THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

News ofPresident Johnson Sirleaf’s talks with Japanese Prime Minister in Tokyo and Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan’s urge for recent Foreign Service Institute graduates to serve Liberia first are the stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

Ellen, Japanese Prime Minister Hold Talks in Tokyo

The Heritage newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have reaffirmed their determination to coordinate, cooperate and strengthen the excellent relations subsisting between the two countries. According to a dispatch from Tokyo, the two leaders, in a Joint Statement following bilateral discussions at the Prime Minister’s office on Thursday, August 27, agreed to enhance cooperation especially in the areas of the rebuilding and strengthening of Liberia’s health systems, consolidation of peace in Liberia, strengthening economic relations, the holding of the next Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) summit next year, and cooperation in the international arena. The Joint Statement also highlighted President Sirleaf’s participation in the World Assembly for Women, and the importance of securing the participation of women in a wide range of areas in society. Touching on rebuilding and strengthening Liberia’s health systems, both leaders recalled the unprecedented outbreak of the Ebola virus disease and reaffirmed the close cooperation between both countries to tackle this threat to international security. President Sireaf updated the Japanese Prime Minister on Liberia’s efforts to date to fight against the Ebola virus disease and expressed highly valued appreciation for Japan’s assistance in the fight.

Related Caption:Ellen Holds Bilateral Talks With Japanese PM (The News), Japan Pledges To Support Liberia’s Recovery from Ebola Epidemic During Meeting With President(The New Dawn), Japan Pledges To Support Liberia’s Recovery from Ebola Epidemic During Meeting With President (New Democrat), Japan Pledges To Support Liberia(The New Republic), President Sirleaf Holds Bilateral Discussions With Japanese P.M(West Africa INFO Post)

Pres. Sirleaf Addresses 2nd WAW in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan- President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has reflected on the struggle of women across the globe that continues to prevent them from “shining” and praised Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for organizing the World Assembly for Women (WAW) and all that he continues to do to promote the advancement and empowerment of women both in Japan and other parts of the world. The Liberian leader stressed that if the world is to move “Towards a Society Where Women Shine”, we must continue to tackle with more forcefulness a world in which 30 percent of women around the world experience either physical or sexual partner violence; where 20 percent of women in sub-Saharan Africa suffer from non-sexual partner violence; a world in which 1.3 billion women do not have an account at formal financial institutions. According to a dispatch from Tokyo, President Sirleaf made the remarks when she delivered the Keynote Address at the opening of the 2nd World Assembly for Women (WAW 2015) at the GRAND PRINCE HOTEL TAKANAWA on Friday, August 28, 2015. The WAW 2015 was held under the theme: “Towards a Society Where Women Shine.” Speaking further, President Sirleaf indicated that while recognizing unprecedented success in a few countries, just as Rwanda which has the highest world-wide participation, it is noted that in sub-Saharan Africa, women account for only 22 percent of seats in National Parliaments, admitting that both Japan and Liberia have much catching up to do at 9 percent and 10 percent respectively. She also noted that 43 percent of women the agricultural workforce has limited personal access to credit, land and information, although they play the dominant role in ensuring food security for the African region, reports the New Dawn newspaper

Several Resignations At NOCAL-As Interim Team Takes Over

Several officials at the National Oil Company of Liberia or NOCAL have tendered in their resignations as the company sinks deeper into financial crisis, whilst its President & CEO, Dr. Randolph A.K.W. McClain, heads for retirement.Their resignations come just days after President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf endorsed the company's board Sustainable Action Plan or SAP, aimed at restructuring and reducing the number of staffs. Those who tendered their resignations are Vice President of Administration, Mrs. Vida Mensah, the acting Vice President of Corporate Social Relations, Mr. Pete Norman and the Vice President of Public Affairs, Mr. Lamini A. Waritay, President of the Company. Their resignations also come just hours before the company could announce an interim management team headed by Cllr. Althea Sherman, Chief Operating Officer to lead NOCAL out of its current misery. Other members appointed by the Board of Directors to head the Interim Transitional Management Team are the Vice President of Technical Services, Mr. Rufus Tarnue, and the Vice President of Finance, Mr. Karmo Ville. In a statement issued on NOCAL's website over the weekend, the company said the decision to appoint an interim management team amidst the resignations was made at a Thursday August 27, general staff meeting by the Vice Chairman of the Board, Mr. Fred Bass Golokai, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Somalia Drive Road Project On Course

According to the News newspaper, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has indicated that preparatory surveys for the Somalia Drive Road Construction are ongoing and that work on the road will resume in October or November this year. He said private sector investment and growth as well as job creation are key for Liberia’s progress after the Ebola crisis. Prime Minister Abe gave the assurance following an appeal by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf on the road project during bilateral discussions she held with the Japanese Prime Minister Thursday at his office in Tokyo. Earlier, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf reminded Prime Minister Abe during the discussion about the need to accelerate the construction of the Somalia Drive project with an adjustment to a four-lane project.

