THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia  

NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Proclamation declaring Sunday, June 26, as International Drugs Day, the visit to Liberia of Michelle Obama, wife of US President Barack Obama and the Presidents of MRU countries’ holding of the 24^th  Ordinary Summit in Conakry, Guinea are among stories dominating today’s edition of the summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Liberia Observes Int’l Drugs Day Today 

According to the Daily Observer, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf by Proclamation declared yesterday Sunday, June 26, as “International Drugs Day” and is to be observed today Monday, June 27, throughout the country as a working holiday. The Proclamation is in consonance with an Act of National Legislature, which was adopted in 1999, creating the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) with the authority to combat the importation, illicit trafficking and use of dangerous drugs. The observance of the day is intended to create awareness of the devastating effects of illicit drugs on individuals and families and to mobilize communities and other stakeholders against the use of such substances. On December 7, 1987, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted Resolution 42/112, which set aside the 26th day of June of each year as International Day Against Illicit Trafficking of Drugs and other Substances of Abuse to be celebrated worldwide.

Related Captions: Liberia Observers International Drugs Day(WOMEN VOICES), Liberia Observers International Drugs Day Today(FOCUS)

Kakata, Smell-No-Taste to Receive Michelle Obama

The bustling city of Kakata and the much less animated Unification Town (commonly known as Smell-No-Taste), both in Margibi County, will today be honored with a visit from U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, her daughters Malia and Sashsa, and their delegation. As part of their three-nation tour to promote girls' education the American first lady will meet with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and have a discussion with local teenage girls, moderated by actress Freida Pinto. As part of Let Girls Learn, the First Lady - joined by Malia and Sasha Obama and Mrs. Marian Robinson - will visit a Peace Corps Training Facility in Kakata, Margibi County where she will meet with girls and young women participating in a GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Camp. Her visit will highlight both the Peace Corps' work to help girls in underserved communities build self-confidence, communication, and other leadership skills and new programming from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed at improving access to quality education and life skills for adolescent girls across Liberia, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Women’s Interest Tossed…Michelle Obama Visits Liberia Today(In Profile Daily), As Thousands Troop RIA Red Carpet Welcome For Michelle Obama(Heritage), Obama’s Wife Arrives-What’s In Her Suitcase For Liberian Girls, Women?(WOMEN VOICES), Welcome Madam First Lady(New DEMOCRAT),To Foster Girls’ Education: Michelle Obama Arrives Today(The INQUIRER)

ECOWAS Holds 24th Summit in Guinea…Review Ministerial Council Recommendations

 President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Friday, June 24, 2016 joined fellow Heads of State at the 24th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Mano River Union in Conakry, Guinea. According to a dispatch from Conakry, the 24th Ordinary Summit reviewed and took decisions on the recommendations made by the Union’s Ministerial Council on the various issues outlined in the Progress Report of the MRU Secretariat and used the summit to deliberate on other vital programs and initiatives that are ongoing to sustain peace security and stability as well as ensure overall socio-economic development in the MRU Sub-region. MRU 24th Ordinary Summit of Heads of States and Government of the Mano River Union was attended by Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Alpha Conde of Guinea and Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone, while Cote d’Ivoire was represented by the Minister of Animal Resources, reports the In Profile Daily.

Related Captions: MRU Leaders Hold 24th Ordinary Summit In Conakry-Review Ongoing Programs To Sustain Peace Security, Stability And Socio-economic Development(WOMEN VOICES), MRU Leaders Review Ongoing Programs To Sustain Peace, Security, Stability And Development(FOCUS)

High Level WTO Team Here To Identify And Support Liberia’s Post Accession Plans, Needs

According to the Daily Observer, a High Level Delegation from the World Trade Organization (WTO) focused on Liberia's Post Accession Plan for its accession to the World Trade Organization will be visiting Liberia from today, June 27 through Wednesday, 29, 2016 to identify and support Liberia’s Post Accession Plan, a two-year program to promote trade facilitation, customs reforms, and investment in trade support activities and institutions. The visit is a part of the standard protocol of accessions to the WTO for Recently Acceded Countries (RACs) that have put together a post accession plan and are mobilizing government and donor resources to support the critical process of putting in place the trade programs that support trade facilitation, customs and investment reforms.

Related Captions: High Level WTO Team Expected in Liberia; Post Accession Needs Plan to be Identified(FrontPage Africa), High level WTO Team Expected In Liberia(FOCUS)

Liberia Assures International Community On The Fight Against Money Laundering, Terrorism

The Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Hon. Milton A. Weeks has assured GIABA and FATF of the Liberian Government’s commitment to address the deficiencies noted on Liberia by both institutions. He informed the meeting held with the institutions that with the recent election of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Liberia is committed to the improvement of the AML/CFT regime of the country. He called on GIABA and FATF to continue their support to Liberia in this effort. The FrontPage Africa newspaper reports that Governor Weeks spoke recently in Busan, South Korea, when he attended the June 2016 Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary Meetings from June 18-24.

Related Captions: Liberia Assures Int’l Community Of Commitment To Fighting Money Laundering, Financing Of Terrorism(Daily Observer), Liberia Assures International Community On The Fight Against Money Laundering And Combating Financing Of Terrorism(The INQUIRER)

OTHER STORIES

Eye Clinc Opens In Paynesville-President Sirleaf Dedicates Proprietor As Patriot

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has dedicated a New Sight Eye Center in 72nd Paynesville City and described the Executive Director and Founder Dr. Robert Dolo as “a Symbol of the New Liberia”. President Sirleaf who appeared elated over Dr. Dolo and his partners’ desire to construct the Eye Center in Liberia said the new Liberia needs people who are willing to be a part of the development of their country. She said such Liberians make the sacrifice because sometime they do not have the resources but they have the skills and talents and are willing to put them to work not only for themselves but for the good of others. The Liberian leader said while her leadership has been keen on building some of the best “Resilience Health Centers in the country to address the outbreak of Ebola, one of the areas in the health sector that will need serious attentions is the area of eye sight improvement, reports the WOMEN VOICES newspaper.

Related Caption: Pres. Sirleaf Dedicates New Sight Eye Center(FOCUS)

Liberian Diplomat Donates Educational Materials To Bong School

A Liberia diplomat with the country’s embassy in Washington D.C., USA, Mr. Gabriel H. Williams has donated several educational materials to the Tokpaiolu Public Elementry School in Tokpaiolu, Salala District, Bong County. The donation of the educational materials, according to the Daily Observer, is in continuation of Mr. Willams’ efforts to support rural public schools.

Indians Observe International Day Of Yoga In Liberia

Indians residing in Liberia yesterday celebrated International Day of Yoga in Monrovia with a call for people to take advantage of the day. Madam Sofia Ali who is a Yoga instructor explaining the importance of Yoga noted that it helps clear up kidney, the liver and send more oxygen to the brain which encourages clarity of the mind. Madam Ali said yoga also helps one to gain weight loss, strengthen the body and bones promptly, keep memory intact, saying, “yoga helps de-toxicity in the body,” writes the INQUIRER newspaper.

Related Caption: In Observance Of International Day Of Yoga: Program Successfully Held In Monrovia(Heritage)

12th Graders Sit WAEC Today

 The WOMEN VOICES newspaper writes that twelve graders across the country today began sitting this year’s West African Examination Council (WAEC) test. WAEC and the Ministry of Education (MoE) authorities postponed the test following the discovery of a leaked exam in Montserrado and Margibi Counties.

Related Caption: Rescheduled WAEC Exams Starts Today(FOCUS)