THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, November 3, 2014

The Japanese Government’s promise to stand side by side with Liberia in all aspects of its developmental agenda, the dedication of a three hundred-bed Ebola Treatment Unit in Monrovia  by President Sirleaf with the Head Doctor promising to do all to increase the Ebola survivor rate to 75%, the visit of the Malian President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita  to Liberia and the observance by the Press Union of Liberia its first International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists are stories dominating our summary of today’s selected local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Japan Stands Side By Side With Liberia

The Heritage Newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release: The Government of Japan has promised to stand side by side with Liberia in all aspects of its developmental agenda. The Charge d’Affaires of the Japanese Embassy accredited near Monrovia Mr. Shigeru Umetsu said Japan intends to continue supporting Liberia in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Mr. Umetsu said his country is not only focusing its support to Liberia based on the Ebola Virus Disease. Speaking at the official handover ceremony of the 7 ambulances and 48 beds at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mr. Umetsu expressed his deepest condolences to the people of Liberia and the victims of the Ebola virus. The Japanese Charge d’ Affaires recalled that Japan was fast in responding to the Liberian people through financial and material assistance during the early outbreak of the Ebola virus. Representing the Government of Liberia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Sylvester Grigsby appreciated the Japanese donation and effort, and recognized that the donation is not only government to government but also people to people. Hon. Grigsby recalled that since the beginning of H.E. Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s led administration; Japan has been there for the Liberian people. The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs mentioned that the Liberian Ambassador in Tokyo has also been receiving phone calls and had meetings with students, members of Japan’s Parliament and ordinary Japanese willing to contribute to the fight against Ebola in Liberia. Hon. Grigsby thanked the Government and People of Japan on behalf of the President of the Republic of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Foreign Minister, H.E. Augustine K. Ngafuan and the Government and People of Liberia for the solidarity that has not only been expressed but demonstrated by the Government and People of Japan. For His part, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Hon. Axel Addy while appreciating the Japanese Government recalled the launching of Liberia’s transformation  agenda and Japan focused assistance on the infrastructure segment of the agenda. Deputy Minister for International Corporation and Economic Integration, Hon. Elias Shoniyin in his introductory remarks also articulated gratitude to the Japanese Government and the effort of the Embassy of Japan in Ghana for the consistent support to aid Liberia off the Ebola scourge that has attempted to discriminate the entire Liberian society. Hon. Shoniyin Hoped that Japan will continue to support Liberia until the fight against Ebola is over, as Japan promised to stand side by side with Liberia in this fight. The handover ceremony was held today, November 1, 2014 at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

Related Captions: Japan Stands By Liberia(New Democrat), Japan Stands Side By Side With Liberia(The Analyst, In Profile, Focus, Insight and Newspaper)

ETU At ‘540’ Dedicated, But Not Many Patients Expected, Doctors Say

A 300-bed Ebola Treatment Center, located at the New Ministry of Defense building in Congo Town, Monrovia, was last Friday dedicated by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, but doctors told reporters they don’t expect a flood of patients. “540,” the name of the community that hosts the Ministry of Defense building and new ETU in Congo Town,  got the nickname 540, according to residents, as a result of former combatants who were housed there during President Charles Taylor’s administration, and were each paid US$540.00 as benefits, Daily Observer reports.

Related Caption: Liberia Opens Biggest Ebola Center…Malian President Pays Solidary Visit(The Inquirer). The head of the newly opened Ebola Treatment Unit, Dr. Soka Moses, has promised to do all he possibly can to increase the Ebola survivor rate to75% at the center. Speaking Friday during the  official opening of the Ministry of Defense (MOD) ‘One’ Ebola Treatment Unit in Congotown, Monrovia, Dr. Moses said he believes that with the level of support and staff at the center, they are hoping to increase the survivor rate to 75%, Daily Observer reports under the caption “Dr. Moses Aims For 75% Ebola Survivor Rate“.

President Sirleaf Sees A Bright Future In Overcoming Ebola

As Liberia continues to see a drop in the number of reported Ebola cases, the government on Friday dedicated a 200-bed Ebola Treatment Unit, built by the World Food Program with expertise and material support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Dedicating the ETU located in Congo Town at the unfinished Ministry of Defense edifice, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said Liberia remains grateful to the world for the help that has poured in to help contain the epidemic, FrontPage Africa reports.

Malian President Pays Solidarity To Liberia

The President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Saturday paid a one-day solidarity visit to Liberia. During the visit, the Malian President held closed door discussions with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at her Foreign Ministry office in Monrovia. Addressing a press briefing following the discussion, President Johnson-Sirleaf described the Malian President’s visit as a big pat for Liberia. She expressed gratitude to the Malian leader for the occasional phone calls he made to chat with her and express his sympathy, Heritage reports.

