THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS  

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 

News of President Johnson-Sirleaf’s pronouncement on Liberia’s collaboration with Google and USAID for a reliable and affordable broadband infrastructure in Liberia, ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments’ decision to end the crisis in Guinea Bissau as well as  the commitment made by Police Inspector General designate Gregory Coleman that the new leadership at the Liberia National Police will focus on the welfare of Police officers and institute high degree of discipline among the men and women in the Police force are among stories highlighted in today’s newspapers.

The summary also includes President Johnson Sirleaf’s congratulatory message to the Government of the Republic of Mali on the observance of that country’s 56^th Independence Anniversary and news of President Johnson Sirleaf’s upcoming address at the 71^st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Google To Increase Broadband Connectivity Here-Pres.  Sirleaf 

The New Dawnnewspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf on Wednesday September 21 announced at the USA-Africa Business Forum in New York, NY that as part of their Public-Private Partnership initiative, Liberia will be collaborating with Google and USAID to bring best-in-class, reliable, affordable broadband infrastructure in Liberia predominantly the capital, Monrovia. "Unfortunately, Liberia has one of the lowest internet penetration rates in the world and access to fiber connectivity costs significantly more than neighboring countries." said President Johnson- Sirleaf. The Government of Liberia expects that this partnership will address critical infrastructure gaps in their ICT sector by expanding access to connectivity. This will allow the country to meet some of its social and economic targets which will invariably stimulate economic transformation and raise the living standard of their people. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to work on this important metro fiber project." said Marian Croak, Google's Vice President for Access for Next Billion Users. "We are getting involved because we have a number of efforts to improve public health in Liberia and surrounding countries.

Related Captions: Liberia To Work With Google, USAID To: Increase Broadband Access In Monrovia-Prez Sirleaf(Daily Observer), Google, USAID To Bring High Speed Internet Facility to Monrovia(FOCUS), Google, USAID To Boost Broadband Access In Liberian Schools(Heritage), Liberia Forms Partnership With USAID, Google For PPP Success(Women Voices)

ECOWAS Agrees to End Crisis in Guinea Bissau

ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have agreed to a plan to end the crisis in Guinea Bissau including modalities for the gradual withdrawal of the ECOWAS Military Intervention Force in Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB). According to a dispatch from New York, the agreement was reached at an Extraordinary Meeting of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on Tuesday, September 20, on the margins of the 71^stsession of the United Nations General Assembly chaired by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, current Chair of the sub-regional organization. The plan to end the crisis, validated by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, focuses on six-points including: bringing together all stake holders for an inclusive roundtable dialogue based on a platform of the 15 dissident members of parliament, PAIGC, PRS, other political parties, civil society and religious and traditional leaders; forming an inclusive consensus government to implement the platform set up by the roundtable, to lead the country until the next legislative elections in 2018; and undertaking reforms of the Constitution, electoral laws, charter of political parties, the territorial government and strengthening the judicial system for greater credibility, according to the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Captions: ECOWAS Agree To A Plan To End Crisis In Guinea Bissau(FOCUS), ECOWAS Agree To End Guinea Bissau Crisis(Heritage), ECOWAS Takes Step To End Guinea Bissau Crisis(Women Voices)

Police Reform Inspector General Designate Promises Changes At LNP

Police Inspector General designate Gregory Coleman has committed his incoming leadership at the Liberia National Police to seeking the welfare of Police officers, and instituting high degree of discipline among the men and women in the Police. Coleman said while the Police morale is low, he will focus on raising the level of discipline within the Liberia National Police,  adding that while the force has morale problem discipline must be strengthened. Col. Coleman told a Senate National Security Committee, on Defense, Intelligence and Veterans Affairs hearing Wednesday September 21 2016, on Capitol Hill that when confirmed one of his foremost proprieties will be to address officers’ welfare and change the outlook of officers in the field, making reference to the lack of uniforms for Police officers. Col. Coleman said in his first hundred days in office the public will witness a massive presence of Police visibility in various communities beginning with Monrovia and its environs, stating that community policing will help to reduce the level of crimes. For his part the Deputy Director of Police for Operations Col. Abraham Kromah said his return to the Police is all intended to serve the country and its people. He said as operational Chief designate his primary responsibility will be to institute discipline among the men warning of drastic actions against any Police officers that will undermine the true meaning of professional policing. Col. Kromah said he will remain proactive in fighting crimes within the Liberian society. He called on Liberians to be respecters of the law of the country, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Captions: Police Chief Declares War On Armed Robbers(New DEMOCRAT), Police Inspector General-Designate Promises Reform At LNP(Heritage), New Police Chief Promises Reform(The New Dawn)

OTHER STORIES

Ellen Congratulates Mali on 56th Independence Day

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has conveyed a message of warmest congratulations to the Republic of Mali on the auspicious occasion commemorating the 56^th Independence Anniversary of that country. The Heritage newspaper quoting a Foreign Ministry release says, in the message to her Malian counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, President Sirleaf expressed fervent hope that the Almighty Allah will endow President Keita with abundant wisdom and strength to lead his compatriots to greater prosperity.

