THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

News of President Johnson Sirleaf’s trip to Johannesburg, South Africa  to attend the Second Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s  assertion that a concerted approach aimed at economic growth will propel investment opportunities in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone to ensure their return to stability after the Ebola outbreak in the three worst affected country are among stories dominating today’s edition of the local dailies.

Dominant Stories

Prez Sirleaf Off To South Africa

The Daily Observer reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, at the head of a high-level delegation, has departed the country to participate in the Second Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Johannesburg, South Africa. The summit, according to a release from the Executive Mansion, is scheduled to take place December 4 and 5. The Forum is preceded by the Sixth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC.  The Summit, which is being held under the theme, “Africa-China Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development,” marks the first time that African and Chinese leaders will meet in Africa to look at ways of deepening cooperation. This is the second time in the 15-year history of FOCAC that the leaders are meeting together, the first being in Beijing, in 2006, the release stated. The Co-Chairs of the Second FOCAC Summit, Presidents Jacob Zuma of South Africa and Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, will deliver key addresses, as well as the African Union Chairperson, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, while President Sirleaf is away, the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Benedict Sannoh, will Chair the Cabinet in consultation with Vice President Joseph N. Boakai. 

Related Captions: Pres. Sirleaf Off To Joburg (The New Dawn), Pres. Sirleaf Off To Second FOCAC Summit In Johannesburg (FOCUS), Ellen Off To South Africa (INSIGHT)

Liberia Is Ready For Business

The New Dawn newspaper reports that Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai says a concerted approach aimed at economic growth will propel investment opportunities in the three Mano River Union (MRU) countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone-the three countries hardest hit by the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to formulate a Sub-regional Recovery Program to ensure their return to stability. Vice President Boakai says a comprehensive sector approach that will focus on key areas of health, gender, youth development, social protection, agriculture, ICT, Governance, infrastructure and private sector development are important pillars for growth and economic development. A dispatch from the Hague, the Netherlands says, VP Boakai who was speaking at the ''Back To Growth'' Investment Conference for Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, told the gathering of investors that Liberia is open to business- an investment climate that promotes mutual benefits. He noted that Liberia has made tremendous efforts to improve its business climate through domestic reforms and is also making headways in ensuring that laws and systems foster beneficial investment, which makes it best suited for potential business partnerships and collaboration. ''The recognition of our hard work in this direction came when we made the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which will drive investment in our energy sector thereby improving our competitiveness by reducing the cost of electricity, a major barrier to growth in Liberia. The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Ms .Lilianne Ploumen welcomed the delegates to the conference and emphasized the need for the three Ebola affected Countries have an opportunity to share ideas and partnership collaboration with the foreign trade partners. Liberia's Ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands and the EU, Isaac W. Nyenabo says the conference is an opportunity to see investments in basic infrastructures like roads, electricity and water, as well as other private sector initiatives which will give rise to the quality of life and eventually improve other services such as education, quality healthcare and boost agriculture. Ambassador Nyenabo says trade partnership with Dutch investors will enhance development and can also be an important instrument for poverty reduction and wealth creation, especially investment in water transport, ports operations, financing facilities for SMEs and agricultural productivity.

Related Captions: MRU Seeks ‘Partnerships, Not Handouts’-VP Boakai (FOCUS), ‘Liberia Is Ready For Business’…Vice President Boakai (The NEWS), MRU Seeks ‘Partnership, Not Handouts’-Vice President Boakai Says (INSIGHT)

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Makes New Appointments

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has made a number of appointments in Government at the National Port Authority and the Liberia Institute of Public Administration. She has also appointed Chair Persons and members of the Board of Commissioners at the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission, Board of Directors at the Central Agriculture Research Institute; and Presidents of the Bomi Community College and  Harbel Community College. According to an Executive Mansion release, they are subject to confirmation by the Senate where applicable. Among those appointed are Mr. David Williams, Managing Director National Port Authority; Mrs. Florence Dukuly, Deputy Director General, Administration, Liberia Institute for Public Administration; Mr. Zobong Norman, President, Bomi Community College and Mr. Syrulwa Soma, President, Harbel Community College. Others are Mr. Willie Belleh, Chairman, Board of Commissioners-Public Procurement and Concession Commission and Mr. S. Tornolah Varpilah, Chairman, Board of Directors-Central Agriculture Research Institute among others.

