THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2016

News of the reopening of the Cuban Embassy in Monrovia, President Sirleaf, as ECOWAS Chair concerns on the current political situation in the Gambia and the House of Representatives’ concurrence with the Liberia Senate on the passage of the Act to establish the National Public Health Institute of Liberiaare stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

The Summary also includes President Sirleaf’s Message of Condolence to U.S President Barack Obama following the death of 36 persons in a fire disaster in California.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Cuban Embassy Reopens In Monrovia 

According to the Daily Observer, Cuba has reopened its embassy in Monrovia with the hope of fostering and consolidating bilateral ties between Liberia and Cuba. In an opening address by visiting Cuban Director General for Bilateral Affairs, Ambassador Gerardo Peñalver Portal, he acknowledged African countries for their mutual relationship with Cuba since the days of their struggles for independence. Ambassador Portal expressed the hope that as the Cuban flag rises up on Liberian soil after a long period of absence, the relationship between the two countries will be characterized by mutual respect, understanding and friendship. He said Cubans are willing to come to Liberia through this bilateral relation to help in whatever way they can to uplift Liberia. Ambassador Portal called on African leaders for their support of United States’ unconditional lifting of the remaining sanctions on his country. Speaking on behalf of the Liberian Government, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Sylvester Grigsby said, “It is for us a great pleasure to witness the reopening of the Cuban Embassy in Monrovia. Minister Grigsby added that while Liberia and Cuba have enjoyed “excellent relations,” Cuba has been most helpful to Liberia in many times of need, recalling assistance provided during the Ebola crisis as a recent significant help to always remember. He also acknowledged that Cuba has provided education and training opportunities for Liberians in sports, medicine and other disciplines.

Related Captions: Cuba Reopens Embassy In Monrovia(In Profile Daily), Cuba Reopens Its Embassy in Monrovia(Heritage), Republic Of Cuba Reopens It Embassy In Monrovia(FOCUS)  

The Chairperson of ECOWAS Speaks on the Current Political Situation in The Gambia 

The INQUIRERnewspaper reports that the President of the Republic of Liberia and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has expressed deep concern about current developments in the Islamic Republic of the Gambia. Referring to the call for new elections by President Jammeh on grounds of alleged abnormalities in the electoral process, The ECOWAS Chair said that this reversal of position by President Jammeh was unacceptable and threatened peace not only in the Gambia but the entire West African sub-region. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf insisted that the will of the Gambian people, freely expressed in exercise of their franchise, must be respected by all without precondition. This includes President Jammeh and officials of his Government. The ECOWAS Chairperson supports the joint statement issued by the African Union, ECOWAS and the United Nations, noting that it leaves no doubt that the reversal in the position of President Jammeh is totally unacceptable.

Related Captions: Unacceptable!(In Profile Daily), Unacceptable!-Pres. Sirleaf Describes Jammeh’s Reverse Position(The New Dawn)  

House Concurs with Senate, Passes National Public Health Institute of Liberia, New Ministry of Health Acts 

The House of Representatives on December 8, 2016, concurred with the Liberia Senate on the passage of the Act to establish the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and the Act that officially creates the new Ministry of Health. According to the Heritagenewspaper, the immediate mandate of the NPHIL will be to: enhance and expand surveillance; develop and build the public health workforce and improve epidemic preparedness, laboratory capacity and research. According to the Health Ministry, the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL) aims to provide a platform for a paradigm shift in the public health system to make it the most cost- effective and will on the overall achieve he following specific objectives:

Related Caption: Legislature Passed Public Health Institute Of Liberia, New Ministry Of Health Acts(In Profile Daily), Legislature Passes New Health Act House Concurs With Senate To Pass National Public Health Institute Of Liberia(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES  

President Sirleaf Consoles Obama 

The In Profile Dailyreads that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of condolence to the President of the United States of America, His Excellency Mr. Barack Obama, following the death of 36 persons and the injury of many more in a fire disaster in California recently. On Friday, December 2, the tragedy occurred when fire broke out during an electronic dance party, killing dozens who could not escape from the dilapidated two-storey warehouse, known locally as the Ghost Ship in Oakland, California. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf, in her message to her United States of America counterpart, said, “The people of Liberia join me in extending to you and the people of the United States, especially the families of the victims, deepest condolences for this tragedy and irreparable loss.”

