The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, JULY 3, 2017

The election of Liberia as one of several Vice Presidents of the 72^nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly; the Liberian Electricity Corporation pronouncement of a project to light up the streets of Monrovia and its local communities and the honoring and certification by the Liberia Revenue Authority of some companies, local business institutions and individuals for being in full compliance of the tax policy of Liberia  are  stories highlighted in today’s  news summary of the local dailies.

 DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia Elected As Vice Presidents of 72nd UN General Assembly

Quoting a Foreign Ministry release  on Monday  the Front Page Africa newspaper says Liberia has been elected as one of several Vice Presidents of the 72^nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) with a one-year mandate. Other Vice Presidents elected to its plenary include Afghanistan, Bolivia, Chile, Finland, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Israel, Madagascar, Morocco, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates Vanuatu and Zimbabwe. Also, serving as Vice Presidents are the five permanent members of the Security Council – China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and the United States. According to a dispatch from Liberia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the election of the leadership of the 72^nd Session of the UNGA took place at its headquarters in New York recently. The General Assembly also elected by acclimation Slovakia’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, as President of the 72^nd Session of the UNGA. Meanwhile, the General Assembly also selected members to the Bureaus of its six Main Committees. 

Related Captions: Liberia Elected One Of Vice President-Of The 72^nd UN General Assembly (In Profile Daily), Liberia Elected One Of Several Vice Presidents Of The 72^nd UN General Assembly (Heritage)

 LEC Lights Up Community Streets

Related Captions: Project To Light Up Monrovia Streets Underway…After 30 Years Of Darkness; Over 500 Street Lights TO BE Installed (The INQUIRER), Project To Light Up Monrovia Streets Underway…Liberia Electricity Corporation Installing Over 500 Street Light (In Profile Daily)

Liberia Revenue Authority Honors and Appreciates Loyal Taxpayers

The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) on Saturday, July 1, honored and certificated 33 companies, local businesses, institutions and individuals for being tax compliant and major contributors to the country’s revenue collection. The event was the first-ever Taxpayer Appreciation Day in the country under the regime of the LRA, which commenced operations on July 1, 2014.  The event which was held under the theme: “Creating A Culture of Voluntary Tax Compliance”, was intended to recognize and appreciate taxpayers based on two underlining considerations: tax contribution and tax compliance. The awards, given in the subcategories of Large Tax, Medium Tax, Small Tax, Petty Trader, Real Property, and highest taxpayers for counties, covered tax payment records of the Fiscal Year 2015-2016. The awardees also received a one year tax clearance certificates as complementary prizes in addition to impressive plaque-certificates. The program also witnessed the launches of LRA Cooperate Social Responsibility through an MOU with the Blind School and the Taxpayer Advocate Service, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Captions: LRA Awards 3 Companies, Others (The INQUIRER), LRA Honored-For Tax Compliance (In Profile Daily), As LRA Awards Taxpayers: LoneStar Cell MTN Wins Top Prize (Heritage), LRA Awards Taxpayers (The New Dawn)

 OTHER STORIES

Ellen Congratulates Burundi on 55^th Independence Anniversary

An inside story of the Heritage newspaper reads that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a Congratulatory Message to her colleague, the President of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Pierre Nkurunziza, on that country’s 55^th Independence Anniversary. July 1 is celebrated annually as Burundi’s Independence Day. On this day, Belgium colony Ruanda-Urundi split to form Rwanda and present-day Burundi. Belgium administered both countries as one colonial empire, known as Ruanda-Urundi. According to a Foreign Ministry release, in her message to Mr. Nkurunziza, President Sirleaf extended heartfelt congratulations to the Government and people of Burundi as they observe this joyous occasion, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name, the heritage reads.