Related Caption:Somalia Drive Road……..(Heritage)

House Passes Road Act

The House of Representatives has voted unanimously to pass into law an Act establishing the Liberian Institute for Road Building and Maintenance. The lawmakers’ action Thursday was triggered by recommendations in a report the House’s Joint Committee on Public Works and Education submitted to the body following a five-month review. In the report, the Joint Committee noted that the establishment of the institute would go a long way in improving road infrastructure in Liberia, and by extension support government’s Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation, writes the News newspaper.

Exhibit High Standard of Professionalism

The Heritage newspaper reports that Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr. has called on graduates of the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) to exhibit the high standard of professionalism at all times in the execution of their duties. The Foreign Service Institute is an institution at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intended to train Liberia’s emerging diplomats in Foreign Service and Diplomacy. The Liberian Vice President urged the graduates to cultivate the good spirit of nationalism and be dutifully loyal in the performance of their responsibilities while on posts or assignment.

Combating Emergencies – Three Countries Discuss Collaboration Against EVD

Three countries worse hit by the recent outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus are collaborating in preparation to combat at future emergencies. Stakeholders from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea during discussions on EVD vaccines and therapeutic trials sub regional EVD collaboration meeting at the Monrovia City Hall Thursday pledged to work together to tackle any future outbreak. Delivering the opening remarks, Foreign Minster Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan said the gathering is important in that a sub-regional effort is being put together to help develop resilience to the EVD. Minister Ngafuan said now the blaring of siren has reduced in the three countries, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea because Ebola is being defeated. Also making presentation on their objectives and expectations, Dr. Luciana Borio, Acting Chief Scientist of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services said the FDA has a sense of responsibility to help because the body has regulatory oversight for the drugs being tested, FrontPage Africa reports.

Ellen Wants Lawmakers Postpone Agro Break

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has requested the Legislature to extend their agricultural break by six weeks for the passage of some key bills into law. President Sirleaf’s request was made to lawmakers through a communication sent to both Houses of Senate and Representatives, The New Republic writes.

Red Cross Hosts First Humanitarian Hub Event In Liberia

The Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) is scheduled to hold its first humanitarian hub event this year. It will be held under the theme ‘Voices to Action’. Speaking at a press conference, the secretary general of the LNRCS, Fayiah Tamba said the hub with collect voices of communities through a series of humanitarian hub events around the world. The first will be held in Sanniquellie, Nimba County on September 2-3, FrontPage Africa writes.

ABE Pledges To Support Liberia’s Recovery From Ebola Epidemic During Meeting With President

FrontPage Africasays Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to support Ebola-hit Liberia as it recovers from the deadly epidemic during a summit with the country’s visiting President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Thursday. “I told (the president) that Japan will boost cooperation with Liberia to provide assistance in the field of health and to rebuild its society and economy”, Abe said at a joint news conference with Sirleaf at his office in Tokyo on Thursday. On the international front, both leaders agreed to cooperate on a number of issues such as the reform of the U.N. Security Council, resolution of human rights violations by North Korea, including its abductions of Japanese national, and the sustainable se of marine resources, according to the joint statement.

Sub-Regional Researchers, Scientists Promise Collaboration To Eradicate Ebola

Regional collaboration for EVD vaccines and Therapeutic trials meeting on ethical & regulatory challenges during emergency situations was held among Representative Researchers and Scientists from the four Mano River Union (MRU) countries: Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast as well as other delegates from the United States, Europe and the West African Sub-Region. In their 8-count joint communiqué issued at the close of the two day intense deliberations, the participants promised to develop harmonized regulatory framework for the review, access to, approval, availability and import of medicinal drugs and devices, develop harmonized framework for and adherence to ethical standards during health disasters, develop and adhere to appropriate and approved harmonized mechanisms for vaccines, therapeutic agents and testing methods. The communiqué called for collaboration and networking with other IRBs and partners such as the FDA, NIH, WHO, WAHO and AVAREF in capacity enhancement and infrastructure strengthening within the Sub-Region, FrontPage Africa reports.