Related Caption: Ellen Consoles Obama(Heritage)  

Ellen Applauds Kenya on 53^rd Independence Anniversary 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a congratulatory message to the Government and people of the Republic of Kenya on the occasion marking their 53^th Independence Anniversary on December 12^th. Quoting a Foreign Ministry release, the Heritage newspaper reads that President Sirleaf, in her message to the President of Kenya, His Excellency Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name, hoped that the bond of friendship and cooperation subsisting between their two countries will be further strengthened for the mutual benefit of their respective peoples.   

President Sirleaf Forges Partnerships to Support Primary Education in Liberia 

The In Profile Daily says on Saturday, December 3rd, private sector leaders, philanthropists, and global education advocates gathered for an evening dedicated to building partnerships to support primary education in Liberia at the London home of Jamie Cooper, founding Chair and President of Big Win Philanthropy. “The importance of access to quality education in my country, and in any country, simply cannot be overstated.  As I enter the final year of my presidency, one of my top priorities will be to ensure that the education system my administration leaves behind is capable of supporting the next generation,” said President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. According to a dispatch from London, the dinner, co-hosted by Big Win Philanthropy and the Vitol Foundation, with support from UBS Optimus Foundation, provided an opportunity to discuss Liberia’s education sector reform efforts. All PSL schools remain under government control, and are free of charge for Liberian families. The pilot is being funded by international donors and does not use funds allocated for existing education projects.

Ecobank Gets New MD

Mr. George Mensah-Asante, former Executive Director of Consumer Banking of Ecobank Ghana and Regional Head for Consumer Banking for the Anglophone West Africa (AWA) Region, has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Ecobank Liberia. Mensah-Asante took over from Gilles Guerard, who was appointed in 2015 after Kola Adeleke took on another assignment in Lusaka, Zambia. The Daily Observer reads that the newly appointed MD, who took over last week, will be responsible for growing Ecobank in Liberia.

Lottery Authority Commissions Vehicles, Donates Rice

The National Lottery Authority (LNA) has commissioned two vehicles for use by the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) department and at the same time donated 525 bags of rice to the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection and two disabled organizations. The brand new double cabin Toyota pickups were made available to the NLA by the Government of Liberia to effectuate the work of the NLA especially as it relates to enforcement of its mandate which among others include identifying and getting rid of play stations involved in gambling and ensuring that illegal operators of betting companies and other games’ of chance’ in the country are booked and penalized in line with the NLA statutory laws, reports the In Profile Daily.

Related Caption: Lottery Authority Commissions Vehicles, Donates Rice(The INQUIRER)

Finance Minister Challenges UL Graduates

Some recent 642 graduates of the College of Business and Public Administration at the University of Liberia (UL) have been urged to transform knowledge acquired into positive ventures. The Finance and Development Planning Minister, Boima Kamara, told the graduates to think beyond their achievements and focus on the development of the country as they strive for excellence in the struggle ahead of them. Speaking on Friday at the 97^th Convocation for the last batch of the 2015/2016 undergraduates held at the UL Fendell Campus, guest speaker Kamara urged the graduates to also transform the Liberian economy so that the nation comes on par with other countries globally, reports the INQUIRER newspaper.

