THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014

News of President Johnson Sirleaf’s Executive Order 65, suspending mass movements of people on the streets of Monrovia including rallies, demonstrations and parades for 30 days after the announcement of Senatorial election results, the National Legislature’s two days validation of the draft Gas Law as well as Acting Defense Minister, Joseph F. Johnson, expression of appreciation to the United States Government for its support to Ebola affected countries are among stories dominating today’s summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Ellen issues Executive Order No. 65

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has issued Executive Order No. 65, ordering all concerted mass movements of people on the streets of Monrovia during the ensuing special elections, including in particular rallies, demonstrations and parades prohibited and for 30 days after the announcement of election results. According to an Executive Mansion release, Executive Order No. 65, signed by the Liberian leader on December 3, 2014, is intended to strengthen the efforts of the Government of Liberia to contain the spread of Ebola, protect the security of the State, maintain law and order, and promote peace and stability in the country. Executive Order No. 65 notes that the existing law requiring persons desiring to march or demonstrate to obtain prior permits from the Ministry of Justice have proven ineffective to address rallies, parades and concerted mass movements on the streets of Monrovia and its environs. Executive Order No. 65 states that to allow the said conduct to continue with impunity and without control, will frustrate efforts to contain the Ebola virus disease in Liberia, undermine the security of the State and the maintenance of law and order, and negatively impact the economy, New Dawn writes.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Issues Executive Order No.65-Prohibits Mass Movements of People Including Rallies, Parades and Demonstrations(The Analyst), No Mass Movements, Rallies, Parades-Ellen Decrees In Executive Order(The New Republic), On The Streets Of Monrovia & Its Environs: All Mass Movements Of People, Parades, Demonstrations Banned Until…(Heritage), Ellen Bans Protest (New Democrat), Pres. Sirleaf Bans Campaign rallies(INSIGHT), President’s Executive Order 65 And Implications For Liberia’s Fragile Democracy(FrontPage Africa), Ellen Issues Executive Order No. 65 (The New Dawn), Mass Gathering Banned(The News), With Or Without Stay Order, Mass Gatherings Banned(Daily Observer)

House Holds Validation Dialogue On Draft Gas Law

A two-day national stakeholder’s dialogue for the validation of the draft petroleum exploration and production Act of 2013 gets under way today at the Monrovia City Hall. The conference, according to a release, will be spearheaded by the National Legislature and will bring together more than 150 participants, representing national and international stakeholders including civil society group, students and faith-based organizations. The House’s Press and Public Affairs release noted that participants attending the two-day conference are expected to validate the draft exploration and production act of 2013 and the national oil company of Liberia Act of 2013. The exercise is part of the effort by the national Legislature to adopt a petroleum law that will govern the oil and gas sector of the country, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: Validation Dialogue On Draft Oil, Gas Law Gets Underway Today(Heritage), Draft Gas Law Validation Dialogue Begins(In Profile Daily), Petroleum Confab Today(New Democrat), Confab On Oil Law Validation Begins(The News), Lawmakers Finalize Oil Consultation(The New Dawn)

Acting Defense Minister Welcomes U.S. Support

Liberia’s Deputy and Acting Defense Minister, Joseph F. Johnson, has expressed appreciation to the United States Government for its support to the Ebola affected countries in the region. He particularly thanked the U.S. Government and People for all the support to the Government and People of Liberia, especially in the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease. He further praised the United States Assistant Secretary for Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, for raising the concerns of Liberia out there to his government. In the words of Acting Minister Johnson, “Our recent neighbor, the 101st Airborne Division, is the best that we can have in curtailing the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia.”  Meanwhile, Acting Minister Johnson has re-echoed the Commander-in-Chief’s statement that the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) will now turn its attention to a more civil-oriented mission as a ‘force for good’ in the fight against Ebola.“It is my hope that Liberia can leverage opportunities from our American counterparts so that AFL Engineers can carry out post-Ebola road rehabilitation and construction,” Minister Johnson emphasized. Meanwhile, Minister Johnson and Major General Gary J. Volesky, Commander of the 101st Airborne Division, has paid an assessment visit to Greenville, Sinoe County to assess ongoing projects being undertaken by Operation United Assistance (OUA), New Dawn reports.

