The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017

News of the holding of the second Joint Commission meeting between the Governments of the Republics of Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire is the lone story dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies

The summary of today’s dailies also include news concerning the opening of a Passport Application Center for Liberians residing in Nigeria, the Republics of Benin and Equatorial Guinea by the Embassy of Liberia near Abuja as well as PresidentSirleaf’s Message of Condolence to the Government of the Republic of Burkina Faso, following the passing of the President of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso, His Excellency Mr. Salifou Diallo on Saturday, August 19, 2017.

DOMINANT STORY  

Liberian, Côte d’Ivoire To Hold Second Joint Commission Meeting In Monrovia  

The Heritagenewspaper reads that the Governments of the Republics of Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire will hold the second Joint Commission meeting between the two countries in Monrovia beginning Monday, August 28, 2017. According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs release, the three-day meeting, which takes place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be held in two phases: technical working sessions on Monday and Tuesday, August 28-29, 2017 and a ministerial meeting on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 to be climaxed with the signing of a Joint Commission Framework Agreement by the Foreign Ministers of Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire respectively, Her Excellency Ms. Marjon Kamara and His Excellency Mr. Marcel Amon-Tanoh.

Related Captions: Liberian, Ivorian Officials Hold Talks In Monrovia Today(INSIGHT), Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire to Hold 2nd Joint Commission Meeting(Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES  

Liberian Embassy in Abuja Opens Passport Application Center 

The Embassy of Liberia in Abuja has opened a Passport Application Center (PAC) for Liberians residing in Nigeria and the Republics of Benin and Equatorial Guinea to which the Ambassador is accredited. A release from the Liberian mission in Abuja says Professor Al-Hassan Conteh, the Liberian Ambassador to Nigeria, dedicated the center on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, Ambassador Marjon V. Kamara. The dedication ceremony took place at the Embassy on Thursday, August 24, 2017 where scores of Liberians from different Nigerian States attended the event. In his remarks, Ambassador Conteh told Liberians that the Embassy looks forward to working with the Liberian Community in Nigeria to better their lives in Nigeria, the INSIGHT newspaper reads.

Related Caption: Liberian Embassy In Abuja Opens Passport Application Center(Heritage)

President Sirleaf Consoles Burkina Faso

The INSIGHT newspaper says President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a Message of Condolence to her Burkinabe counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Roch Marc Christian Kabore, President of the Republic of Burkina Faso, following the passing of the President of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso, His Excellency Mr. Salifou Diallo in Paris, France, on Saturday, August 19, 2017. After undergoing medical care in Tunis, H.E. Mr. Salifou Diallo flew to Paris for a break and was expected to return to Ouagadougou the same day he passed away. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf said it is with profound sadness and deep sorrow that the Government and people of Liberia have learned of the death of His Excellency Mr. Salifou Diallo. “On behalf of the Government and people of Liberia, and in my own name, I wish to extend to you, and through Your Excellency, to the Government and people of the Republic of Burkina Faso, especially the bereaved family, our heartfelt condolences for the irreparable loss sustained,” the Liberian leader told her Burkinabe counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Kabore. She then prayed that the Almighty God will grant President Kabore strength, courage and fortitude, as he goes through this difficult period of national mourning.

MFDP, GN Bank, Others Sign US$4.8M Grant Loan Agreement to Support MSMEs

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) last Friday, August 25, signed a US$4.8 million participating agreement (PA) and approval of withdrawal request for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through the World Bank rural finance post Ebola reconstruction project with GN Bank and BRAC Liberia, among others. Finance Minister Boima Kamara, who signed on behalf of the Government, said the initiative will provide 500 new loans to MSMEs which will create or sustain at least 2,000 jobs; limit non-performing loans to below 10 percent; and lead innovations in the use of mobile money. Earlier, in remarks the deputy managing director for Operations at GN Bank, Kweku Bio, lauded the government and the World Bank for such partnerships that will help solve some of financial problems that Liberians are going through to make business, reads the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: GN Bank-Liberia Opens Branch On Randal Street(The INQUIRER)

Sierra Leone Mudslide ‘A Tragedy Mankind Called Upon Itself’, Says LTA ChairWarns Against Provoking The Environment