Ellen Elevates Army Officials

President Ellen Johnson - Sirleaf has promoted officials of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), elevating the head of the army Col. Daniel Ziankahn to Defense Chief of Staff under a new rank of Major General which is now harmonized with the ranks of other regional army chiefs. Mrs. Sirleaf who is Liberia’s Commander - in - Chief of the Armed Forces, also elevated Col. Prince C. Johnson to the rank of Brigadier General and promoted him as Deputy Chief of Staff. Lt. Col. Davidson Forleh was elevated to Colonel, and promoted Commander of the 23rd infantry brigade of the AFL. The program held Friday, 9 December in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was witnessed by members of the Legislature, the Cabinet, members of the Diplomatic Corp and family members of the honorees. According to the New Dawn newspaper, Major Gen. Ziankahn and his team of administrators of the AFL rose to the helm of power in the army after restructuring exercise under President Sirleaf’s administration with support from the U.S. Government, Nigeria and other friendly nations since her first term.  

Redemption Hospital, Others Get Medical Supplies 

The Redemption Hospital, James N. Davies Hospital and the Star of the Sea Health Center over the weekend benefited from free medical supplies from the Refuge Place International. As the name inscribes, it is an international health humanitarian organization operating in the country. The landmark donation, which worth several thousand of United States Dollars, is a great boost to the three health facilities, owing to the fact that it came just barely few more days to the Christmas celebration and the New Year. Making the donation, the Administrator of Refuge Place international, Rev. Massa David Tarnue, said the medical supplies were provided by some friends in the United States of America, who thought it wise to contribute their quota to the healthcare delivery system of the country, the Heritage newspaper reads.  

EU Supports Two New Projects to Improve Prisons in Liberia 

The European Union (EU) Delegation to Liberia has announced support for two new projects to improve conditions in prisons in Liberia. The projects will be funded through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), the EU announced as the world celebrates International Human Rights Day on Saturday. Speaking about the decision to fund these projects, European Union Ambassador Tiina Intelmann said: “Human rights apply to everyone, including prisoners, the FOCUS newspaper says.

Mano River Union Embarks on WASH Initiatives

Border Communities in the Mano River Union (MRU) Basin will shortly benefit from the provision of safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene services. The initiative is part of the Mano River Union’s WASH Programs in the River Basin to assist rural communities have access to safe water provision in the area. In an interview with Journalists in Monrovia recently, the Resident Representative of the Mano River Union in Liberia, Lawrence Morris said efforts are now underway to ensure that WASH services are provided to border communities in the MRU, the FOCUS newspaper says.

Related Caption: Mano River Union Embarks On WASH Initiatives…Target Border Communities For Safe Water Supply First (The INQUIRER)  

UNFPA Seeks Collective Fight Against Discrimination And Stigmatization 

TheNew Dawn newspaper reports that the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has called on the world to stand up together for people facing discrimination and stigmatization everywhere in response to the call of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to “leave no one behind.” Speaking during celebration marking Universal Declaration of Human Rights in New York, UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin said one of the rights the world fights for every day is the right to have access to information and services that ensure or improve sexual and reproductive health, adding “This is a human right that is critical to saving lives, advancing development and promoting gender equality.”

Related Caption: UNFPA Executive Director Want Equal Rights For All (In Profile Daily)

NEC Gears Up For 2017

The National Elections Commission or NEC says it has dispatched about 68 technical staffs to conduct training for the civic and voters’ education workers just 11 months to the holding of the impending 2017 general elections.  NEC’s Executive Director, Lamin Lighe said the 68 technical staffers will train additional civic and voters’ workers for the smooth conduct of the presidential and representatives   elections. Meanwhile, on Saturday, the government provided 23 brand new Toyota pickups to be used by NEC’s county magistrates. According to Commissioner DavidettaLassana, the donation is intended to empower the magistrates to enable them dutifully perform ahead of the elections. She urged the magistrates to take good care of the vehicles on grounds that it cost the government a lot. Mr. Lighe said that the valued of the cars are placed at US$700,000. He said the purchase was done in accordance with the Public Procurement Concession and Commission regulations, according to the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption:NEC Turns Over 23 Vehicles To Magistrates(Daily Observer)