THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUEDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

Today’s edition of the summary highlights news of Liberia’s consolation messages to the Governments and Peoples of Thailand and Haiti for the death of Prime Minister Bhumibol Adulyadej and the death of death caused by Hurricane Matthew, the release by the Special Presidential Task Force of a list of persons and firms recommended to restitute funds received from state coffers and the Central Bank holding of regional workshop on Economic & Financial Analysis under the auspices of the West African Institute for Financial & Economic Management. 

The summary also includes news of Acting Foreign Minister, B. Elias Shoniyin’s meeting with an Irish delegation andPresident Ellen Johnson Sirleaf congratulatory message to His Excellency Mr. Juan Manuel Santos, President of the Republic of Colombia, on his selection as this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner,

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia Consoles Thailand & Haiti

The Heritage newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that the President of the Republic of Liberia, H.E. Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has sent two separate Messages of Consolation to the Governments and Peoples of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of Haiti, following the death of His Royal Highness Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, and the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti. Hurricane Matthew recently killed more than one thousand persons and injured many more and left in its wake a massive destruction of properties across Haiti. In her message to H. E. Prayut Cgan-o-cha, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, President Johnson Sirleaf   stated, “It is with profound shock and deep sorrow that we have learned of the death news of His Royal Highness Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of the Kingdom of Thailand. And in her Message of Consolation to H.E. Mr. Jecelerme Privert, Interim President of the Republic of Haiti, President Sirleaf on behalf of the Government and the People of Liberia, and in her own name, prayed that as the people of Haiti go through this difficult period of national disaster and mourning, the Almighty God will grant them strength, courage and fortitude to restore their vibrant country to normalcy.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Consoles Thailand & Haiti (FOCUS), President Sirleaf Sends Messages Of Consolation To Thailand, Haiti (The INQUIRER)

‘Restitute Funds Or Risk Prosecution’-Fonati Koffa SPTF Tells Dr. Joseph Korto, James Fromoyan, Others

The Special Presidential Task Force (SPTF) has warned some individuals and institutions that they should now restitute funds into the Liberian Government’s coffers of risk prosecution.  Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa on Monday released a list of individuals and firms recommended by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to restitute funds received from the state without performing the required task as reported by the General Auditing Commission (GAC).the Daily Observer quotes the SPTF as saying that those on the restitution list are individuals and firms who received government allotment for works that were not performed or could not properly account for the money as required by law.

Related Captions: Restitution Bombshell! As Special Presidential Task Force Releases List For GAC Accused-Gayflor, Fromoyan, Nelson & Others Booked (FOCUS), Taskforce Releases Restitution List For GAC Accused (Heritage)

CBL Hosts Regional Workshop

The Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Mr. Milton A Weeks, says the shortage of knowledgeable professional in economic and financial analysis, especially in the subregion, is a challenge that must be addressed. Governor Weeks observed that individuals often assume the ability and responsibility of analyzing and commenting on government economic and financial policies, without understanding the basic economic theoretical underpinnings of the policies. The Governor made the remarks Monday, October 17, 2016, when he delivered the keynote address at the opening session of the regional workshop on Economic & Financial Analysis, being held under the auspices of the West African Institute for Financial & Economic Management ( WAIFEM). The CBL Governor reiterated the Bank’s promise to provide knowledge enhancement well as Legislative support staff in enhancing capacity in economic and financial analysis, reports the Heritagenewspaper.

Related Captions: Weeks Opens WAIFEM Regional W’shop (The INQUIRER), CBL Hosts Regional Workshop (FOCUS)

OTHER STORIES

Min. Shoniyin Meets Irish Delegation…Promises To Strengthen Diplomatic Ties

The In Profile Daily reports that the visiting Director of the Africa Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Ireland, Ms. Fionnuala Gilsenan, on Thursday, October 13, 2016 met with Acting Foreign Minister, Hon. B. Elias Shoniyin and held fruitful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening the existing cooperation and partnership between Liberia and Ireland.  The visiting Irish Director of Africa Unit was led at the Foreign Ministry by the Irish Ambassador accredited to Sierra Leone and Ambassador-designate to the Republic of Liberia, H.E. Ms. Catherine Campbell. She was also accompanied by Mr. James Harrington, Program Officer, Irish Aid, Embassy of Ireland, and Republic of Sierra Leone. According to a Foreign Ministry release, during the meeting held in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides exchanged views on critical bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest. In brief introductory remarks, the Irish Ambassador-designate to Liberia, who headed the Irish delegation, told the Acting Minister that their mission was to ascertain Ireland’s relationship with countries in West Africa, particularly Liberia and Sierra Leone as well as to hold talks with the Liberian government on the prospects and challenges of Ireland-Liberia relations and to renew the existing cooperation subsisting between both countries.  Receiving the delegation, Acting Foreign Minister Shoniyin thanked the Ambassador-designate for her frequent visit to Liberia especially being accompanied by relevant officials from Ireland.Commenting on Africa as a continent, Acting Minister Shoniyin stressed that the process of democratization in Africa is going on slowly and that there has always been doubts as to whether Africa is going to succeed in being fully democratized. He Liberia has made some progress in its democratization processes. He noted that Ireland has been a very strong partner in these efforts. Hon. Shoniyin, who is also the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, asserted that the contribution of the Irish troops to UNMIL peacekeeping operations in Liberia and its engagement in other important sectors of Liberia clearly signify a symbol of strong partnership between the two countries. For her part, the Director of Africa Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ms. Gilsenan said she was in Liberia to ensure that the partnership between the two countries was strengthened, taking into consideration the priority needs of Liberia.  She told the Acting Minister that her visit will also focus on the challenges that Liberia faces in its democratization process.

