BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

NEWS SUMMARY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

The donation of 19 touch screen laptops to the National Elections Commission by  UNDP, visit by U.S. and U.K. diplomats to ArcelorMittal concession and mining operations in Liberia, launch of aid management tool by the government, and GTZ’s donation of motorbikes to the Ministry of Lands and Mines are among selected stories for today’s media summary.

UNDP Gives 19 Laptops To NEC

The United Nations Development Program, UNDP has donated 19 modern touch screen Laptops to the National Elections Commission, (NEC) for onward presentation to the 19 Senior Elections Magistrates of the Commission. The Chief Technical Adviser for the UNDP Electoral Support Office to Liberia Lenka Homolkova put the total cost of the 19 Laptops to 42,921,00 United States Dollars. Making the presentation, the UNDP’s Chief Technical Adviser to Liberia said the laptops were made possible through funds from the Government of Germany as capacity building support to NEC that runs up to 2024. The UNDP Electoral Support Office Boss said the laptops donated are intended to assure NEC of the international partners’ support to NEC and hopes it will facilitate the works of the Elections Magistrates to bridge the chain of communications from the field to headquarters and to further enhance transparency.  Receiving the laptops, the Chairperson of NEC Davidetta Browne Lansanah said the gesture was timely, especially as the Commission moves toward the  December 8, 2020, Election                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Day and most importantly at a time when equipment in use at the 19 Magisterial Offices across the country need to be overhauled to reflect and meet current day realities, according to the Inquirer newspaper.

Related Captions: UNDP donates laptop (New Dawn) and UNDP Donates 19 Touch Screen Laptops To NEC (The News                                                                   

High-level U.S. and U.K. Diplomats Visit ArcelorMittal Liberia

The newly accredited British Ambassador to Liberia, His Excellency Neil Bradley, and a senior delegation from the United States Embassy in Monrovia led by US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Sara R. Walter, have concluded visits to the Arcelor Mittal Liberia Concession and mining operations in Yekepa, Nimba and Buchanan Grand Bassa Counties. Ambassador Bradley and the U.S. delegation were received by ArcelorMittal Liberia’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Scott Lowe and senior executives of the company during the visits. The British Ambassador’s field trip to Tokadehalso included aerial view of the port of Buchanan and rail infrastructure. The Ambassador said it was a good experience to have visited ArelorMittal Liberia’s operations to see the infrastructure, including the mines, the rail and port and hear about worker’s health and safety and plans for expanding the mines. “It is a great to have the opportunity to visit the Arcelor Mittal Liberia operations to see their current investment in Liberia and hear about their ambitious plans for expansion. Further significant and high-quality investment can create valuable local jobs and make a positive contribution to Liberia’s prosperity. While being sensitive toward the environment and maintaining the emphasis on employees’ safety Ambassador Bradley said, the Daily Observer newspaper reports.

GoL Launched Aid Management Tool Today

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning is to shortly roll out the Aid Management Tool (specially referred to as the Liberia Project Dash Board), as well as, the National Aid and NGO Policy of Liberia (NAPL). The “Roll Out” will be part of a National conference under the Theme: “Programming Aid for National Development” organized by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning scheduled for Wednesday November, 25 at the Ministerial complex in Congo Town. According to the Organizers, the three main objectives of the National conference are to roll out  the National Aid and NGO Policy of Liberia which formally gives ownership of the Policy instrument to ministries, agencies and commissions,   Independent Inquirer newspaper writes.

GTZ Donates Motorbikes To Mines, Energy

 A major development partner of the Liberian Government, through the Ministry of Mines and Energy, has proven more positive reasons to be an important technical support assistant to the Liberian people. GIZ, from Germany, has donated six high performing all-weather Motorbikes that will aid the work of the Mining Inspectors across all six Mining Regions of the country. At a brief ceremony on Monday at the Mines and Energy Ministry in Monrovia, Minister Gesler E. Murray, commended the donor partner (GIZ) for the donation which the Minister termed as “a pleasant surprise. He emphasized that the Bikes came in when mostly needed because the mining sites are in faraway localities and communities not accessible by vehicles. So, Minister Murray told the media that the provision of the Motorbikes greatly enhance the work of the Liberian Government especially the Mining Sector and directly impact proper management of the Country’s Minerals ensuring that only legitimate operators are involved with the sector. The Minister reminisced that aside from the availability of the Motorbikes, GIZ has been and still is a committed support arm of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Independent Inquirer newspaper reveals.

NBC,LLA, Others Benefit From UN Women 3-Day Gender Training

The New Dawn newspaper reports that as a means of promoting women participation, the United Nation (UN) Women has embarked on three-day gender training for staff of the National Bureau of Concession (NBC), the Liberia Land Authority (LAA) and CDA. The training commenced yesterday at the Mamba Point Hotel in Monrovia brining face-to-face over 30 participants including the LLA Chairperson, J Adams Manobah and the NBC Director General, Edwin Dennis among others. The three-day training is being fully supported and funded by the UN Women, as it is intended to help reinforced gender inequality and  visibility in land governance (development) work across listed institutions and others. Giving the overview of the training, UN Women Programmed Specialist, Women, Peace and Security, Christina Fernandez said that the three-day gender training is meant to improved participants knowledge on gender equality including land tenure, woman’s rights grounded in development and sociologic perspectives. Fernandez indicated that it will also enhanced participants’ understanding and application of gender dimensions in land governance as well as achieve a shared understanding of relevant gender concepts and terms. She stressed that the training will further strengthen the appreciation for addressing gender-related obstacles and opportunities leading to achieving lasting impacts in social justice, peace and development, adding, “It will also gain familiarity with some ‘how-to’ tools on gender analysis and integration”.