Related Captions: Ellen Makes New Appointments In Gov’t (INSIGHT), Pres. Sirleaf Replaces Matilda Parker (FOCUS), Prez Sirleaf Makes New Appointments (Daily Observer)

Prez. Sirleaf Challenges LBDI

According to the Daily Observer, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has challenged the Liberian Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) to continue the good work, remain strong and help develop Liberia’s economy for the benefit of its citizens. At the bank’s 50th anniversary celebration dinner on Friday, November 27, LBDI honored President Sirleaf and other former Chairpersons and Presidents of the bank for their years of dedicated service. Others honored included John G. Bestman, Philip T. Bowen (late), Frank Stewart (late), James T. Philips (late), David Farhat, G. Alvin Jones, P. Clarence Parker (late), James S.P Cooper, and Emmanuel Shaw, amongst others. In special remarks at the event, President Sirleaf, who is credited for leaving a legacy behind at the institution that ensured that the bank is only operated by Liberian financial experts said, “The LBDI has come a very long way in helping to lift the people of this country from its financial woes.” The Liberian leader also recognized the LBDI's support to the rubber industry through the rubber planters’ association as well as its financial support to other Liberian own businesses, Also speaking, LBDI President and Chief Executive Officer, John B. S. Davies III, said over the years, LBDI has distinguished itself in the sector and has maintained an enviable record of commitment to customer service, prudent financial management, sound corporate governance, operational transparency and accountability. He said the bank succeeded under challenging situations that some of her competitors couldn’t. “Therefore, we can now look and glorify the Almighty God for sustaining us during those difficult moments,’’ he added. For his part, Chairman of the LBDI Board of Directors and Minister of Finance, Development and Planning, Amara M. Konneh, expressed gratitude to the depositors, shareholders, institutional partners and the general public for helping the bank to keep its doors open. “As we celebrate today, you have our commitment that we will continue to strategically focus on providing the needed financial services to engender development. We will continue to collaborate with the government and other partners in meeting our corporate mandate,’’ he said.

Related Captions: Ellen, Others Honored At Golden Jubilee Celebration (The NEWS) Prez. Sirleaf Challenges LBDI (Daily Observer), Pres. Sirleaf, Others Honored At LBDI’s Golden Jubilee Celebration (FOCUS)

Liberian Movie Star Intensifies Campaign To End Violence Against Women – Tours Four Counties

 Liberia’s international movie celebrity Gregory Artus Frank has visited several communities’ in Montserrado, Margibi, Bong and Nimba Counties raising awareness on ending violence against women and girls and mobilizing men and community leaders to take action to address the situation. The movie star’s county tour is part of activities commemorating the observance of the ’16 Days of Activism’ in Liberia, FOCUS newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Movie Star Intensifies Campaign…To end Violence Against Women (The NEWS)

OTHER STORIES

More Doctors, Pharmacists For Health Sector

Liberia is expected to unveil at least 64 new doctors and pharmacists at this year's graduation. Of the total number 35 are doctors, while 29 are pharmacists. The prospective graduates will leave the walls of the A. M. Doglioitti College of Medicine and the School of Pharmacy of the University of Liberia on December 16, 2015, to bolster the nation’s healthcare delivery sector. About 61 of the new medical practitioners on Saturday, November 28, 2015, on the University's Fendall Campus vowed to remain committed to the delivery of effective healthcare when they took the Oath of Maimonides (Administered to 29 Pharmacy Students) and the Hippocratic Oath (Administered to 31 Medical doctors.) The program was graced by several speakers, many of whom urged the candidates to aim for the highest level of integrity and honesty in the discharge of their responsibilities. Speaking on the topic: “Upholding Ethical Standards: An Attribute of Discipline and Integrity,” Dr. Norkeh said “society everywhere is plagued with the vices of selfishness and double standards.” “Great men and women are sadly drifting from ethnics and self-discipline at the expense of mere material gains and at the expense of those very ones they are called to serve,” he said. “This cancerous plague ages as far back as the emergence of men on this planet, but in today’s world, we see an avalanche of great men fall from the throne to the dungeon,” so that the emphasis can’t be on medicine and pharmacy,” he added. Several graduating seniors also received individual awards for overall best performance in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Surgery, Pathology, and Microbiology & Parasitology, among others, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

