THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Today’s dominant stories on the newsstand are the arrival of more U.S. troops in Liberia for the fight against the Ebola virus and China’s USD 1 million cash donation to Liberia.

Dominant Stories

More U.S. troops, supplies arrive

According to the New Dawn Newspaper, Another C-17 aircraft, carrying 39 U.S.military personnel and equipment arrived in Liberia on Tuesday to help the anti-Ebola fight in West Africa. The 39 military personnel include 15 U.S. Navy SeaBees and 24 Operation United Assistance (OUA) Headquarters personnel.  According to a press release issued in Monrovia, the SeaBees make up the U.S. Navy Construction Battalion. The SeaBees will conduct site assessments and provide mentorship for the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) construction teams, which will be charged with building additional Ebola Treatment Units (ETU).  Discussions are underway for the construction of additional ETUs and how many.  The C-17 U.S. military aircraft also brought in a tactical truck, a tent system and three pallets of medical supplies. A total of four C-17 U.S. military aircraft have so far flown into Liberia with military equipment and personnel for the anti-Ebola fight. Over the weekend, another two C-17 U.S. military aircraft landed at Roberts International Airport (RIA) with military personnel, including engineers and airfield specialists, as part of an advance team. Additional large military aircraft, transporting more personnel and supplies, are expected to arrive in Monrovia in the coming days.

Related Captions:Additional U.S Military Personnel And Supplies Arrive For Anti-Ebola Fight (Heritage Newspaper),More U.S. Military Personnel, Supplies Arrive for the Anti-Ebola Fight (New Republic Newspaper),Hope Sparks In Liberia For U.S. Soldiers (Focus Newspaper),and More US Troops Arrive (In Profile Daily), More U.S. Military Personnel Arrive (West Africa Info Post Newspaper)

China provides another $1M-Seeks enhanced global effort

Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Zhang Yue, says the fight against the Ebola virus should not only be left with African countries and peoples, but also a global responsibility. Delivering the Chinese Government’s $1m cash and logistical contribution to the Government of Liberia on Wednesday, 24 September, Ambassador Yue urged developed countries to “take concrete measures” in eradicating the Ebola virus out of West Africa. At the occasion graced by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Deputy Foreign Minister Sylvester Grigsby, among others, the Chinese envoy reemphasized that China is ready to work side by side with Liberia to tackling the disease.  In a live broadcast program held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday, Ambassador Yue and Deputy Foreign Minister Grigsby signed and exchanged notes surrounding the Chinese US$1m contribution in support of eradicating Ebola here. The Chinese Government had earlier provided logistics to the Liberia National Police valued at US$211,781.71. Having observed the exercise, President Sirleaf described the Chinese donation as tremendous, and assured that it will be channeled through the right means at the Ebola Trust Fund account established at the Central Bank of Liberia.  She said the cash will go onward to the different entities that are engaged in the response process, while the medical supplies will go through “our response center” that is coordinating all of this to ensure that they reach places where they are most needed. Earlier, Deputy Minister Grisby said the assistance from China will go a long way, especially donation to the Liberia National Police or LNP, which he says needs capacity to effectively maintain law and order in the midst of the drawdown of UNMIL, reports the New Dawn Newspaper.

Related Captions: China Donates US1M (New Democrat Newspaper),China Gives More To Liberia (The Inquirer Newspaper),China Donates US$1m To Ebola Task Force ( In Profile Daily),President Sirleaf Applauds The People’s Republic of China (FrontPage Africa),and Chinese Envoy Calls For Global Front In Ebola Fight (Heritage Newspaper)

Other Stories

Ellen Reaffirms Support to LEITI

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has reaffirmed Government’s commitment to promoting transparent resource governance by supporting the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) process in Liberia.  On Tuesday, September 23 during a brief meeting with the Acting Head of Secretariat Konah D. Karmo, President Sirleaf renewed her assurance to resource governance. The meeting also involved the Technical Officer Beneta Ackah and Communications Officer Samson Wonnah at her Foreign Ministry Office in Monrovia, arranged following LEITI’s presentation of the 5th EITI Report of Liberia to the President.  A press release issued in Monrovia said, briefing the Liberian leader on the status of the EITI process, Mr. Karmo highlighted several progress made by the Initiative ,including publication of the 5th EITI Report and LEITI’s recent efforts to disclose the beneficial ownership of extractive companies in the country to ensure that Liberians truly benefit from their resources.The LEITI boss however noted that despite these gains, the Agency is faced with several challenges, including funding, logistics and staffing constraints. He disclosed that budgetary allocations for the LEITI have declined drastically over the past years. Mr.Karmo called on the government and other stakeholders to address these issues particularly, given that Liberia faces its second validation by the International EITI Secretariat in 2015, writes the News Newspaper.

