THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia  

NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 

Foreign Minister Marjon Kamara’s meeting with the new Country Director of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society to Liberia, Mr. Younos Abdul Karim, the election of Grand Cape Mount County’s Senator Edward Dagoseh as Chairman of the African Organization for Public Accounts Committee and President Johnson Sirleaf’s remembrance of Fanta Mamadee Diakite as a professional journalist are stories highlighted in today’s newspapers.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Foreign Minister Meets IFRC-RCS Country Director  

Foreign Minister Marjon Kamara is urging donors and disaster management organizations operating in Liberia to direct their focus on the trauma healing and psychosocial counseling, which she says, are very crucial to the post-Ebola recovery process. Quoting a Foreign Ministry release, the NEWS newspaper reports that Foreign Minister Kamara made the assertion when she received the Letters of Credence from the new Country Director of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC-RCS) to Liberia, Mr. Younos Abdul Karim, on Friday, September 2, 2016. Minister Kamara urged Mr. Karim and the Federation to keep partners informed about the progress and efforts that the organization is making in Liberia so as to attract more donor support to expand programs being implemented here. In response, the new IFRC-RCS Country Director to Liberia, Mr. Younos Abdul Karim, stressed how delighted he was to be in Liberia and expressed happiness over the warm reception accorded him since his arrival here by the Liberian Government and stakeholders. Mr. Karim said as part of post-Ebola recovery program, his organization will focus its assistance in the areas of water and sanitation, primary health care, community-based health awareness programs as well as give psychosocial support to those affected by the Ebola epidemic so as to enhance post-Ebola recovery efforts by government.

Related Captions: Foreign Minister Kamara Meets With IFRC-RCS Country Director…Receives Letters Of Credence(Heritage), Foreign Minister Kamara Meets With IFRC-RCS Country Director(FOCUS)

AFROPAC Elects Senator Dagoseh As Chair

The African Organization for Public Accounts Committee (AFROPAC) has elected Grand Cape Mount County Senator Edward Dagoseh as it Chair. AFROPAC is a pan-African network of Parliamentary Public Accounts Committees with similar functions. Senator Edward Dagoseh, who represents Liberia in the continental parliamentary body, was elected on acclamation in a process that had other previously contended processions. A dispatch from Nairobi, Kenya, said Senator Dagoseh, who is former Chairman of the West Africa Chapter of the Association of Public Accounts Committees, was elected in Nairobi on Thursday to steer the affairs of the body for the next four years. His election came at the end of the second Annual General Meeting and Conference of AFROPAC, which took place from August 29 to September 2 in the Kenyan capital city, Nairobi. Senator Dagoseh replaces fellow parliamentarian Alfred Wol Malith from South Sudan, who served the body for four years since 2012. Others elected to steer the affairs of AFROPAC for the next four years are Angelline Osegge of Uganda, Co-chair; Nicolas Gumbo of Kenya, Secretary General; and Ahmed Magzoub Ahmed of Sudan, Treasurer. The elections proceedings were facilitated by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). The AFROPAC conference brought together leaders, representatives and legislators from 14 countries including Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Uganda., reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Liberia Elected AFROPAC Chairman(Heritage), Liberia Elected AFROPC Chairman-President Kenyatta Tells PAC To Foster Transparency And Accountability(FOCUS)

President Sirleaf Attends Memorial Service Of Fallen Liberian Journalist

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said Fanta Mamadee Diakite will be remembered as a professional journalist and identified the media as one of the most powerful force” in any society. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf made the remarks at a memorial service on Saturday, September 3, 2016 at the Monrovia City Hall when she joined family members, relatives and friends of the late Mamadee Diakite. President Sirleaf furthered that when the story of Liberia is told, the name of Mamadee Diakite will not be forgotten because according to her, he made tremendous contributions to the media landscape in Liberia. She said as a professional journalist, the late Mamadee Diakite stood for certain principles and will be remembered for the love of his country, according to the INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: Ellen Attends Memorial Service Of Mamadee Diakite(The NEWS), President Sirleaf Attends Memorial Service of Fallen Liberian Journalist(FrontPage Africa), Mamadee Diakite Remembered For Tolerance, Balanced Journalism(Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES

Boost in Agriculture - US$4M World Class Slaughterhouse Launched

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reports that Land O’Lakes International Development and Conex/M.D Sow and Associates Enterprise Inc, has unveiled a newly-completed state of the art slaughter house in Careysburg, Montserrado County. The over US$4 million Careysburg Slaughter House is the result of a four year partnership between Land O’Lakes International Development and Conex/M.D Sow and Associates Enterprise Incorporated with funding from the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service. The chief guest at the ribbon cutting ceremony of the slaughter house, Agriculture Minister Dr. Moses Zinnah noted that Liberia, being member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has to subscribe to international standards, especially in food processing like the Careysburg Slaughter house.

Related Caption: New US$4M Slaughter House Revamps Meat Value Chain(Daily Observer)

AU Recognizes School Feeding Programs

Since March 2016, the African Union has given recognition to school meals as the world’s most widely used safety net with a vital role in education. The event was celebrated in Liberia under the lead to the Ministry of Education (MoE) as part of a long term investment in the educational system. School meals provide critical social support, encouraging more regular attendance at the school and contributing to children’s protection in emergencies. The millions of people’s future are in local economies, and in reducing hunger across the globe, report the NEWS newspaper.

