa’s Development for FY2014(The New Republic)

Four Liberian-American Kids Die In Philadelphia Fire

Four Liberian-American children died early Saturday when fire gutted their home on the 6500 block of Gesner Street in Southwest Philadelphia, Pa. The children were only identified as Patrick, 4, Taj, 1, and 4 year-old female twins- Mariama and Marie. A family friend, who prefers anonymity, said Marie Bohai, 46, the single-mother of the twins was taking care of Patrick and Taj, whose mother, Eleanor Jacque, had gone out for the night. The Liberia News Agency correspondent, who visited the tragic scene Saturday, said there were wailing and mourning among family members and friends of the victims. The victims are being provided humanitarian assistance by the American Red Cross. Similar accident in 2008 claimed the lives of seven Liberians in the same Southwest Philadelphia community dominated by Liberian immigrants, the Heritage reports.

Related Caption: Philadelphia Rowhouse Fire Kills 4 Children(Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES

Official Lauds World Bank Support to ADR

An inside story of the FOCUS newspaper reads that an official of the Ministry of Justice has lauded the World Bank for its support to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ARD) pilot program. ADR Coordinator Atty. Kpadeson Sumo said the World Bank has provided more than half a million United States dollars in support of the program. According to the Liberia News Agency, Atty. Sumo spoke Tuesday to reporters in Monrovia to highlight the importance of the ARD in the Liberian judicial system. He further disclosed that the pilot program is meant to institutionalize, formalize and mainstream ARD in the country’s justice system. The Justice Ministry official further stressed that several stakeholders meetings and forums have been held on the ADR in Montserrado, Bong, Nimba, and Lofa counties in order to set up pilot sites.

VP Donates Chairs to Bomi Communities

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has donated 200 plastic chairs to Gayah Hill and Klay communities in Bomi County. Presenting the chairs on Sunday, Bomi County Superintendent Samuel Brown said the donation was in fulfillment of a promise Vice President Boakai made to the two communities recently. Superintendent Brown put the cost of the chairs at US$2,000. He described VP Boakai’s gesture as a clear indication that the Government of Liberia is listening to the call of community peoplen in the country. Speaking on behalf of the two communities, Klay District Paramount Chief Varney Massalley said the people of the two communities highly appreciate the donation by the Vice President, the FOCUS newspaper writes.

Aviation Security Management Course Underway In Liberia

A 10-day Training Course in Aviation Security Management held under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Regional Office for West & Central Africa in partnership with the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) is underway in Harbel, Margibi County. According to the LCAA, the Course brings together 20 participants drawn from the Civil Aviation, Roberts’s field and the James Spriggs Payne Airport. The course facilitators acknowledge that in recent years the aviation industry has seen the emergence of world-wide attacks against the safety and security of the travelling public, Heritagereports.

Coming Out Soon - Report On Women's Rights To Info

It has been announced that the Ministry of Gender and Development, the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism and the Women's NGO Secretariat (WONGOSOL), working with the Access to Information Project of The Carter Center, will release the study "Women and the Right of Access to Information in Liberia.” According to a press release, the report's findings will be released on Wednesday, July 9, 2014, at 2 p.m. in the Ballroom, Monrovia City Hall. This study - the first of its kind - was conducted by the Carter Center's Access to Information Project in association with WONGOSOL, and the support of the Government of Liberia. Research and interviews were carried out in four counties: Bomi, Lofa, Nimba, and Grand Gedeh, and the City of Monrovia. The report release on Wednesday will be followed by a stakeholder dialogue on Thursday, July 10 to jointly consider creative solutions to overcome obstacles facing women and to develop priority recommendations to advance women's right of access to information, according to the Analyst newspaper reveals.

Gender Ministry Presents Domestic Violence Bill To Ellen

The Ministry of Gender and Development has presented the draft bill on Domestic Violence to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The Ministry of Gender held a one-day media awareness working session on the draft Domestic Violence Act. The awareness, which took place in the Conference Room of Ministry, brought together journalists from various media institutions. According to Assistant Gender Minister, Annette Kiawu, women and children are not enjoying the current peace in the country because they continue to face domestic violence, New Dawn reports.