THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia  

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2016 

News of the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms’ presentation of its assessment report on Liberia’s compliance with the Arms Trade Treaty to Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai; the signing of a trade agreement between the Governments of Liberia and Ethiopia and President Johnson Sirleaf’s donation of Independence gifts to the needy people are among stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.  

DOMINANT STORIES  

Small Arms Commission Presents Liberia’s Compliance Report To VP Boakai 

The Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA) has presented their Assessment of Liberia’s Compliance with the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to Vice President Dr. Joseph Nyumah Boakai at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ C. Cecil Dennis Jr. Auditorium on Friday, July 15. Before making the presentation to Vice President Boakai, the Chairman of LiNCSA, Mr. James M. Fromayan, said Liberia has a keener understanding than most about the need for effective control of conventional arms, of their ownership, use, and transfer across borders. He said that Liberia, being a member of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), has to do all to be fully in compliance with that instrument, which it signed in June 2013 and ratified in November 2014. Chairman Fromayan further stated that the need for the country to fully implement the Treaty is more urgent with the drawdown of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the transfer of responsibility for the country’s security back to the Liberian government. Receiving the LiNCSA Assessment Report on Liberia’s Compliance with the Arms Trade Treaty, VP Boakai said that one cannot stress enough how critical a catalyst the Small Arms Commission is to the protection and maintenance of peace and security in a post-conflict country such as Liberia. Vice President Boakai said much more remains to be done in elevating Liberia into full compliance with ATT so that it is on par with other countries, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Small Arms Commission Presents Report To VP(New DEMOCRAT), Small Arms Critical Catalyst’ To Peace(The NEWS), Small Arms Commission resents Report To Vice President Joseph Boakai(FOCUS), Small Arms Commission Presents Report To VP Boakai(Heritage), Boakai Receives ATT Reports(In Profile Daily), Small Arms Commission Presents Reports To VP Boakai(The ANALYST)

Liberia-Ethiopia Sign Cooperation Agreement

The In Profile Daily reports that Liberia, Africa's oldest independent Republic and Ethiopia, Africa's oldest country have signed an agreement to cooperate in the execution of projects and programs in various areas including trade, industry, agriculture and fisheries, energy and infrastructure. According to a dispatch from Kigali, the agreement which was signed in Kigali on July 17, 2016 on the sidelines of the 27th Session of the General Assembly of the African Union, also called for cooperation in the education, health, telecommunication and information communication technology and manufacturing. The agreement was signed in the presence of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailermariam Desalegn by Liberia’s Foreign Minister Marjon Kamara and her counterpart Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The two foreign ministers committed to setting up a joint cooperation committee to identify specific projects for implementation under the agreement and to meet regularly to ensure effective implementation.

Related Captions:  Liberia, Ethiopia Signed Agreement(The NEWS), Liberia, Ethiopia Signed Cooperate Agreement(The New Dawn), Liberia, Ethiopia Sign Cooperation Agreement(New DEMOCRAT), Liberia-Ethiopia Sign Cooperation Agreement(The ANALYST)

Ellen Identifies with Needy

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has identified with several needy through the distribution of mixed food items to various communities hosting handicapped and disabled in Monrovia, parts of  Montserrado and Bomi counties amid the donation of 1000 bags of rice and several cartons of fish. According to an Executive Mansion release, the donation was made on behalf of President Sirleaf, by Mr. Toe Wesseh, Coordinator of the Special Presidential Services on Monday, July 18, 2016. Making the donation, Mr. Wesseh said as a tradition, it was a demonstration of the Liberian leader’s concern for the welfare of every Liberian, including the disable and handicapped communities to share food and other items during the independence celebration, reports the NEWS newspaper.

Related Captions: Pres. Sirleaf Identifies With Needy(FOCUS), President Sirleaf Identifies With Needy(The New Dawn)

Social Accountability Project Launched

The Community Development and Research Agency (CODRA) and the Liberian Children’s Schooling Project (LCSP) on Friday July 16 launched a “Social Accountability Project” in Gbarnga, Bong County. During the launch, the heads of the two implementing organizations, Messrs Lassanah Dukuly and Dr. Mogana Flomo Sr., told the gathering that the project is meant to increase citizens’ participation in monitoring government’s spending in a drive to ensure transparency and accountability. The heads of the two CSOs explained that under the project, their respective organizations will establish and strengthen the capacity and competence of social accountability clubs in two educational and health districts in Bong and Nimba counties. According to the Daily Observer, the project under the theme, “Enhancing Service Delivery, the Need for an Inclusive Participation – The Role of Communities,” will last for eight months, and will be implemented in Bong, Nimba and Margibi counties.

Related Captions: CODRA, LCSP Launch Social Accountability Project(FOCUS), CODRA, LCSP Launch Social Accountability Project(Heritage)

OTHER STORIES

AU Launches All-Africa Passport

The ANANLYSTnewspaper writes that the Africa Union (Au) has launched continental passport with the Presidents of Chad and Rwanda Being the first two recipient. The five-language diplomatic passport, which ensures holders free movement throughout the continent, was unveiled at the opening of the 27^th AU Summit in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, Sunday. Chadian President Idriss Deby, the body’s current chairperson, and Rwandan leader Paul Kagame were presented with the passports by outgoing AU Commission chief Kkosazama Dlamini Zuma.  The outgoing Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr. Dlamini-Zuma also urged heads of States in Africa to create their own protocols for introducing the pan-African passport citizen.