Ellen Addresses UN General Assembly Today

According to the Heritage newspaper, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will today Thursday, September 22 address the 71^st session of the United Nations General Assembly at about 7:00 p.m. local time. President Sirleaf is expected to highlight Liberia’s long road to recovery after years of conflict; the social and economic progress the country has made so far; as well as the challenges associated with transitioning from a period of recovery to sustainable development through the diversification of the economy. The daily quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that the Liberian leader is also expected to touch on the consolidation of peace and security by the handover of full security to the Government of Liberia by the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and as chair of the sub-regional organization, ECOWAS, President Sirleaf is expected to highlight regional issues including the just concluded agreed peace plan for Guinea Bissau.  

130 Million People Need Assistance 

The New Dawn newspaper says United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned that about one hundred and thirty (130) million people around the world need life-saving assistance - about 10 million of them children and young people, saying “Our next generation is already at risk.”President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is heading a high-level official delegation to the General Assembly in New York, and is expected to deliver an official address.  Speaking at the General Assembly in New York Wednesday, 21 September Mr. Ki-moon said gulfs of mistrust divide citizens from their leaders, while extremists push people into camps of “us” and “them”, and the earth assails with rising seas, record heat and extreme storms with danger defining the days of many. “We have the means to prevent conflict. We have the potential to close the gap between rich and poor, and to make rights real in people’s lives.”Mr. Ki-moon said with the Sustainable Development Goals, the world now has a manifesto for a better future, including the Paris Agreement on climate change aimed at tackling the defining challenge of “our time”. The Secretary-General said “My message to all is clear: serve your people. Do not subvert democracy; do not pilfer your country’s resources; do not imprison and torture your critics.”

Malaria Indicator Survey Launched

The Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health has launched the 2016 Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS). MIS is a population-based survey conducted periodically to measure the performance of the National Malaria Control Program interventions in Liberia. The MIS was last conducted in 2011. The survey will help the Ministry of Health know the number of households that own and sleep under mosquito nets, the number of pregnant women who get protected from malaria during clinic attendance, and how children with malaria are treated in Liberia, the Women Voices newspaper reads.

Antoinette Sayeh Quits IMF

A back page story of the Women Voices newspaper reads that Dr. Antoinette Sayeh, Director of the African Development at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has resigned her position; this paper has been reliably informed.  In her letter of resignation to the IMF Managing Director, Christine Lagarde of her intention to retire from the Fund, effective August 31, 2016 “As the Director of the African Department for the past eight years, Antoinette has been enormously influential in cementing the IMF’s relations with our African member countries,” Ms. Lagarde said.

LACC Seeks Laws To Protect Whistleblowers

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) through its Chairperson, Cllr.  James N. Verdier wants the legislature to pass key legislations that seek to protect those who attempt to expose government officials involved in acts of corruption. The LACC boss made the call on Monday at a three-day “Whistleblower and Witness Protection Workshop” organized by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) in partnership with LACC, writes the Women Voices newspaper..

Several Teachers, Educational Workers Kick off Nationwide Protest

Several Teachers and Educational Workers on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 kicked off a nationwide protest by laying down all Educational tools demanding the unconditional Resignation or dismissal of Education Minister George Werner and the Superintendent of the Monrovia Consolidated School System Adolphus Benjamin Jacobs whom in their ­­­­­­opinion have added “mess” to Liberia’s Educational System. In Montserrado County as one of the protest sites the Teachers and Educational Workers were seen holding placards with several slogans, George and Adolphus must go, the Heritage newspaper reads.

Related Captions: Education Minister Werner, MCSS Superintendent Under Pressure To Quit Teachers’ Strike(FrontPage Africa)

CU Prexy Vows to Upload Academic Excellence

Cuttington University (CU) President, Dr. Herman Brown, has said his administration will uphold and further strengthen the standard of academic excellence at the University. The Episcopal Church of Liberia in May elected Dr. Brown as the new President of Cuttington University, the church’s highest institution of learning in the country. Briefing the press Tuesday in Gbarnga, Dr. Brown said students entering and leaving the walls of Cuttington must be adequately prepared to serve the society, the Heritage newspaper reads.

House Approves Tax Amendment, Rejects Two Propositions

The House of Representatives has accepted four out of six proposals by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to amend the Revenue Code of Liberia Act of 2000 in accordance with the Economic stimulus Tax AMENDMENT Act of 2016. In its report to Plenary on Tuesday, the House Specialized Technical Committee, following scrutiny of the Act, maintained that Excise Tax at the rate of 80 percent shall be levied on tobacco and products containing tobacco, the FOCUS newspaper says.

A.B. Passes On: A.B. Johnson, Former Liberia’s Internal Affairs Minister Is Dead

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reports that Mr. Ambulai “AB” Johnson Jr., the first Minister of Internal Affairs in the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf-led government has died. The daily quotes family sources as saying that the former Minister who has been battling cancer died in the U.S. State of North Carolina Tuesday. Mr. Johnson served as MIA minister from 2006-2009. While at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mr Johnson was the grandchild for the County Development Fund. Along with his Cabinet Colleague, Toga McIntosh, they set up Liberia’s first County Development Agenda which laid out Development Plans and Government’s decentralization action plan for each county.

Related Caption: Ex-Internal Affairs Minister Ambulai Johnson Is Dead(Daily Observer)