NEC To Launch CVE Toolkit

According to the New Dawn newspaper, the National Elections Commission (NEC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) will today launch the National Civic and Voter Education Toolkit of Liberia.The CVE Toolkit will be launched at a ceremony to be held at the headquarters of the Commission in Monrovia. The Toolkit provides a standard for the effective dissemination of electoral messages with the aim of ensuring equitable and increased participation of citizens in the electoral process in Liberia. The launch of the National CVE Toolkit is part of preparatory activities for the conduct of a possible referendum in 2016 and the2017Representative and Presidential Elections. The CVE Toolkit was development as a result of a study commissioned by the NEC in 2014, which recommended that a Toolkit for Civic and Voter Education was required in order to enhance the mass participation of the public in electoral processes. The CVE Toolkit contains, among other things, the necessary strategy that would lead to the effective dissemination of CVE messages to all stakeholders in the electoral process in Liberia. The inputs of various stakeholders in the electoral process, including national civil society organizations involved with electoral activities, were sought during the formulation of the Toolkit.

Commerce Ministry Begins Inspection Wednesday

The Ministry of Commerce is scheduled to embark on inspection of commodities on the Liberian market effective Wednesday, September 2, 2015. Commerce Minister Axel Addy, who made the disclosure in Monrovia, said government has reduced prices to make goods affordable for consumers. Briefing reporters Thursday at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism on Capitol Hill, he said prices for gasoline and diesel have dropped, so it is mandated that commercial drivers reduce fares. According to the Commerce boss, henceforth from Red Light in the commercial district of Paynesville to New Georgia Junction along Somalia Drive is 25 Liberian Dollars in taxi cab, while bus is 15 Liberian Dollars.  Minister Addy said a 25 kilogram bag of rice previously sold at retail price between US$17 to $18, is now US$15. He said Liberia has one of the lowest gas prices among the Mano River Union Countries (Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast) saying, "If someone is caught violating the commerce law, that person will be fined and if the person refuses to pay the fine, the business will shut down." At the same time the minister has called for the registration of small and large businesses in the country, noting that the process was moving too slowly. He said uniformed inspectors from the ministry with proper identification will shortly embark on inspection of businesses for registration, pens the New Dawn newspaper.

Movie Star Warns Against Gender Discrimination

Liberian International Movie Actor Frank Artus has warned Liberians against gender discrimination, especially against women. Artus said such discrimination was something that stops women from participating in national activities and discussing issues of national concern. The movie actor made the remarks last Friday, August 28, 2015, when he signed and joined the “HE FOR SHE” campaign at a news conference hosted by United Nations Women in Liberia. “I am honored to officially join the “HE FOR SHE” campaign and to announce my support - my involvement, as well as my commitment to all actions that promote gender equality and women empowerment in Liberia and the rest of the world,” he told journalists in Monrovia last Friday. I strongly believe that women deserve to live in a society free of violence and discrimination, where they can have the same opportunities as men to achieve their potentials in their various communities. I think it is right that women gets paid as their male counterparts; I think it is right for women to get involved in the making of policies and decisions of our country,” International Actor Artus said, admonishing that their rights should also be respected by men. It can be recalled that Liberian International movie actor Frank Artus presented his Face of Africa and Humanitarian Award to the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Information last Thursday during its regular press briefing on Capitol Hill, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

USAID Pumps US$290K In Recovery Plan For Ebola Survivors

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided US$290,000 through IREX to Search for Common Ground (SFCG) to sensitize communities on the negative impacts stigma makes on Ebola survivors. Since the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Liberia, those who survived the disease have reportedly suffered stigma in various communities, thus causing them to feel discriminated against. The stigma comes about because of fear that survivors could still be transmit the virus when they are touched since it is one way of contracting EVD. During a 4-day workshop in Gbarnga, Bong County over the weekend, the Executive Director of SFCG, Oscar Bloh, said integration of Ebola survivors remains a challenge in the country. To address this problem, USAID through IREX provided the funds to work with civil society organizations and community radios in rural Montserrado, Bong, Margibi, Lofa and Nimba Counties to educate and sensitize communities in order to eradicate stigma. He outlined stigma, survivors’ benefits, and livelihood status as key issues faced in the recovery process through which the CSOs and community radios have to propagate messages about survivors’ reintegration into society in three months. Mr. Bloh also indicated that the project will seek to sensitize communities hit by the virus to plan memorial programs for those who died of the virus. According to him, many of the victims were not properly buried, and therefore, there is a need to assist communities to plan programs that will memorialize their deceased. A consensus was reached between USAID, IREX and SFCG on the one hand, and community radios on the other that the messages about reintegration of survivors and memorializing the victims begin early September and end late November 2015, asserts the Daily Observer.

