THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

That United States Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield  and the United Nations commendation for Liberia’s effort in its fight against the Ebola virus disease, the Press Union of Liberia’s caution to media institutions and journalists to adhere to the Union’s Code of Conduct and Ethics and the guidelines for the coverage of the 2014 Special Senatorial Election as well as UNDP Liberia’s collaboration with the Ministries of Health & Social Welfare and Finance and Development Planning for the disbursement of health workers’ salaries are stories dominating today’s local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

High Level US-Officials In Liberia

The New Dawn newspaper reports that United States Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield has praised efforts of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the Government of Liberia for the tremendous progress made thus far in combating the Ebola virus disease. “You have done a tremendous job, Madam President, with your team to bring us to a place today where we can see with some confidence that things are getting better,” Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said; but warned that there is still a lot of work to be done. She urged Liberians not to change the practices that have been put in place to ensure that this disease is conquered.  An Executive release says Amb. Thomas-Greenfield, head of a 10-member U.S. delegation in Liberia, made the comments during a joint press stakeout along with President Sirleaf and her colleague, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict, Mr. Michael Lumpkin in the Foyer of the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, December 3, 2014. They are on a three-day visit to assess the current state of Liberia’s fight against the Ebola virus disease, specifically U.S.support to the fight. She particularly recognized the efforts of the U.S. military alongside the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) especially the coordination between the two militaries to address this problem.  She used the opportunity to pledge the U.S. Government’s support in addressing Liberia’s humanitarian and development challenges. President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia, thanked them for the great support that the country has received and through them United States President Barrack Obama who took some major decisions to support countries worse affected by the Ebola virus disease. “As a result of their strong support endorsed by a bi-partisan Congress, we have been able to make the progress that we have made,” she emphasized, noting that the visit provides an opportunity to exchange views on how far Liberia has come in the fight against the Ebola virus disease.

Related Captions: ‘Not Over ‘Til It’s Over’(Daily Observer), High-Level U.S. Gov’t Delegation Meets With Ellen(Heritage), Avoid Constitutional Crisis–US Warns(New Democrat)

UN Applauds Liberia's Progress In Ebola Fight

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf received the United Nations Systems Coordinator for Ebola virus disease, David Nabarro, at her Foreign Ministry office. He was accompanied by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General to Liberia, Karen Landgren and the Representative of World Health Organization - Liberia, Peter Graff. The United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon on August 12, appointed Dr. David Nabarro as Senior UN Systems Coordinator for Ebola, prompting his first visit to the most affected countries of the outbreak. He is currently concluding visits to Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to assess the Ebola response, receive updates and brief the leaders of the three worse affected countries. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf briefed Dr. Nabarro on the current state of Liberia’s fight against the further spread of the disease and expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far. She also attributed the progress to the combined efforts of the government, the people of Liberia and the country’s many partners including the United Nations. The Liberian leader informed the UN Ebola Coordinator that Liberia has set for itself an ambitious goal of “Zero New Cases” by Christmas and stressed the need for a common reporting and information sharing system among the three worst affected countries. For his part, the senior UN Systems Coordinator for Ebola and envoy of the Secretary General to the affected countries, Dr. David Nabarro said he was pleased with the great news about Ebola decline in Liberia and pointed out that this was a great relief. He warned that despite the progress, Liberia must avoid complacency, control the anxiety and take note of the risk factors. Dr. Nabarro briefed President Sirleaf about the Ebola state of affairs in Guinea and Sierra Leone and suggested that regional coordination is required now more than ever before in the war against Ebola and committed the UN System to supporting Liberia’s recovery plan as Ebola is being defeated, reports INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: UN Ebola Chief Chats With Pres. Sirleaf(The New Republic), UN SG Envoy On Ebola Praises Liberia’s Progress(In Profile Daily), Pres. Sirleaf MeetsDavid Nabarro(West Africa INFO POST), Prez Sirleaf Meets With UN Envoy On Ebola(Daily Observer)

PUL Cautions Journalists, Suspends Election Debates

The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) is reminding media institutions and journalists in the country that strict adherence to the Union’s Code of Conduct and Ethics and the guidelines for the coverage of the 2014 Special Senatorial Election is non-negotiable in ensuring professional media practice in Liberia. According to a statement issued in Monrovia Wednesday, “The Code of Ethics and Conduct shall be binding on all Journalists and media institutions in Liberia and punishment for violators shall range from warning, fine, suspension and expulsion”, in accordance with Article 29 of the Union’s Constitution. The statement said the Committee is fully prepared to henceforth name and shame media institution or Journalist flouting any provision of the Codes, especially those bordering on non-partnership, as well as and fair and balanced coverage of the election, Heritage reports.