US$29m Shortfall Hits Budget… As Hearing Commences At Capitol Hill

According to theINSIGHT newspaper, days following the recusal of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, J. Alex Tyler, as Presiding Officer of that body, the long-awaited hearings on the 2016/2017 Draft fiscal budget has commenced at the Legislature with a disclosure of sharp shortfall. All activities on the fiscal instrument were previously stalled at the Legislature as a result of the impasse that led to the parallel Legislative Body at the House of Representatives prior to the recusal of Speaker Tyler. Appearing at he re-start of the Budget hearings on Friday, September 2, 2016, Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs of the Ministry of Finance and Development (MFDP) Dr. James Kollie, disclosed to the specialized Technical Budget Committee that there is already a shortfall in the 2016/2017 draft National budget in the tone of US$29million. Dr. Kollie told the Committee that the fiscal instrument which was submitted May this year capturing the amount of US$556 has now dropped to US$534.

Executive Mansion Thanks Tyler For Recusing Himself As Speaker

The Executive Mansion has thanked Honorable J. Alex Tyler for recusing himself as Speaker of the House of Representatives at the National Legislature. The Heritage newspaper quotes an Executive Mansion release as saying that it is noted that the recusal of Honorable Tyler as Speaker of the House of Representatives will now allow the House of Representatives and the National Legislature in general to focus on its constitutional duties for the development of the country. The Executive Mansion expects that Honorable Tyler will continue to make contributions to the governance and development of the country and help maintain the peace and stability of Liberia.

13 Complete Addicts to Disciples Rehabilitation Program

Thirteen drug addicts on Sunday, September 4, 2016 graduated from the Victorious Faith Ministry first cycle rehabilitation program named and styled: “Addict to Disciple” (A2D) Project and reunited with their families. The A2D program, which is being undertaken by the Victorious Faith Ministry, a church located in the Battery Factory Community, is intended to transform drug addicts into disciples of Jesus Christ by giving them salvation and the needed education to help them become useful to society, the Heritage newspaper writes.

AU Discussing Relocating Liaison Office to Abidjan

The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council is holding discussions on Liberia’s request to reconsider the decision to transfer the AU Liaison Office in Monrovia to Abidjan, Cote d’Iboire. The discussions are informed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s request to the AU Chairperson on the issue. “I’m hoping that pretty soon we will get some information in that regard”, said the Head of Mission at the U Liaison Office in Liberia, Mr. Prosper N. N. Addo. During a courtesy visit, Minister Kamara for the audience, the first since she became Liberia’s Foreign Minister, and commended her for the splendid work done so far, the Heritage reports.

ICRC Leads Efforts in Improving Detainees’ Living Conditions Here

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is leading efforts aimed at improving the living condition of people under detention and prisoners in Liberia. According to a recent report released by the ICRC on its NewsNow/ICRC News Online website, the institution, in 2016 visited detainees, distributed non-food items and provided clinics equipped with essential drugs. The report stated that the ICRC continued to help Liberian authorities respond to humanitarian needs while strengthening the capacities of different national institutions, the Heritage newspaper writes.

Religious Group Commences Health Program in Bong

A center story of the Heritage newspaper reads that a religious organization under the banner: “Prison Fellowship Liberia” has embarked on a health program aimed at improving the health and hygiene condition throughout the length and breadth of Liberia. According to the Executive Director of the Organization, Rev. Francis Kollie, the new program named and styled:  “Right to Health” is intended to increase the advocacy on people’s rights to good health. Rev. Kollie said the program involves creating awareness and education on proper personal hygiene and how to access health facilities in towns and villages.

Air Maroc Reaffirms Commitment

An inside story of the FOCUS newspaper reports that the Management of the Royal Air Moroc has reaffirmed commitment to providing vibrant and quality services to all customers in Liberia. The Management in a Focus interview Thursday, September 1, 2016 at its Sinkor offices in Monrovia assured that they have to stay and work in the interest of its clients. According to official of the Agency, clients boarding on Air-Moroc are usually treated with care. The Air Maroc management however debunked media reports from Prime 105.5 FM recently stating that the institution has a very poor service which the airline says is far from reality.

TRANSWAY Intensifies Scholarship Scheme For Less Fortunate Students…Embarks On Recruiting News Members

The Transformation of War Affected Youths (TRANSWAY), a humanitarian organization, involved in providing scholarships for the less fortunate in society, has embarked on recruiting new members. The Executive Director of TRANSWAY, Mr. George Smith explained that his organization has been dealing with youths in capacity building since 2005; noting that students who were opportune to have benefited from the scholarships did so without being charged or under any condition. Mr. Smith made the remarks Saturday, during one of the recruitment meetings at the Salvation Army, Len Miller High School in Sinkor. He noted that though he has a political ambition, the scholarship scheme should be counted as a campaign tool, because he has been in the business over the years and is accounted for, the FOCUS newspaper reports.

EPA Completes Basic Course Training For 8 Technicians

The Environmental Protection Agency EPA at the weekend completed four-day basic course training for eight lab technicians on how to operate its newly dedicated Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) detection laboratory. It can be recalled that recently, the EPA in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry dedicated a modern GMOs detection lab at the National Standard Laboratory (NSI) at the Ministry of Public Works in Monrovia and subsequently began training lab technicians to work in the GMOs detection lab, the Heritage newspaper reads.