The chairperson of the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) has said that Liberia should brace itself for an environmental disaster like what happened in neighboring Sierra Leone where over 400 people lost their lives after a mudslide, if Liberians do not stop abusing the environment. Serving as the commencement speaker at the 18th Convocation Exercises of the Stella Maris Polytechnic over the weekend, Angelique Weeks said West Africa is vulnerable to extreme weather and as such countries of the region should employ best practices that would limit the impact of climate change. On Friday, August 26, the LTA chairperson admonished Liberians about the dire consequences of neglecting the environment and noted that the calamity that struck Sierra Leone on August 14, when Sugar Loaf, the conical mountain overlooking the capital, Freetown, collapsed in a mudslide that swept away buildings and killed over 400 people. She said it was shocking but not entirely surprising, and putting it more bluntly, said: “This is a tragedy that mankind called upon itself.” According to the Daily Observer, the Catholic run institution graduated 452 students from five colleges.

LRA Confiscates More Smuggled Vehicles

Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has confiscated four vehicles and a motorbike smuggled into the confiscated four vehicles and a motorbike smuggled into the country in two 40ft pre-shipment inspection (PSI) containers belonging to two separate consignees. The containers were shipped from Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States of America. The four vehicles, a motor bike along with other goods, were discovered on containers marked “MRKU2010634” and “MSKU 86465423” with tempered seal. The container marked “MRKU2010634” was imported by Mohammed Kommeh (Tax Identification Number 50063500), and was shipped from the United States by Nana Ali. On this container, Customs officials at the Freeport of Monrovia discovered two undeclared vehicles (Toyota Tacoma-2000 and Chevrolet Equanox-2004) and a 1981 Suzuki motorbike, the Insight newspaper reads.  

Ellen Addresses Harvard Africa Action Forum In Accra 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Friday, , August 25, 2017 addressed the First ever Harvard Africa Action forum in Accra, Ghana. The Forum was held at the prestigious Movenpick Ambassador Hotel. Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also addressed the Forum. According to a dispatch from Accra, President Sirleaf reflected on and told the story of Liberia’s transformational journal from an era of dictatorship last fifteen year since the end of the civil war. She acknowledged that it was a great pleasure to address (HAAAF), reflecting that her time as a Mason Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government provided an opportunity to interact with some of the finest minds from every corner of the world. She expressed the hope that the forum can harness the group’s immense pool of talent, experience and intellect for the betterment of all fellow Africans, the Heritage newspaper asserts.

HIV Positive Cases Increase From 33, 000 To 43, 000 In Liberia

With the National HIV prevalence at 2.1%, the National AIDS Commission of Liberia has reported an increase in the number of persons living with HIV in Liberia from about 33,000 persons to 43,000 persons. According to the National AIDS Commission, the new figure represents Spectrum 2017 Estimates finalized and published by the National AIDS Control Program of the Ministry of Health. Spectrum is a UNAIDS software that estimates different HIV indicators within the country. Liberia’s population is estimated to be at 4,120,177. A release from the National AIDS Commission states that according to the Spectrum Estimates, of the 43,200 persons infected with HIV, 24,000 are women while 15,000 are men the release further disclosed that of the 43,000 persons living with HIV, 39,000 are adults while 4,200 are children. The number of people living with HIV who are on ART is 8,076 or 18.7%, according to the report, the Heritage reads.

JPC Ends Day-Long Election Violence Training in Nimba

The Justice and Peace Commission (JPC), a local non-governmental Organization, has ended a day-long election violence training for locals in Nimba county. Held on Tuesday in Ganta, the day-long event attracted participants from the nine electoral districts of Nimba. Speaking to newsmen at the end of the training, the JPC Regional Coordinator for Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties, Mr. Jesse B. Cole, said the training was intended to broaden the minds of citizens on election violence, causes, and effects. He pointed out that it is important for citizens to be aware of those things that lead to electoral violence, how to prevent them and the negative election violence has on the society. Cole referred to this year’s election as a special one, noting that the world is watching to see whether Liberians are capable to steer their own affairs in the absence of outside intervention, and said it therefore behooves every citizen and organization to work at their own pace to ensure the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections, the Heritage reads.