Pres. Sirleaf Challenges Women World Wide To Go After Their Dreams

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has challenged women worldwide to go after their dreams; stay focused and remain true to their God despite the many challenges they may encounter in their lives. The Liberian leader spoke last Wednesday in Dallas, Texas when she served as a special guest speaker at the Women’s Economic Empowerment Breakfast at the beginning of the 2017 Dallas Megafest hosted by Bishop T.D. Jakes of the Potter’s House Ministry. According to a dispatch from Dallas, President Sirleaf, in an interactive address to about a thousand guests, mostly women in a jam-packed hall, said women must remain courageous and focused on their goals in the face of all their challenges.  The FrontPage Africa newspaper reads that following the Women’s Economic Empowerment Breakfast, the Liberian leader joined the Bishop and First Lady Jakes, local and state government officials, as well as business and community leaders at a park downtown Dallas for the official launch of the Dallas Megafest 2017.  The 2017 Megafest, the third Megafest regarded as the world’s largest family-friendly festival, will also include sessions focused on the empowerment of men and children, among others.

Related Caption: Ellen Challenges Women Worldwide To Go After Their Dreams (Heritage)

Ambassador Conteh Briefs Nigerian Security Studies Participants Travelling to Liberia

Liberia’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Al-Hassan Conteh, has provided a briefing on Liberia to participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course of the Nigerian Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Abuja. The lecture, which included History and Governance, Foreign Policy, Liberia-Nigeria Relations, Economy Investment Opportunities, executive-Legislative Relations, Culture, among others, was held recently n the Auditorium of the ISS in Bwari, Abuja. The ISS is operated by the Department of State Services of Nigeria. Its curriculum includes country briefs on security and strategic topics whose effective management provide leadership lessons useful to the participants and Nigeria. This year’s theme, for the participants travelling to Liberia, is “The Interplay of Executive-Legislative Relations in Liberia and How This Impacts on Development, Security and other Strategic Issues”, the Heritage newspaper reads.

CBL Moves To Stabilize Foreign Exchange Rate

The front page headline story of the INQUIRER newspaper reads that the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) says it is keenly aware of the current exchange rate volatility being experienced between the Liberian Dollar and the US Dollar and is exerting all efforts at its disposal to ensure a stable exchange rate. In a press statement issued, the bank said in the immediate term, the CBL is taking steps to address the volatility by implementing various initiatives including mopping up excess liquidity to issuing Treasury Instruments with high yielding CBL Bill as wee, if required, the paper says.

Related Caption: CBL Issues Treasury Instruments (The New Dawn)

CDC Official: U. S. Supports ‘One Health’ Platform in Liberia

Another inside story of the Heritage newspaper reads that the Deputy Director of the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Liberia says the One Health concept is a cornerstone of the global health security agenda and that the United States Government is proud to support this initiative. Dr. Emily Kainne Dokubo stated that the global health security agenda is an international partnership aimed a t containing infectious diseases and public health threats. Dr. Dokubo made the statement at the launch of the One Health Platform in Paynesville outside Monrovia. She explained that since it was signed in February 2014, more than 15 countries, including Liberia, have endorsed it. She indicated that with the institution of the global security health agenda, the United States Government is committed to establishing the global capacity to prevent, detect and respond to infectious diseases from animals, humans and the environment, the paper says.

Canada Gets Liberia’s Pat On Sesquicentennial Anniversary

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a congratulatory message to the Governor-General of Canada, The Right Honorable David Johnston, on that country’s 150^th Independence Anniversary on July 1. Canada Day is celebrated on July 1, the official Independence Day of Canada. The day commemorates the founding of the Canadian Federal Government by the British North America Act of July 1, 1867. As the Independence Day of Canada, this day is observed as a national holiday throughout the country. Prior to 1982, Canada Day was known as Dominion Day and Confederation Day. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name, extended heartfelt felicitations and best wishes to the Right Honorable Johnston, and through him the Government and people of Canada, on the auspicious occasion of the sesquicentennial anniversary of that country, the Heritage newspaper reads.

‘Inspiring Ocean Champions’: YES Conducts Liberia’s First Ocean Summit

The Youth Exploring Solutions (YES), an accredited non-for-profit, passionate and voluntary grassroots youth-led development organization recently conducted Liberia’s first Ocean Summit at the N.V. Massaquoi Elementary and Junior High School in West Point Township. The event under the theme “Sustainable Ocean for All” brought together 250 youth and student representatives from West Point Township, the Borough of New Kru Town, and Sinkor situated alongside the coast in urban Montserrado County to listen, learn and exchange ideas to addressing some of the most critical issues and threats to the ocean in a coordinated and impactful way, according to the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

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