President Sirleaf Applauds Colombia’s Leader For Winning 2016 Nobel Peace Prize

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a congratulatory message to His Excellency   Mr. Juan Manuel Santos, President of the Republic of Colombia, on his selection as this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, by the Award Committee of the Nobel. The FOCUS newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that President Manuel Santos is being remembered for his resolute efforts in bringing the more than 50-year long civil war in Colombia to an end. In the Message to her Colombian counterpart, President Johnson Sirleaf added, “Your effort to have championed the most promising peace deal to transition Colombia to sustainable peace and stability which was narrowly rejected in a referendum is commendable.” President Johnson Sirleaf further expressed confidence that Liberia will continue to collaborate very closely with the government and people of Colombia, for the realization of this Nobel objectives.

Liberian Women Rally Support for Haiti

Hundreds of Liberian women under the banner, Community Health Care Initiative (CHCI), have raised about US$1,000 and LD68, 000 to assist victims of the recent storm in Haiti. Hurricane Matthew ravaged Haiti’s southwest peninsula early this month with initial death toll put at about 339 people. Executive director Madam Naomi Tulay Solanke said CHCI embarks on a car wash and tea sale in various communities, including Central Monrovia, Paynesville City, Robertsfield highway and Bushrod Island, to generate funds to help victims of the Haiti Disaster in North America, which mostly affected women and children. She said though the fund raising campaign is ongoing, her organization intends to shortly turn money generated over to Action Aid Liberia, an International Non-Governmental Humanitarian Organization that is spearheading a Haiti Disaster Trust Fund here for subsequent transmission to the disaster victims through Action Aid Haiti Office, according to the New Dawn newspaper.

Climate Justice Ambassadors Receive Training… Coordinator Wants Action Against Global Warning

An environmental and Global Climate Organization, Plant – for – the – Planet Foundation has launched its academy in Liberia and formally trained one hundred Ambassadors to advocate for climate justice by planting trees. In his presentation during the training held at the Auditorium of the College of West Africa, A. Mohammed A. Foboi, Country Coordinator of Plant – For – the – Planet Foundation, said the program is meant to take practical actions against global warning and advocate for climate justice in Liberia through the planting of additional trees, reports the In Profile Daily.

Elections Magistrates Begin Training…EU, UNDP Support Process

According the In Profile Daily, the National Elections Commission (NEC) with support of the European Union and UNDP Election Project has commenced a two-week workshop for 19 Elections Magistrates focusing on the NEC’s elections complaints resolution mechanism. The training is being held in Gbarnga, Bong County, from today, Monday, 17^th October to Friday, 28^th October, 2016. The workshop is being held in 2 phases by 10 and 9 Magistrates respectively.  The sessions are geared at training the Magistrates to build their capacity for effective hearing of complaints that would evolve following the upcoming Presidential and Legislative elections in 2017.

Ellen Switches Solar Power Lights in Totota

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has officially switched on a Solar Power Light in Totota, Bong County, in Central Liberia. An Executive Mansion release said she commended the Solar Power Plant CEO, Mr. William T. Thompson and the Project Consultant of the Liberia Engineering and Geo-Tech Consultant, Mr. Emmanuel K. Urey, for being so creative in providing job opportunities for jobless Liberians. According to the release, President Sirleaf officially participated in the Solar Power lightening ceremony on Wednesday, 12 October in Totota, Bong County, while en-route to Gbarnga for the dedicatory program for the Monrovia-Gbarnga Highway. She called on other young Liberians to emulate the good examples of Thompson and Urey for being so creative and innovative, appealing to residents of Totota to ensure that those connected to the Mini-Solar Power Light pay their bills as a means of sustaining the project to keep it alive, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

800m People Remain Food Insecure..FAO Boss Asserts

The INQUIRER newspaper reports that the Country Director of the World Food Program in Liberia has disclosed that nearly 800 million people remain food insecure nowadays. According to Dr. Marc Abdala most of these people earn their living and feed their families from the very sector that bears the brunt of the impacts. Addressing a joint news conference with Acting Agriculture Minister, Dr. Charles McClain and Mr. Julie MacDonald, Country Director of the World Food Program, Dr. Abdala said “This Year, World Food Day is devoted to analyzing how food and agriculture should evolve in order to face the impacts of climate change.

Pres. Sirleaf Wants Provisions In LICPA Act revisited

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is calling for a review of the Liberia Institute of Certified Public Accountants (LICPA) Act to address some of its provisions that seem to undermine the smooth operation of the institute.  “The Government is not happy with some provisions in the LICPA Act, because they seem to keep some firms out of active practice; we need to sit, review and improve them for the growth of the country’s accounting institutions,” President Sirleaf stressed, reports the FOCUSnewspaper.