Related Captions: Malian President Lauds Liberians (The News)

PUL Collaborates With UNESCO

The Press Union of Liberia will today take part in programs across the world in commemorating the first observance of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. The Liberian edition will be in the form of a National Symposium under the theme “Breaking the culture of impunity creating a safe climate for Journalists in Liberia”, New Democrat reports.

Related Captions: PUL, UNESCO Host Forum To Commemorate Journalists Safety Today(Inquirer)Safety Of Journalists Against Impunity – PUL, partners Commemorate Day(The Analyst)

24 Recruited Finance Directors In Code Of Conduct, Public Reforms Training

The Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA) will today begin to orient 24-newly recruited Directors at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) in strategic leadership and management in the public sector.  The intensive week-long orientation training is part of the new recruits’ 90-day probation on their academic and criminal records set by the MFDP, as well as a way to formally school them in the public sector reforms of the country. Daily Observer

Related Captions: 24 Newly Recruits’ Finance Directors In Training(The Inquirer),Newly Recruited Finance Directors In Public Service Training(INSIGHT)

OTHER STORIES

EU Committed To Helping Liberia Kick Out Ebola, EJS Assured

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has held discussion with a delegation of the European Union, headed by the Director, Humanitarian and Civil Protection Operations (DG ECHO), Jean-Louis DE Brower at her Foreign Ministry office in Monrovia. Mr. DE Brower and delegation are on the final leg of a three-nation tour to assess the current status of the Ebola outbreak in the worst affected countries which includes Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The FrontPage Africa quotes an Executive Mansion release as saying that Mr. DE Brower informed President Sirleaf that he was dispatched to the region by the European Union to get from the governments and partners an update on the outbreak and inform them about plans to work with the affected countries and the global community on building upon the interventions already in place. For her part, President Sirleaf welcomed the visiting EU official and pointed out that the EU’s intervention as outlined by Mr. DE Brower are consistent with what is already being done by the government and its partners. She pointed out that all Ebola-related interventions will now be aligned and integrated with the regular health care system as a way of beginning the process of rebuilding the system. 

UNICEF Emergency Supplies Arrive

As part of a 1 million donation from the European Union, a cargo plane with UNICEF emergency supplies landed in the Liberian capital Monrovia last night. The flight, which took off from Luxembourg airport, is the second of three cargo air lifted funded by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil protection department (ECHO) to Ebola affected countries. A first flight with nearly 100 metric tons of essential medical supplies landed in Sierra Leone two week ago. “Bringing in emergency supplies is vital to the Ebola response which is now coming up to speed in Liberia”, said Dr. Imanol Berakoetxea, ECHO Ebola expert in the Liberian capital Monrovia, the Inquirer newspaper reports.

52 Joins Security Officers Undergo Training In voinjama

Fifty-two (52) members of the joint security assigned in Lofa County have undergone a three-day training in crime scene management and community policing.  The Training workshop held in Voinjama City from Wednesday, October 29 to 31 was intended to prepare them to quickly respond to citizens’ concerns and other community security-related cases.  The Liberia News Agency (LINA) correspondent reports that the training was organized and Implemented by Tretra Tech DPK with funding from the US State Department. In remarks on behalf of the Liberia National Police, Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization and national Security Agency from where the 52 trainees were drawn, representatives of the agencies, Roseline Dorla, Mary Kermah and Jefferson Karmah, expressed gratitude to Tretra Tech and the U.S. State Department for the training, Heritage reports.

GVL Trained Employees In Vegetable, Data Collection

About ten employees of the Environmental, Sustainability and Research Departments of Gloden Veroleum Liberia have benefited from a weeklong capacity building workshop. The training, held at the company Wakefield nursery in Butaw District, Sinoe County, aimed at developing the skills and human resource capacity of environmentalists and research officers. Data Base Manager Peter Mah explained that the training effects timely submission of quality information on water and weather monitoring data, the News reports.

China To Send Soldiers

China will dispatch an elite unit from the People’s Liberation Army to help Ebola-hit Liberia, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday, responding to U.N. calls for a greater global effort to fight the deadly virus in West Africa, New Democrat reports.

PPCC New Boss Vows To Fight Corruption Head-On

The man, who now sits in one of the hottest seats as far as the fight against corruption in Liberia is concerned, Mr. James Dorbor Jallah, says he sees his appointment to the Executive Director post of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), as a dawning of the new day in the fight against corruption. Mr. Jallah vowed to fight corruption head-on by bringing to book those who will want to circumvent the procurement law and jeopardize the gains made in the fight against corruption, Heritage reports.

Related Caption: Dorbor Jallah Takes Over PPCC-Vows To Fight Fraud Head-on(Daily Observe