THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015

News ofLiberia’s deal to receive US$256.7 million from the US Government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, President Johnson Sirleaf’s commissioning of Liberia’s US$250 millionmining investment and theUnited Nations Development Program dedication of  ten new eco-ovens for use by residents in Grand Cape Mount Countyare stories  dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia To Receive Over US$256M MCC Grant From US Gov’t

According to the Daily Observer, Liberia is expected to shortly receive more in access US$256.7 million from the US Government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact program, after accomplishing the MCC Compact eligibility threshold following government’s performance on key governance indicators and the successful implementation of a compact threshold program in 2013. A statement from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), said the compact negotiated between the two governments will provide the Government of Liberia a grant in the amount of US$256.7 million to fund projects which constitutes the largest contribution to the rehabilitation of the Mt. Coffee Hydro Power Plant, rehabilitation of the water intake and pipeline from Mt. Coffee to Millsburg, construction of regional road maintenance centers in River Gee and Tubmanburg, as well as erection of a LEC Training Center. As Liberia is expected to sign the compact in early October 2015 in Washington D.C., the MCC compact will provide significant resources in further transforming the Liberian economy leading to increased employment and poverty reduction.

Related Captions: Liberia To Receive US$256M(In Profile Daily), GOL To Receive US$256 Million(West Africa INFO POST ), Liberia To Get US$256M Grant(New Democrat), Liberia To Receive US$256M Grant(Heritage), US$256M Grant Underway For Liberia (INSIGHT), Liberia To Receive US$256M MCC Grant(FOCUS), Liberia To Receive US$256M MCC Grant (The News), Liberia To Receive US$256M MCC Grant(The New Dawn)

Pres. Sirleaf Commissions First Gold Mining Operations

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says the commissioning of Liberia’s first gold mining investment, estimated at US$250 million, signifies a vote of confidence in the country as a favorable choice for foreign business development and a opportunity for the ranks of gold-producing nation around the world. According to an Executive Mansion release, speaking during the dedication ceremony of the New Liberty Gold Mine, a subsidiary of the Bea Mining Corporation situated in Kanjor, Gola Konneh District, Grand Cape Mount County, the Liberian President said the opening of the processing plant comes at a crucial time especially when the iron ore, which is one of Liberia’s major export earner is experiencing global stress on the world market. Earlier, the President & Chief Executive officer of Aureus Mining Company, a subsidiary of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation/New Liberty Gold Mine, Mr. David J. Reading said despite challenges gold is at 45 percent at its value coupled with the Ebola scourge-it was almost impossible to believe that his company’s efforts would translate into Liberia’s first gold mining investment, FOCUS newspaper reports.

Related Caption: Ellen Admits Economic Stress (The New Dawn), ‘A Vote Of Confidence’, - President Sirleaf Describes Commissioning of First Gold Mining Operations (FrontPage Africa)

UNDP Dedicates Eco-Ovens In Grand Cape Mount County

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP)Liberia has dedicated ten new eco-friendly ovens for use by residents in the towns of Latia and Tala.  The use of the ovens will significantly reduce the amount of wood residents cut from nearby mangrove swamps. According to the Country Director of UNDP Liberia, Kamil Kamalludeen during the dedication ceremony held in Latia since the women in these communities rely on drying fish to supplement their family income; the ovens will not only help the environment by reducing the need for wood to fuel the drying process, but they will also enable women to dry more fish and earn more income. The eco-friendly ovens project is part of the Enhancing Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Areas to Climate Change Risks in Liberia (Coastal Project for short), is aimed at helping coastal communities in Grand Cape Mount, Monsterrado and Grand Bassa counties develop defensive mechanism against the effects of climate change. The Coastal Project funded with a $2.9 million grant from the Global Environment Fund/Least Developed Countries Fund. UNDP is providing a further $400,000 to the fund to combat coastal erosion, as well as improve economic development with eco-friendly ovens and solar panels, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: UNDP Dedicates Eco-Ovens In Cape Mount(In Profile Daily), UNDP Dedicates Eco-Ovens In Cape Mount(Heritage), UNDP Dedicates Eco-Ovens In Grand Cape Mount County(FOCUS), UNDP Dedicates Eco-Ovens In Grand Cape Mount County(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai Meets With World Trade Organization Delegation: Liberia To Integrate  In The Regional And Global Value Chains

