The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

Today’s edition of  our summary of the local dailies includes report of President Sirleaf’s consolation message to the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, following the death of over 300 persons in the country and the Ministry of National Defense in partnership with UNAIDS, the Community Empowerment Program and the Development of Defense HIV & AIDS Prevention Program completion of a one-day validation of the Armed Forces of Liberia HIV, among others.

Liberia Consoles Sierra Leone

The INSIGHT newspaper reads that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a condolence message to the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, following heavy flood on the outskirts of Freetown, which led to the deaths of over three hundred persons and injury to several hundred others. Heavy overnight rains triggered a mudslide and flood in the Regent area on the outskirts of Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown early Monday morning, August 14. The exact death toll from the mudslide and flooding is not yet known, but the Freetown mayor Sam Gibson has put the figure as “a total of 270 corpses” recovered and are “being prepared for burial” as at Tuesday, August 15, 2017. Others predict that over 300 persons were killed; while another 3,000 persons are estimated to have lost their homes, submerged by the mud. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name, extended to the Sierra Leonean President, His Excellency Dr. Koroma, and through him, the Government and people of Sierra Leone, especially families of the victims, Liberia’s heartfelt condolences, and expressed  the hope that the resilience and strength always demonstrated by the people of Sierra Leone when confronted by challenging circumstances will be manifested again in the face of this natural disaster.

Related Caption: Liberia Expresses Solidarity With Sierra Leone After Mudslide Kills Hundreds(FrontPage Africa)  

Defense, Partners Validate HIV Policy For AFL 

The Ministry of National Defense in partnership with UNAIDS, the Community Empowerment Program and the Development of Defense HIV & AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP) have concluded a one-day validation of the Armed Forces of Liberia HIV Policy looking at five thematic areas to ensure that it is consistent with national laws and strategies at all times. The five areas of concentration in the policy once approved will be prevention, treatment, care and support for employees and their infected families; mitigation; implementation and monitoring; and the reduction of stigma and discrimination, the INQUIRER reads.

George Weah Pays Courtesy Visit to ECOWAS Chair Faure Gnassingbé

Montserrado County Senator George Manneh Weah and Standard Bearer of the Coalition for Democratic Change, CDC, Tuesday, August 15, 2017, paid a courtesy visit on the President of Togo and current Chair of ECOWAS, His Excellency, Hon. Faure Gnassingbé, at the Presidential palace in Lome, Togo. The FrontPage Africa newspaper says the meeting, which was attended by several high-ranking officials of the Togolese government, centered on discussions about the upcoming elections in Liberia, the promotion of true democratic tenets, and regional stability. During the visit, Senator Weah used the occasion to officially congratulate the Togolese Head of State on his ascendance as Chairman of ECOWAS; and further praised him for his astute leadership in steering the affairs of his country and that of ECOWAS. For his part, the Togolese head of state, His Excellency, Hon. Faure Gnassingbé, applauded Senator Weah for his longstanding contribution towards peace and stability in Liberia, Africa, and the world at large.  

ECOWAS Collaborates To Strengthen Long-Term Election Observers’ Capacity 

Expert drawn from political affairs, gender, media, civil society and development sectors have begun an intensive training in Accra, Ghana on Sunday 13th August 2017, to deepen their knowledge on ECOWAS Long-term Election Observation guidelines and methodology. The training which is a joint effort by the ECOWAS Commission and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) is also meant to strengthen the capacity of ECOWAS long-term electoral observers and staff of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions as Core Team members during poll observation mission, the INQUIRER newspaper reads.

ECOWAS Commission Sets Machinery In Motion For On-Line Statbase Platform

An inside story of the INQUIRER newspaper reads that in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission has set machinery in motion for an on-line StatBase Platform. The platform which can facilitate the management and dissemination of statistical data was set up after a five-day training workshop which ended in Abuja, Nigeria on the 11th of August 2017. The activity is part of UNECA’s technical assistance program for ECOWAS. Through this, the ECOWAS Directorate of Research and Statistics is maximizing the benefits linked to the implementation of the platform by involving and extending the platform project to all the ECOWAS Commission’s partners, the Directorates of Community Computer Center, Trade as well as Communication to make for a better management of their needs, the paper says.

Senate Passes Grebo-Krahn Nat’l Park

The INSIGHT newspaper reads that the Plenary of the Liberian Senate has passed an Act to establish the “Grebo-Krahn National Park”. The daily says the Act was passed after a report by the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries recommended its passage. The Grebo-Krahn National Forest, the committee said “consist of a unique combinations  of forests habitats, recognized for its plants endemic and biodiversity richness, in particular, the critically endangered western chimpanzees harbor, the Tai-Grebo-Sapo Corridor,  which the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) has identified to be conserved as part of Liberia’s protected Area Network.  

Liberian Youth Advocate Addresses United Nations Youth Assembly 

A Liberian youth advocate, Wanto Teah Wanto, has won the Friendship Ambassador Foundation’s first merit-based scholarship award based on his academic and professional achievement, his involvement in advocacy, and commitment to humanitarian and environmental initiatives by mobilizing youth and empowering his community. Out of nearly 800 applications submitted from around the world, Wantoe Teah Wantoe was selected as FAF’s first merit-based scholarship. Wantoe is a Liberian, and student of the Stella Maris Polytechnic studying Social working, according to the FrontPage Africa newspaper.