THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2016

Today’s media summary includes stories on the extension of the United Nations Mission in Liberia’s mandate, the launched of food and nutrition program by BRAC-Liberia and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf condolence message to  the Government and People of Russia. 

UNMIL Mandate Extended

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has extended for a final period, the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) until March 30, 2018. According to an UNMIL release, the UNSC also requested the United Nations Secretary-General to complete the withdrawal of all uniformed and civilian UNMIL components, other than those required to complete the mission’s liquidation by April 30, 2018. The dispatch from New York also noted that the decision taken on Thursday, December 22, 2016, was reached to adopt UN Security Council Resolution 2333 (2016) with 12 votes in favor and three abstentions, acting under United Nations Chapter VII Charter, the In Profile Daily reports.

Related Captions: UNMIL Stays ‘Til March 2018’(Daily Observer),UN Security Extends UNMIL’s Mandate Till March 30, 2018 (Inquirer) and UNMIL Extends Mandate (FrontPage Africa)

President Sirleaf Consoles Russian Federation

The Inquirer newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release: “President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a condolence message to her Russian counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, following the death of at least ninety-two persons, who were on board a Russian military aircraft that crashed into the Black Sea on Christmas Day. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf, in her message to H.E. Mr. Putin, expressed her deep sorrow for the tragic event, which occurred on Sunday, December 25, 2016”.

President Joins Armed Forces of Liberia 2016 Affiliation Celebration

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has commended members of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) for their commitment and preparedness to serve the nation under challenging circumstances. President Sirleaf made the comments when she joined members of the AFL, their families and staff of the Ministry of National Defense at the 2016 Affiliation Day Program held at the Edward Binyan Kesselly Barracks in Margibi County. She praised the men and women in arms for fully cooperating with the leadership of the Armed Forces of Liberia headed by Maj/Gen. Daniel Ziankahn in transforming the army into a professional entity whose members are not just trained in military service, but other professional occupations, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Civil Society Organization Honors LACE Executive Director

The Executive Director of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), Julius K. Sele, has been honored for his able management of affairs for the year winding down (2016) as one of the Liberia Government’s most vibrant agencies. Performing the official honoring ceremony on December 23, 2016 at LACE’s Executive Mansion Grounds head office, executives of the Societal Reform Initiative for Peace Building Network of Liberia headed by Amos B. S. Kanneh, recounted many progresses LACE has made in scrupulously delivering on the Government of Liberia’s community empowerment programs. The organization said particular attention was drawn to success the GoL has scored in implementing the Legislative Support Project (LSP) by LACE in all 73 electoral districts of the country, writes the In Profile Daily.

Police To Charge Community For Murder

According to the Daily Observer, the Inspector General (IG) of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Col. Gregory Coleman, has threatened to charge the Samuel Dahn Community for “murder” if the community does not cooperate to unveil the perpetrators who killed a man believed to be a rogue. Police have already arrested several members of the community for “killing an innocent walk-about man” who is yet to be identified. Col. Coleman said some members of the community formed a mob and unmercifully beat and stabbed “the man” who was mistaken to be a rogue.

BRAC Launches Food, Nutrition Program in Cape Mount

According to the Daily Observer, an international non-governmental organization, BRAC-Liberia, has launched a two-year food and nutrition program in Robertsports, Grand Cape Mount County. The project also targets Bomi, Margibi, Montserrado, Bong and Grand Bassa Counties. BRAC-Liberia Country Representative Mainuddin Ahmed said the launch is part of the entity’s efforts to address government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) and food security.