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has hailed the steps taken by the Republic of Liberia to accede to the World Trade Organization noting that the move is very important because it will improve the economy and livelihood of the Liberian people. Vice President Boakai said he looks forward to the realization of the accession and thanked the team led by the Commerce Minister Axel Addy for the level of work done so far on the accession document and other processes.
Vice President Boakai was speaking Wednesday on Capitol Hill when the Deputy Secretary of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD Mr.Joakim Reiter and Mr. Chiedu Osakwe, Director of the Accession Division of the World Trade Organization accompanied by the Minister of Commerce, Axel M. Addy paid a courtesy call on Him on Capitol Hill. The delegation informed the Vice President on a number of issues that are critical to the process including the enactment of laws to enable the smooth implementation of the accession. Mr. Chiedu Osakwe, Director of the Accession Division of the World Trade Organization, said it is not a choice for Liberia to be a member, it is about Liberia integrating in the regional value and global value chains, because domestic standards will be raised to global standards and said it is about a country that cares about their position in the world, the FrontPage Africa newspaper writes.

Gonzaga Host Nobel Laureate And Visiting Head Of State Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President Of Liberia, Oct. 4

Gonzaga University is pleased to announce that it will host Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia and winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize for Peace, on October 4. President Sirleaf has also graciously agreed to deliver Gonzaga’s sixth President Speaker. A global leader for women’s equality, Sirleaf will reflect upon her life story and discuss the promotion of global peace, justice and human rights. Gonzaga president Thayne McCulloh invites the Gonzaga community and the public to ear firsthand of President Sirleaf’s courageous efforts to bring economic growth and peace to war-torn Liberia, her heroic response to the Ebola crisis, and her award-wining efforts to promote human rights, freedom and justice worldwide, FrontPage Africa newspaper reports.

Teachers’ Ebola Payment Secured

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning declares that resources have been secured through the Ebola Trust Fund to underwrite the cost of one-off payments to private school teachers. According to a Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) release, all Private Schools are required to have accurate personnel Payrolls Records for April 2014 and May 2014, and that of April 2015 and May 2015 at their institutions as auditors from the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), will visit schools premises anytime during the payment period. All payments will begin on Tuesday, August 25, 2015 across the length and breadth of Liberia. All payments will be made by Ecobank directly to beneficiaries over-the-counter, New Democrat reports.

Related Caption: GoL Secures Resources To Pay All Private Schools Teachers(FOCUS)

Liberia Goes 35 Days In Ebola Free Count-Down

Liberia has made a journey of 35 days in its 42 days countdown to regain its Ebola-free status, the head of the Incident Management System (IMS), Tolbert Nyenswah, has disclosed. According to Mr. Nyenswah, this means that the nation will complete its 42 day count on August 28, at which time it is expected to again be declared Ebola-free by the World health Organization (WHO), West Africa Info Post writes.

Save The Children Craves Empowerment…Launches new Kids’ Program

Save the Children in Liberia has launched a new program called “Race”, which is aimed at helping to empower Liberia children in difficult condition. Speaking at the launch of the program held at the compound of the Don Bosco Youth Center in New Matadi, Save the Children Director for Program Quality Development in Liberia, Deirdre Keogh, said the children program is a campaign intended to help improve the livelihood of Liberian children, In Profile Daily asserts.  

NHA To Dedicate Housing Estate

The Management of the National Housing Authority will tomorrow dedicate 52 three-bedroom housing units as phase one of the Ben Town Housing Estate Construction. During the occasion, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is expected to hand over keys to potential home buyers who have completed 20 percent down payment of the cost of each housing unit into a ten year mortgage program with the Liberia investment (LBDI), Inquirer newspaper reports.

VP Boakai Wears Advocacy Garment – Wants GVL To Employ More Liberians

The Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has called on GVL to offer more opportunities to qualified Liberians instead of continually hiring expatriates. Vice President Boakai spoke yesterday in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, when he held a meeting with Mr. Franky Widjaja, Chairman of Sinar Mas Agribusines and Food, pens by the INSIGHT newspaper.

LNOC Official In Brazil…Ahead 2016 Olympic Games

The Vice President of the Liberia National Olympic Committee Malcolm Joseph is in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, attending the Chiefs of Mission meeting ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games in that country. According to a dispatch, Joseph and colleagues on Tuesday toured ongoing construction work ahead of the games. The delegation visited the Maracana Stadium which will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the games as well as the football semi-finals and grand final matches, the News newspaper writes.