LNP Ready For Armed Robbers

With Christmas barely three weeks away, the Liberia National Police (LNP) Director Chris Massaquoi has announced what he considers to be a last warning to those engaged in armed robbery. Director Massaquoi in a statement warned suspected armed robbers and their accomplices to desist or the police will be left with no alternative but to return fire whenever they come under attack by suspected armed robbers. He said the police will have no regret if someone gets killed in the exchange of fire, warning that, “The Police Support Unit (PSU) and the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) have been instructed to decisively deal with any armed robbery situation in a more robust manner to save lives and properties.” “I would like to appeal to grandmothers, grandfathers, husbands, wives, friends, relatives and the owners of those armed robbers to tell their children to stop. Tell them to stop. Do not blame the police when we react. Do not blame us. If anything happens to your children who are out there at night committing armed robbery, do not blame the government, do not blame the LNP, because we will not relent to shoot back if we come under attack”, Director Massaquoi said in the presence of foreign diplomats. According to the Daily Observer, he made the statement over the weekend during the graduation program for about 105 LNP officers as the Sixth Batch of the PSU held at the National Police Training Academy in Paynesville, outside Monrovia. The training of the officers, an LNP statement said, was facilitated by the Government of France through its Embassy in Monrovia.

Related Caption: Shoot To Kill (The New Dawn)

Two Ebola Survivors To Be Released Tomorrow-IMS to Release Investigations on Third Outbreak

The head of the Incident Management System (IMS) and Deputy Minister for Preventive Services, Tolbert Nyenswah, said that two of the three persons that were confirmed to be infected with the Ebola Virus disease will be discharged on Thursday, December 3. According to the Daily Observer, Minister Nyenswah made the disclosure yesterday at the Emergency Operation Center for Liberia, in Monrovia, and was delighted over Liberia’s capacity to properly treat people with the virus. The first victim was 10 year old boy, identified as Nathan Gbotee, whose case was reported by Dr. Francis Kateh, Deputy Health Minister and Chief Medical Officer of Liberia. Nathan Jr., however, succumbed to the virus. Minister Nyenswah said one hundred and sixty five persons (165) have so far been placed under surveillance as a means of controlling the new Ebola outbreak. “As we speak, there is no new outbreak of EVD. After Thursday, there will be no confirmed cases in any ETUs in Liberia. But we will continue the surveillance. It has been 12 days with no new cases and contacts are being followed up. Some of the contacts will be completing their 21 days,” he said.

Nimba Land Crisis-Citizens Smoke Peace Pipe

Over three hundred Nimba citizens under the banner for the Ganta United for reconstruction and Development (GCURD) Monday assembled at the J.W. Pearson High school in Ganta to reconcile their differences and move the county ahead. Sekou S. Kanneh, Montserrado district#2 and Keynote Speaker of the occasion, described the event as historic that will be recorded in the county’s history after years of self-destruction, New Democrat newspaper reports.

Japan, Africare Signed Grant Agreement

The Japanese Government, under its “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security scheme,” has signed separate agreements with Africare-Liberia and the Volunteer to Support International Efforts in Developing Africa (VOSIEDA). The grant agreement is intended to fund two major projects in Bong County. The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana and Liberia, Kaoru Yoshimura, signed the grant agreement on behalf of his government, while Africare-Liberia Director of Finance and Administration Mrs. Catherin H. Lumeh signed for her organization and the Administrative Finance Manager for VOSIEDA Ms. Wellekema Jukoryan signed on behalf of her institution, the NEWS newspaper reports.