Daily Media Summary 2016-05-18
THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Monrovia, Liberia
DAILY NEWS SUMMARY WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
Today edition of the summary of the local dailies highlight Foreign Minister Marjon Kamara’s description of the European Union- Liberia partnership as “a strong, significant and reliant pillar” and the government’s decision to pay civil servants, and its obligations for goods and services about 80% in Liberian dollars.
DOMINANT STORIES
EU-Liberia Partnership: ‘Strong, Significant And Reliant Pillar’
Minister Marjon Kamara has branded the European Union (EU) – Liberia partnership as “a strong, significant and reliant pillar” in the country’s development framework. According to a Foreign Ministry release, Ms. Kamara made the comments at the opening of the 4th EU-Liberia Political Dialogue held under the theme: “Conditions for Peace and Economic Growth,” at the C. Cecil Dennis, Jr. Auditorium on Tuesday, May 17, 2016. Liberia’s delegation was led by Foreign Minister Kamara with the participation of several ministries and agencies of government including the Ministries of Finance and Development Planning, Defense, Justice, Health, Agriculture and Commerce and Industry. Foreign Minister Kamara pointed out that the EU, which continues to be the largest provider of support to the national budget, has confirmed an additional amount of US$34 million in grant funding as part of its ongoing budget support program for 2016. For her part, the Head of the European Delegation, Ambassador Tiina Intelmann said all that the European Delegation is doing is on behalf of the 28 Member States and complemented by their own bilateral programs. According to the New Dawn newspaper, the 4th EU-Liberia Political Dialogue focuses on political and security matters, including the UN Mission transition, counter-terrorism, upcoming elections –lessons learnt and the way forward, rule of law and human rights issues.
Related Captions: As 4th EU-Liberia Political Dialogue Begins In Monrovia: Minister Kamara Brands Partnership As ‘Strong, Significant And Reliant Pillar’ (Heritage), Govt., European Union Hold 4th Political Dialogue (The Informer), GoL, EU Hold 4th Political Dialogue (The Catalyst)
Government To Increase Sale Of US Dollars To Restore Country’s Reserves, President Sirleaf Informs Legislature
The Daily Observer writes that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has written the Legislature informing that body that the government in early June will pay civil servants, and its obligations for goods and services, including payments to contractors and lessors about 80% in Liberian dollars in order to increase the sale of United States Dollars to the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) to restore its reserves. The President said the increase in the level of domestic expenditure in Liberian dollars would also help the CBL’s targeted level in reserves as agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The daily furthered that the Legislature has approved the printing of L$55m to cover up for the "shortage of Liberia’s legal tender."
Related Captions: Gol To Pay Salaries In Liberian Dollars (The New Dawn), Increasing Domestic Expenditure In Liberian Dollars President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Writes Legislature (FrontPage Africa), Ellen Makes Recommendations For Economic Recovery (The Catalyst)
OTHER STORIES
Ellen Receives High-powered World Lebanese Cultural Union Delegation
A six-man high-powered delegation from the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU) has paid a visit to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf where they presented a check of US$100,000 towards the implementation of the multi-purpose Student Service Center at Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf thanked the community for their support to the development of the educational sector and the empowerment of young people through scholarships and other initiatives. The President of the World Lebanese Cultural Union, Mr. Ezzat N. Eid presented the check to Tubman University. An additional US$30,000 was donated by Mr. Chawki Kadouh, General Manager of K & K Trading Corp as his personal contrition to the University, reports the Heritage newspaper.
Related Caption: Lebanese To The Rescue; World Lebanese Culture Union Delegation; Presents a Check Of US$100,000.00Toward Tubman University K to WVS Tubman University Proposed Project (FrontPage Africa)
100k Candidates For WAEC- Ministry of Education
Authorities at the Ministry of Education (MOE) have announced that about 100,074 candidates representing 9th and 12th graders will sit for this year’s West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams scheduled for May 19 to 27, 2016. Madam Felicia Sackie Doe-Sumah, Assistant Minister for Basic and Primary Education, addressing a press briefing on Capitol Hill said “This exam is special because we have two classes from two different academic years that will be writing the 2016 WAEC. We have the students from 2014 to 2015 and also the students from 2015 to 2016, and because of that, we will have more centers for the test.” Minister Doe-Sumah said the 9th graders will write the exam on Thursday and Friday, May 19 and end 20, while the 12th graders will begin on Monday, May 23 and end on May 27, 2016.
Africa Urged To Establish One News Agency
Two Egyptian officials who addressed a forum of over 40 African journalists in an ongoing seminar in Cairo have called for the establishment of the Africa News Agency (ANA) to enhance dissemination of balanced information about the continent. Red Sea Governor, Rtd. Major/General Ahmed Abdallah and Mr. Gamal Eneyet, an Egyptian freelance journalist said an agency will concretize Pan Africanism and do away with the continent’s journalists downloading foreign news articles with satellite images, as well as quoting “imbalanced news” from foreign news agencies, reports the Daily Observer.
Greenfield Commits U.S. Support to DEA
Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has pledged her government’s support to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) while hailing it for the fight against illicit drug trafficking. Madam Greenfield made the assertion when she paid a visit to the headquarters of the DEA to assess the level of progress the entity is making to combat illicit drug trafficking. DEA Director, Anthony Souh thanked the U.S government for installation of an E-learning computer lab, according to the FrontPage Africa newspaper.
US Envoy Confident Of YALI’s Future
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, says she is positive that the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) otherwise referred to as Mandela Washington Fellowship, will continue beyond President Barack Obama’s administration. During a press conference at the US Embassy Library in Monrovia, Ambassador Greenfield said YALI will continue to exist and help train young Africans to become productive people on their continent. President Obama’s tenure comes to an end early January of next year following the US presidential elections in November of this year, reports the Daily Observer.
New Finance Minister Takes Office
According to the Informer newspaper, the new Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr. Boima S. Kamara, has taken over the Ministry from Acting Minister Dr. James Kollie at a ceremony held at the Ministry in Monrovia.
Liberia Launches 6-Year Roadmap for Responding to HIV/AIDS
The National AIDS Commission of Liberia and partners will tomorrow Thursday, May 19, 2016, launch the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (NSP) 2015-2020. The document is an evidenced-based strategic plan that provides a framework for how Liberia as a nation plans to address the epidemic of HIV and AIDS during the period (2015-2020), the Heritage newspaper writes.
LINCSA Welcomes Passage of Firearms Control Act
The ‘Liberian Firearms and Ammunition Control Act of 2015’, the legal framework for regulating the possession and use of small arms and light weapons in the country, has been passed into law by the National Legislature. The domestic guns control law was finally passed on Thursday, May 12, 2016 when the House of Representatives concurred with an earlier action of the Liberia Senate on the passage of the Act. The Commission observed that with the passage of the Act, it was now possible to secure the lifting of the arms embargo imposed on Liberia by the UN Security Council since 1992, writes the Heritage newspaper.
- Related Caption: LINCSA welcomes the passage of Firearms Act Calls on Stakeholders to Support Its Enforcement (FrontPage Africa)
