THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016

Today’s News Summary highlights news of the Israeli Ambassador to Liberia His Excellency, Ami Mehls’ meeting with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the World Bank Board of Executive Directors’ approval of a new financing agreement to provide income support to extremely poor and food insecure households in Liberia.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Israeli Envoy Pays Courtesy Call on Ellen 

The New Dawnnewspaper reports that Israeli Ambassador to Liberia with residence in Accra, Ghana, His Excellency, Ami Mehl, has paid a courtesy call on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at her Foreign Ministry offices in Monrovia amid assurances of encouraging Israeli investors to explore possible investment opportunities in various sectors of the economy. According to an Executive Mansion release, Ambassador Mehl expressed his preparedness to work with Liberia to ensure energy boost for the country, which he said is extremely crucial to meeting the middle-income level. For her part President Sirleaf said Israeli private sector intervention in the energy sector remains crucial expanding the overall energy capacity even after the completion of the Mount Coffee Hydro Plant. “Liberia,” the Liberian leader noted, “is part of the U.S.-funded ‘Power Africa’ initiative and as such working in partnership with Israeli-inspired investors is a welcome development.” Also accompanying Ambassador Mehl during the courtesy visit was Amir Hayman of Sociedade de Investimentos Mineiros (SOCIM) of South Africa with subsidiaries in Angola, Botswana, Russia, Canada, the Democratic Republic of Congo, etc. SOCIM’s area of focus is polished diamonds and Mr. Amir Hayman says he will return in a month to conduct further study on the sector. Mr. Hayman says he looks forward to a Public-Private Partnership arrangement that will ensure local ownership and enhance the economic competitiveness of the country’s local content.

Related Captions: Israeli Ambassador Promised to Encourage Investment n Energy Sectors(FrontPage Africa), Israeli Ambassador Meets Ellen(In Profile Daily)

10,000 Poor Liberian Households to Benefit From Cash Transfers

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a new financing agreement of US$10 million International Development Association (IDA) credit to provide income support to extremely poor and food insecure households in Liberia. According to the New Democrat newspaper, this agreement will also establish key building blocks of a basic national safety net delivery system of Liberia. The Liberia Social Safety Nets Project (LSSNP) will directly benefit 10,000 extremely poor and food insecure households in four of Liberia’s most food insecure counties: Bomi, Maryland, Grand Kru and River Gee. Also, the LSSNP will indirectly benefit all households that will be captured in the Social Registry, who would be potential beneficiaries of other safety net programs.

Related Captions: 10,000 Poor Liberian Households to Benefit From Cash Transfers(FrontPage Africa), 10,000 Poor Liberian Households-To Benefit From Cash Transfers(In Profile Daily)

OTHER STORIES

Senate Permits Ellen To Defer Budget Presentation

The NEWSnewspaper reports that the Liberian Senate has granted President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf”s permission to present the 2016/2017 draft Budget to that body on May 16 as was requested by the Liberian leader. President Sirleaf in a communication addressed to the Senate on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, urged the body to defer the presentation of the 2016/2017 Budget as a result of the complexities faced by her team in the budget preparation process. Consistent with the Public Financial Management Act of Liberia, the President is required to submit to the legislature through the Senate, the proposed budget and accompanying documents for the year not later than two months before the start of the fiscal year.

Related Caption: Ellen To Submit Draft National Budget May 16- Security Sector Might Get Largest Chunk(Daily Observer)

Heightened Surveillance: Liberia and Guinea Discharge Ebola Patients

Liberia and Guinea’s last known Ebola patients in a latest flare-up of the disease that hit both countries have now been discharged. All remaining contacts of confirmed cases that were placed under a 3-week period of medical monitoring have been cleared. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, Liberia’s Ministry of Health, WHO and partners involved in the response held a ceremony at the Ebola treatment facility in Monrovia to celebrate the recovery and discharge of a 2-year-old boy, the final patient in the flare-up in Liberia. His 5-year-old brother recovered a week earlier. On 29 April, the country also began a 42-day period of increased surveillance, amounting to two 21-day incubation cycles of the virus. The daily writes that Guinea’s final Ebola patient, a 70-year-old man, tested negative for the virus a second time on 19 April and returned to his village in the southern prefecture of Macenta to a warm welcome.

CBL Introduces New Financial Regulations

The Daily Observer reports that the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has introduced a new financial regulations act intended to govern Microfinance institutions including credit unions in the country. The act comprises licensing and operations of unions. At a two-day workshop organized by the CBL, El-Tumu Trueh, Director of Microfinance, said the introduction of the new financial regulations act is aimed at helping microfinance institutions understand the smooth operations of the entity. He said the regulations, which have been developed by the CBL, are particularly restricted for primary Credit Unions operating in Liberia. “These new regulations will help other local institutions to understand and how to operate a credit union as an institution,” he said, noting that the act is part of the CBL 1999 financial law but has just been introduced to local credit union institutions.

Veep Boakai Challenges Media Says The “Misuse, Abuse Of The Media Must Stop”

As journalists in Liberia join their colleagues the world over in observing this year’s World Press Freedom Day, Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has challenged the Liberian media to remain focused in executing its responsibility. Serving as Keynote Speaker at program marking the observance of World Press Freedom Day held in Voinjama City, Lofa County, the Liberian Vice President reminded Liberian journalists to use the pages of the newspapers and the airwaves of radio stations as places of information, education, entertainment and development, the Vice President noted “We cannot afford the trading of insults, vulgarity, jabs and the humiliation of national leaders and irreligious maligning of peoples character”. The misuse and abuse of the media by some must stop, the INQUIRER newspaper writes.

Judges, Magistrates Undergo Refresher Training

Nearly 50 judges and magistrates have undergone refresher training in several judicial topics to enhance their capacity to effectively deliver legal services at courts in the country. Topics covered included the New Jury Law and its Effective Implementation, Execution and the Observance of the Rule of Law, Foundational Pillar of Human Rights and the Role of Judges. Other topics are Judgement Writing and the Need for Judges to Take the Lead in the Fight Against Corruption. The judges and magistrates were drawn from across the country to participate in the exercise, the NEWS newspaper reports.