THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Export-Import Bank of the United States and the United Bank for Africa to expanding trade between the U.S. and Africa and the passage of the Firearm and Ammunition Control Act are stories dominating today’s edition of the summary of the local dailies

Also highlighted is President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s proclamation declaring Saturday, May 14 as National Unification Day.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Expanding US, Africa Trade: EXIM Bank Signs MOU With United Bank For Africa 

UBA-Liberia has announced that the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank) and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) on Wednesday, May 11 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the goal of expanding trade between the U.S. and Africa. The MOU was signed at the World Economic Forum Africa (WEF) in Kigali by Chairman and President of US EXIM Bank, Fred P. Hochberg, and UBA Group Managing Director and CEO, Phillips Oduoza, FrontPageAfrica newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Africa To Benefit From US$100m In US Export Trade -As EXIM Bank, UBA Sign MOU(Daily Observer)  

House Passes Firearm, Ammunition Control Act 

Members of the House of Representatives have concurred with the Liberian Senate over the control of unlicensed firearms and ammunitions in Liberia. The Plenary of the Lower House reached the decision following report submitted to that August Body by a Legislative Joint Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Veteran Affairs and Judiciary. According to lawmakers, the act will help to trace and regulate unlicensed arms and ammunitions nationwide, FOCUS newspaper asserts.

Related Caption: Liberia Legislature Passes Small Arms Law(FrontPage Africa), Legislature Grants Right To Bear Arms(Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES

Saturday Is National Unification Day To Be Observed As National Holiday

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has by Proclamation declared Saturday, May 14, 2016 as National Unification Day to be observed throughout the Republic as a National Holiday. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the observance of the day is the result of an Act of Legislature passed in 1960, declaring the 14th of May of each year as a National Unification Day, realizing the benefits to be accrued from the Unification and Integration Policy.
The Proclamation recounts that since the Unification and Integration Policy became an integrated part of the National Development Plan, the Nation has seen marked progress and improvement in all spheres of national endeavor, particularly in the economic, educational, communication and social fields, Daily Observer reports.

House Approves US$69.9m Budget Cut

Members of the House of Representatives yesterday voted unanimously to pass the Recast Budget to allow US$69.9m to be cut from the 2015/2016 National Budget. The 2015/2016 Budget was formally passed in July 2015 in the amount of US$622, 743, 420, as opposed to the Draft Budget of US$604,040,520 originally submitted by the Executive Branch. The approval of the Recast Budget means that the budget is now US$522, 843,420, Daily Observer reports.

Related Caption: Gov’t Reduces Expenditure By Over 69 Million (FOCUS)

‘We Remain Committed’ – LNRCS Says, Celebrates Red Cross Day

The local chapter of the Red Cross and Red Crescent family might has been ripped apart recently by a financial scandal that saw most of its potent and influential leaders dismissed and the entire LNRCS Board dissolved by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Addressing the official program in commemoration of the global Red Cross Day, LNRCS Focus Person Ambullai Perry said the Society remains committed to serve humanity every day, by being there before, during, and after a disaster health crisis or conflict, Daily Observer reports.

Ducor Lions Club Donates Wheel Chairs To JFK

The Monrovia Lions Club on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 donated three medical  wheel chairs to the John F. Kennedy (JFK) administration, as part of it contribution to the referral hospital.  Presenting the donation, the President of the Monrovia Ducor Lions Club, Collins W. Teah, Jr., said the club was concerned about the running of the referral hospital and, as a humanitarian organization; it was incumbent upon them to help JFK’s administration, the Hot Pepper newspaper writes.

Unemployment in Liberia Stands at 2.8% Says Expenditure Survey

According to a new partial Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) conducted by the Liberia Institute and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) unemployment in Liberia currently stands at 2.8 percent. LISGIS Project Coordinator Ms. Mariah Gilayeneh said that the definition use by LISGIS for unemployment is the international accepted definition for unemployment. The FrontPage Africa newspaper reports that Madam Gilayeneh spoke at a Ministry of Information press briefing.