Liberia To Host Global Humanitarian Confab, Red Cross-Red Crescent Prioritizing Community Solutions

The Daily Observer reports that Liberia will host the first of four global humanitarian hub events, known as the Voices to Action (VTA) in Sanniquillie City, Nimba County, from September 2-3. The conference is intended to address global humanitarian challenges that affect local communities and how these challenges can be mitigated by prioritizing local solutions. VTA is an initiative of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) and Liberia was fortunate to be one of the four countries, the only one in Africa to be selected by the global humanitarian body to host the events. The VTA will enable voices of communities concerned to be collected through the series of humanitarian hub events around the world, the first of which will be taking place in Sanniquellie next week. The ever increasing humanitarian crises across the globe, especially the just waning Ebola crisis that devastated the entire Mano River Sub-region, are now compelling major global humanitarian organizations to re-strategize in order to make greater impacts through their responses in the lives of the most vulnerable people at the local community levels. Announcing the VTA confab in Monrovia over the weekend, Fayiah Tamba, Secretary-General, Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) said participants will include community members and leaders, Red Cross volunteers, staff and partners, civil society organizations (CSOs) actors and government representative. They will discuss local needs and reflect on how to strengthen community-driven action, be it individual initiatives or community partnerships.

Electricity Restoration - The ‘Big Light Tomorrow’ Challenge

One of Liberia’s major problems is the lack of electricity. The capital, Monrovia, still in darkness, described as one of the darkest capital cities in the world. The average Liberian child born in the 1980s does not know about stable electricity. Recognizing the eagerness of Liberians for electricity, the more than 20 presidential candidates that contested the first post-war democratic elections in 2005 made electricity a premium in their platform, promising to restore power to the city and nearby suburbs when voted to power. To the delight of many Liberians, the eventual winner of the 2005 election, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf attached a timeline to her pledge, promising to electrify Monrovia within six months when elected. Immediately following her election, Sirleaf embarked on what she termed “Small Light Today, Big Light Tomorrow”, a campaign she said was intended to provide electricity for Monrovia and environs to be followed by other parts of the country. Pres. Sirleaf wooed international support for the Liberia electrification project. In 2006, the Speaker of the US Congress, Nancy Pelosi, paid a visit to Liberia and she promised that the United States will assist Liberia in providing electricity to the population. Pelosi applauded President Sirleaf for what she for her efforts "to turn on the lights”. The visit was followed by another congressional delegation that visited the LEC and held discussions with authorities at the entity, pens FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee Challenges African Youths

According to FrontPage Africa newspaper, the 2011 Noble Peace Prize Winner and Liberia's peace activist Leymah Gbowee has outlined several issues that young Africans must pay keen attention to if the continent is to be developed. Madam Gbowee wants the youths to cultivate the spirit of voluntarism, a sense of philanthropy, good morals, love for humanity, and intellectual development for a better Africa. Madam Gbowee spoke Tuesday, August 25, in Ghana when she addressed 100 young West Africans, who are currently undergoing training in Civic Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Public Sector Management at the Accra Regional Leadership Center. The Noble Laureate said voluntarism is an essential tool for nation building and African youths must get greatly involved with this practice in their various communities as a means of accelerating local development initiatives. She also encouraged the young people to share not only materials and finances, but those basic intellectual stills and knowledge needed for regional development. Madam Gbowee said Africa is bankrupt in terms of morals and good leadership and therefore encouraged the YALI participants to go back to their respective countries and begin to exhibit good moral behaviors and leadership to curb the impoverishment on the continent over the century. YALI is the President Obama Young African Leaders Initiative to Africa's next generation of innovative leaders, who are empowered to shape the future of the continent. We are proud that Julateh Mulbah, a beneficiary of GPFA's African Girls Leadership Institute's - Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Ashesi University in Ghana, was opportune to introduce Madam Gbowee and, is herself an OBAMA Young African Leader.

Related Caption: Gbowee Challenges African Youths(The Analyst)

Equip-Liberia Begins Ebola Cash Transfers in 3 Counties

The non-governmental organization Equip-Liberia has begun the transfer of cash to help people in three counties in Liberia as part of its Ebola recovery program. Equip-Liberia’s program “Education to Eradicate Ebola” (EEE) is being implemented in three of the fifteen counties ad is an 18-month project moving to its second phase. The group is implementing several projects as part of a rigorous Ebola recovery effort. Equip’s Finance Officer, Gobah Zunuwalas, told this paper that the first phase of the project that lasted for six months was basically providing immediate food and nonfood assistance to Ebola-affected households, orphans, and people affected greatly by the deadly virus. “During the first phase, we received the amount of 170,000 British Pounds, which is equivalent to US$165,000,” he revealed. And according to Emmanuel Kimen, Equip’s program officer, funding for the project was provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Mercy Corps to carry on Ebola platform campaign, the New Republic reports.