Related Captions: Acting Defense Minister Appreciates U.S. Support(The Analyst), Acting Defense Minister Praises US for Ebola Fight(INSIGHT)

USAID/EHELD Project Boost Engineering At UL, CU

Despite the Ebola situation that has paralyzed nearly every sector of the Liberian society; for USAID/EHELD project is still working and making frantic efforts geared at preparing for the reopening of higher learning institutions. The USAID/EHELD Project has been engaged with students reading engineering and agriculture at the Universities of Liberia in Montserrado County and Cuttington in Bong County respectively. Speaking to journalists during a tour of the agriculture facilities on the CU campus, the Acting Dean of the Department Daniel Yarbah, explained that though the Ebola situation is serious, the Department wants to ensure security and prevent intruders from tampering with research works that would be performed by students, Inquirer writes.

Related Captions: UL Engineering Department Receives Boost From USAID/ EHELD(Heritage), USAID/EHELD Project Prepares Despite Ebola(New Democrat) USAID/ EHELD Prepares For School Opening (The New Dawn)

Ebola Survivors To Attend Youth Camp

According to the FOCUS newspaper, after successfully working out of the walls of various Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) across the country, young Ebola survivors will for the first time attend a youth camp that has been instituted by Young Life International. Young Life International is a faith based organization that primarily focuses on youth related activities across the globe. According to Young Life International Regional Director for Africa, James S. Davis, at least 102 young Ebola survivors will this weekend be a part of a youth camp at the Baptist Seminary Compound outside Monrovia. He said the essence of the camp is to train young Ebola survivors on how to be useful to the society despite being humiliated and stigmatized by community dwellers. “We want to fight stigma.

Related Captions: Young Life Hold One Camp With EVD Survivors-Regional Director Discloses(In Profile Daily), Young Life-Liberia Holds Camp For Ebola Survivors(The Analyst)

OTHER STORIES

Liberia Congratulates Finland On 97th Independence Anniversary

The Heritagenewspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to the Government and People of the Republic of Finland on the occasion commemorating the observance of the 97th Independence Anniversary of that country. In her message to His Excellency Sauli Vainamo Niinistrto, President of the Republic of Finland, President Johnson Sirleaf extended warmest felicitations on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia, and in her own name, to the Government and People of Finland. President Johnson Sirleaf stated that the relations between Liberia and Finland have continued to expand to the mutually rewarding benefits of the two countries and people. “We especially appreciate Finland’s very positive contributions to the fight against the Ebola virus epidemic in Liberia and the West African region”, the President recalled with deep appreciation. The Liberian leader noted that the observance of Finland’s 97^th Independence Anniversary places particular recognition on the level of charity work and volunteerism of that country. She then assured Finland of Liberia’s continuous support and commitment to uphold their shared values of equality, freedom and justice as the two countries strive for the attainment of global peace and security.

Ellen Urges Liberians On Decentralization

The Inquirer newspaper reports that the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Internal Affairs & Governance Commission recently held a high level Roundtable on Decentralization Implementation to assist in moving the country forward. Speaking at the program, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said the government will stand strongly to move in a positive direction so that citizens of the country can see a brand new day. President Sirleaf said, “Many at times in our country, we start on well with things but only to end up in fiasco. The country needs to get back on its right path”.

Related Caption: Pres. Sirleaf Wants Implementation Of Decentralization Policy(Analyst)

Scotland Gives Liberia, Others 2.4M

More than 2.4m has been raised in Scotland to help aid teams fight Ebola in West Africa. The money has allowed the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to reach eight million people in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and surrounding countries with medicines, food and information campaigns on the disease. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged 200,000 from the Scottish Government on Wednesday and urged people to continue donating what they can, New Democrat reports.