Carter Center Issues Assessment of Liberia’s Pre-Election Environment

The FOCUS newspaper reports that in advance of 2017’s key national elections, The Carter Center Monday released an assessment of the pre-election environment that includes recommendations to help Liberia continue to strengthen its democracy. “These elections present an historic opportunity for Liberia, and I call on all Liberians to commit to peaceful participation in the democratic process, consistent with the rule of law,” said Jordan Ryan, the Carter Center’s vice president for peace programs and a former United Nations Mission in Liberia Deputy Special Representative. In April and July, the Center’s Democracy Program sent delegations to Liberia to assess the current Political environment and status of technical preparations in advance of presidential and legislative elections anticipated in October 2017.

President Sirleaf Urges More Support for Women in Agriculture

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says the lack of access to finance for women in agriculture remains a constraint, which must be addressed if women are to become more productive in Africa's agricultural transformation.  According to a dispatch from Kigali, President Sirleaf made the statement when she chaired a high level breakfast forum of the Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA) initiative in Kigali on Saturday, July 16, 2016. According to the New DEMOCRAT newspaper, the Liberian leader called on African leaders to support the initiative adding “EWA has the potential of lifting women farmers out of poverty through enhancement of their productivity”. She the implementation of the EWA initiative will integrate women farmer’s interest into ongoing programs of agricultural transformation in Africa.

Gov’t Increases Taxes

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Liberia Revenue Authority has proffered a bill, seeking increment in GSM cellular phone voice calls, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and locally produced water. Based on the bill, the joint House and Senate Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget has held a public hearing in the William Richard Tolbert Joint Chambers at the Capitol. Officials of the two government entities emphasized the need for the increment on grounds that it will help government generate more revenue as the country experiences budgetary drought, writes the New Dawn newspaper.

CBL Dedicates Bank In Tappita

The Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) Milton Alvin Weeks has promised to provide access to financial services in rural communities at a reduced cost thru the establishment of community financial institutions. Speaking at the dedicatory ceremony of one of such facility recently in Tappita, Nimba County, he said the establishment of rural community banks across the country is to enable citizens have access to financial services. According to the New Dawn newspaper, the community financial institution is the first in that part of Nimba, owned by citizens and residents, who have purchased shares in the institution. 

UNFPA Official Speaks On Maternal Healthcare

The Reproductive Health Specialist at UNFPA – Liberia, Ester Lincoln, has stressed the need for quality human workforce to address Liberia’s high maternal mortality. According to Lincoln, Liberia’s maternal mortality ratio is steadily increasing, despite past achievements in meeting the Millennium Development Goal # on improved maternal and newborn healthcare, writes the FOCUSnewspaper.

NASSCORP Hails NHA Over 70 Housing Units Project

The National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) has hailed the National Housing Authority (NHA) for progress being made in the construction of 70 additional housing units at NASSCORP Village in Brewerville outside Monrovia. Construction of housing units is being done by 10 Liberian contractors vetted by the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) under the supervision of the NHA with funding from NASSCORP, reports the FOCUS newspaper.

Related Caption: NASSCORP Hails NHA Over 70 Housing Units Project(Heritage)

To Advance Africa’s Development: ECA AfDB and AU Principals Re-commit Time and Effort

According to the Heritage newspaper, Principals of the African Union Commission, Economic Commission for Africa and the Africa Development Bank (AUC/ECA/AfDB) Joint Secretariat, Drs. Nkosazana Ndlamini-Zuma, Carlos Lopes and Akinwumi A. Adesina, have restated their resolve to continue to work together in advancing Africa's development agenda, including through strengthening the AUC/ECA/AfDB Joint Secretariat Support Office (JSSO). This was one of the major outcomes of the recently concluded Joint Secretariat meeting, which the three leaders held on the 16th of July 2016, in Kigali, Rwanda on the margins of the 27th Summit of the African Union. The meeting, which was preceded by a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Joint Secretariat Support Office, reviewed the context of the establishment of the Joint Secretariat and the role of its Joint Secretariat Support Office; as well as discussed a number of challenges that the office has faced since its inception back in 2011. The AUC/ECA/AfDB leaders pledged to continue to put their respective comparative advantages at the service of the continent and emphasized the need to continue to speak with one voice over issues relating to the development trajectory of the continent.

2 Charged With Armed Robbery In Bong

Police in Gbarnga, Bong County have charged two men with armed robbery. Sundayboy Momue and Paepa Flomo were charged over the weekend following Police preliminary investigation that linked them to an alleged armed robbery attack in the Mulbah Hill Community in Totota, Salala District, pens the Heritage newspaper.

Deputy Speaker Wants Media Help Protect Peace, Security

Deputy House Speaker Hans Barchue has called on media practitioners in the country to help serve as protectors of the nation’s peace and security in the wake of the drawdown of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). Barchue admonished media practitioners to desist from negative reportage and the propagation of hate messages which, according to him, have the propensity to incite the public against government and its official. The Deputy Speaker made the call in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County over the weekend in his keynote address at the start of a two-day retreat organized by the Legislative Press Pool (LEGISPOL), reports the Heritage newspaper.