Related Captions: PUL Warns Journalists(New Democrat), PUL Cautions Journalists-Suspends Election Debates(In Profile Daily), PUL Cautions Journalists, Suspends Election Debates(FrontPage Africa)

UNDP Collaborates with Ministries on Rapid Assessment Of health Workers’ Lists

Around 10,000 Government health workers in Liberia are to be paid their salaries and allowances, including back pay. UNDP Liberia has been collaborating with the Ministries of Health & Social Welfare and Finance and Development Planningto undertake a rapid assessment of lists of health workers across all counties so that the right amounts will go into the right bank accounts. Government health workers have not been paid for the past three months. The Ebola crisis in Liberia has uncovered some of the structural issues that already existed in the country, issues like the difficulty in paying health workers. UNDP Liberia is working with the Government of Liberia to address some of these issues in the short term, to deal with the crisis, but also to put in place systems that mean that the Government has a robust, effective payroll system with the best payment methods that can be used into the future. Stuart Kefford, Project Coordinator from UNDP has been visiting counties with health Ministry officials to compare payroll lists, make random checks on those people who are on the list to ensure they are actually working, and the lists are now very close to 100 percent accurate, In Profiler Daily reports.

Related Captions: UNDP Collaborate With Ministries On Rapid Assessment of Health Workers’ Lists(Daily Observer), UNDP Collaborate With Ministries On Rapid Assessment of Health Workers’ Lists(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES

White House Claims Progress In Ebola Fight

The White House says the Obama Administration is making strides in the fight against Ebola , citing an expanded hospital network and testing capacity at home and gains confronting the deadly disease in West Africa. To sustain that, President Barack Obama was prodding Congress Tuesday to approve his request for $6.2 billion in emergency spending against the outbreak The public attention to Ebola by the President comes as Congress is assembling a massive spending bill to keep the government operating. But the legislation has become entangled with Obama’s executive actions on immigration, which Republicans want to block, FOCUS reports.

Island Clinic ETU Releases 22 Ebola Survivors

The Management of the Island Clinic Ebola Treatment Unit has discharged 28 patients, including 22 Ebola survivors. The head of the Clinical Team at the ETU, David Kaggawa, said 22 of the number were tested positive with the virus, while the other six persons were tested with other illnesses in the month of September. Kaggawa made the disclosure recently when President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf paid on acquaintance visit to the ETU, the Liberia News Agency reports. He said the latest discharge brings to 96 the number of patients discharged from the ETU since it was established in early September.  The President called on those involved with social welfare in the government to always check on the survivors to ensure that they are doing well and are not rejected in their respective communities, West Africa Info Postreports.

Coca-Cola Commits US$200k To the Fight Against Ebola

The Coca-Cola Company in Liberia, together with its bottling partner Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company (ECCBC), today presented a donation of medical supplies to fight the Ebola virus to the Ministry of Health in the amount of US$200,000.00. the supplies were requested by local hospitals and included personal protective Equipment such as latex gloves, gowns, face shields, face masks and shoe covers, which were presented by Liberia Coca-Cola Bottling Company Human Resource/Pac  Manager Atty. Gabriel Johnson who proxy for Mr. Seth Adu-Baah, Country Manager, Daily Observer reports.

Ensuring Protection For Women-Action Aid Holds Interactive Forum

Action Aid Liberia on Wednesday organized a roundtable discussion under the theme “Safe Cities” between City Mayors, community dwellers and students-creating the platform for citizens to interact with their various Mayors. The interactive forum according to Elizabeth Gbah Johnson, of Action Aid Liberia, is a global campaign led by Action Aid to coordinate the campaign globally and said she hopes the dialogue will serve as a mechanism to build partnership with the City Mayors and their citizens in addressing violence against women. “The objective of this campaign is to be able to reduce women's fears and experience of sexual violence in the cities or urban areas, writes the FrontPage Africa newspaper.