Supreme Court Hears Arguments Today -On Dec. 16 Special Senatorial Election

About a week after placing a “stay order” on all activities of the Special Senatorial Election, the Supreme Court is expected today, Friday, to hear arguments in the case. All activities related to holding the election remain suspended at the moment. Associate Justice Philip A. Z. Banks, Justice presiding in Chamber of the High Court last Friday issued a “Stay Order” against the holding of the election. Justice Banks’ order came after several institutions and individuals including Concern Group of Eminent citizens as well as political parties asked the Court to do so. He later referred the case to the Full Bench of the Supreme Court, saying that “a single justice can’t hear case involving constitutional matter”. The Full Bench had decided to hear argument in the matter today, reports Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Supreme Court Decides Today(The New Dawn)

USAID Airlifts Medical Supplies For Ebola Response

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Ebola Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) airlifted more than 135 tons of medical equipment and supplies to Liberia as part of the Agency’s efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The cargo contained 107,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE)—face masks, medical gloves, protective goggles, boots, and aprons to be distributed to healthcare workers providing care to Ebola patients. USAID transported the large shipment of PPE to Liberia on November 21 and 28 aboard two charter flights from the United States, according to the FOCUS newspaper.

U.S. Commander Gives Vote Of Confidence-On Liberia’s Battle With Ebola

The News newspaper reports that the top American military commander for Africa on Wednesday gave a vote of confidence to the international effort to halt Ebola, saying that the U.S. mission against the virus might be able to scale back its operations in Liberia by next month. Gen. David M. Rodriguez told reporters at the Pentagon that U.S. troops deployed in Liberia might be shifted to other hard-hit countries in the region, or even sent back home, if progress reports continue to encourage optimism. The latest status report from the World Health Organization (WHO), released on Wednesday, said that cases in Liberia are “stable or declining,” but was cautious in its assessments for Sierra Leone and Guinea. “The majority of the big engineering and logistic things in Liberia will probably start to tail off at the end of the year or January,” Rodriguez said.

US Expresses Commitment – Assures Working With Liberia

United States Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has praised the 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 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. According to an Executive Mansion release, Ambassador 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. She urged Liberians not to change the practices that have been put in place to ensure that this disease is conquered. 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, In Profile Daily reports.

Related Caption: Liberians Should Do More - Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield(The New Dawn)

Another Nominee Rejected

The New Democrat newspaper reports that days after the Senate axed President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s newly appointed Health and Social Welfare Minister Mr. George Werner, members of that body yesterday extended similar treatment to Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Russell, Minister of Education designate. The presidential nominee was rejected on grounds that she is an American citizen, a status that violates the 1986 Constitution of Liberia. In its report yesterday to the Senate plenary, the committee on Education and Public Administration headed by Rivercess County Senator Dallas Guah said documents and investigation conducted by the committee show clearly that the nominee has an American passport.

Over 2000 Orphans Identified

The Government of Liberia Thursday announced it has identified over 2000 orphans of people who lost their parents from Ebola, announced Andrew G. Telmeh, Deputy Minister for Administration, Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare, New Democrat reports.

IFC, Ecobank Seal US$7.5M Loan For Post-Ebola Economic Recovery

The Daily Observer newspaper says a US$7.5M loan intended to empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) as well as, local farmers has been signed between the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a private sector arm of the World Bank and the Ecobank-Liberia. The loan was signed on Tuesday between the IFC’s executive vice president Jin-Yong Cai and authority of the Ecobank-Liberia. As part of the agreement, Ecobank is expected to distribute the US$7.5 million among the local businesses that have been greatly affected by the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) around the country. Describing the loan as “post Ebola strategy,” Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, said “It will help in the economic recovery of the country and to create more jobs for Liberians following the end of the epidemic”. Kim made the disclosure last Tuesday at the end of his one-day emergency visit to the country. During the visit, the WBG Head also held a closed-door discussion with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at her Foreign Ministry office.  According to President Kim, his institution (the WBG) will continue to work through IFC to provide liquidity to local banks to support Small and Medium-Size Enterprises and local entrepreneurs, including farmers. “The outbreak has stalled some of our existing infrastructural projects. We are working to bring the private sector back”, the World Bank Group boss added. He further pledged, “We will help Liberian farmers to recover from this crisis. We must make sure that the Ebola outbreak is not followed by a food security crisis”.