Related Captions: Pres. Sirleaf reaffirms commitment to LEITI (New Dawn Newspaper), and President Sirleaf’s Renewed Commitment For Liberia’s EITI Process (FrontPage Africa)

Kailondo Donates to PUL

The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has received a donation of 50 (25kg) bags of rice and 300 gallons of gasoline from the Kailondo Group of Businesses ahead of the Union's 50th Anniversary next Tuesday. Making the donation Tuesday, September 22, 2014 at the PUL Headquarters in Monrovia, Mr. George Kailondo, CEO of the Kailondo Group of Businesses, said the gesture was his entity's way of contributing to the important role the Liberian media is playing in the fight against Ebola, especially as the PUL celebrates 50 years of existence. "The media and the PUL have played a very important role in the fight against Ebola by educating the public and needs to be supported," Mr. Kailondo, owner of Super FM 95.5, said. "On behalf of my businesses and family, I have come to identify with the media through the PUL as you celebrate 50 years of existence." The Press Union OF Liberia last week announced that it will dedicate its 50th Anniversary on September 30th, to the national fight against the virulent Ebola virus disease that has claimed more than 1,500 lives across the country so far, inks the New Republic Newspaper.

Related Caption: Kailondo Gives 50 Bags of Rice For PUL at 50 (Heritage Newspaper), and Kailondo Boosts PUL 50^th Anniversary (Insight Newspaper)

Gov’t Welcomes Predictive Tool of CDC

According to the New Dawn Newspaper, the Government of Liberia has welcomed the predictive tool released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States or CDC.  According to an Information release, instrument is intended to help measure the government’s progress in the ongoing fight against the Ebola epidemic. The release said the Ebola Response Model predicts what could happen if the administration did nothing, and importantly, how, overtime, it could measure positive changes in the state of the Ebola fight by taking good public health actions, such as those described in the National Ebola Response Plan of the Government.  Quoting the CDC publication, the Information Ministry release added that the published estimates of the CDC were based on data only up to August 28, and assumes that both the government and international community would do nothing more than what was done up to that date. The release quoted Information Minister Lewis Brown as disclosing that understanding the range between the potential worst outcome and  best outcome gives the government and its partners more information about the steps the government needed to take to win the fight in the shortest possible time. “The information in this report will help the government and its partners not only in terms of focusing on the ongoing fight, but also in making the case internationally for greater and more urgent support to fight the worst Ebola epidemic in history. We intend to use this tool of the CDC to continuously measure our collective efforts and progress,” Minister Brown is quoted as saying. Pointing to the fact that the estimates of the CDC were based on data collected more than three weeks ago, the Minister reminded that steps have already been taken since the end of August not to realize the worst-case predicted outcomes in the report.

Related Caption: GOL welcomes U.S. CDC Ebola Predictive Tool (Heritage Newspaper)

7 Discharge From Firestone Hospital

According to the Inquirer Newspaper, the Firestone Medical Center has release seven additional Ebola patient after undergoing successful treatment for the disease at it Ebola Treatment Unit in Duside, Margibi. They all tested positive for Ebola but proved negative after undergoing intensive treatment at the medical center. The seven persons bring to 13 the total number of persons who have been treated and reintegrated into their communities by the center since the outbreak of the disease in the country in March.

M’Land Health Workers Get Training

Several Health workers from public and private health centers in Maryland County are currently undergoing series of trainings on the deadly Ebola virus. The training is being carried out by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Speaking during the training, Maryland Health Team Officer noted that since the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Country, there has not been a single case reported from any of the districts in Maryland County, pens the Inquirer Newspaper.