The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

Today’s edition of our regular summary highlights news of former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s acceptance of the 2017 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership and Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee’s participation in the World Bank donor’s conference.

The summary includes the Turkish Government’s decision to establish diplomatic mission near the Liberian capital Monrovia.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Accepts Ibrahim Prize For Achievement In African Leadership Former President Sirleaf Talks Of Pride That, After Decades Of Conflict, Power In Liberia Now Rests With Its People, Grounded In The Rule-Of-Law And Upheld By Institutions 

Former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf last April 27 accepted the 2017 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership at a special Leadership Ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda. Speaking to guests from Rwanda and around the world, President Sirleaf said: “I’m honored to be this year’s recipient of the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. I receive this distinction on behalf of the many women and men who helped to navigate the profound complexities of the post-conflict country that is Liberia. As the first woman to receive this award, it is my hope that women and girls across Africa will be inspired to break through barriers, and push back on the frontiers of life’s possibilities.” The Daily Observer reads that the Ibrahim Prize recognizes and celebrates excellence in African leadership. It is a US$5 million award paid over 10 years, and US$200,000 annually for life thereafter.

Related Captions:  Sirleaf Receives MO Ibrahim Prize Pledges To Pursue Women Empowerment(FrontPage Africa), Ellen Gets Cash-Announces To Do List(The New Dawn)

Mayor Koijee Makes Liberia’s Case

According to the New Dawn newspaper, after a week of in intensive engagement and knowledge sharing Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee has presented a strategic action plan at the World Bank donor’s conference.  The New Dawn newspaper quoting a press release issued in Monrovia, reads that Mayor Koijee stressed the need for more donor support towards key priorities, including youth development, solid waste values chain investment; agriculture (urban farming and horticulture); infrastructure; youth rehabilitation; slums upgrading; and solar energy, amongst others.

Related Captions: Koijee Presents Plans For The City Of Monrovia(In Profile Daily), Mayor Kiojee Presents Monrovia City Priorities At World Bank Donors’ Confab(Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES  

Turkish Government Discloses Plan To Open Diplomatic Mission near Monrovia-Promises To Deepen Cooperation With Liberia 

The INQUIRERnewspaper reports that the Turkish Ambassador accredited to Liberia, Her Excellency Mrs. Nesrin Beyazit, has disclosed that Turkey is ready and prepared to establish its diplomatic mission near the Liberian capital Monrovia.  Ambassador Beyazit, who is currently resident in Accra, Ghana, made the disclosure Wednesday, April 25, when she paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Minister, H. E. Mr. Gbehzohngar Milton Findley at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We are going to open our embassy in Liberia very soon. Our government has already decided on this. We believe establishing our diplomatic mission here would help boost our bilateral relationship and promote cooperation between our two countries,” she told the Liberia Foreign Minister. She hailed the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries; adding: “We think the bilateral relationship between Liberia and Turkey is really expanding with more Turkish investors coming to invest in Liberia.” She noted that her government is fully prepared to support Liberia’s development agenda. Responding, Foreign Minister Findley thanked the Turkish Envoy for the visit and indicated that Liberia and Turkey have had good bilateral relationship marked by excellent cooperation over the years, especially in the fields of trade, commerce and education. The Foreign Minister hoped that the long standing traditional relationship between the two nations would be kept and improved for the mutual benefits of the two governments and peoples.

Related Caption: Turkey To Establish Diplomatic Mission Here(The New Dawn)     

Israel Celebrates 70th Anniversary, Underscores Relations with Liberia

The Daily Observer reads that Israeli Ambassador to Liberia and Ghana Ami Mehl has said his country is prepared to assist Liberia in various areas of expertise, including technology, agriculture, security, trade etc., in order to consolidate the bilateral ties that exist between the two countries. Ambassador Mehl made the statement recently when his country, through the Israel mission in Liberia celebrated her 70^th Independence Anniversary for the first time in Liberia in 30 years. Liberia and Israel have enjoyed mutual relations over the years since its establishment. The relationship was, however, interrupted by the civil war. The relationship was infused with new energy in 2017, with a visit to Liberia of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was invited by then ECOWAS chairperson, outgoing Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, to address the summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Ambassador Mehl disclosed that in the upcoming summer 10 Liberians will go to Israel for a one-year program of training in agriculture. Speaking on behalf of the Government of Liberia, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Elias Shoniyin recalled that relations between Israel and Liberia have yielded fruits for both countries as evidenced by Liberia’s role in the establishment of Israel and benefits including scholarships, security training and infrastructural and agricultural projects Israel has in return given to Liberia. He called on the Israeli Government to reactivate all agreements made with Liberia since 1962.

Related Caption: Rebonding With Liberia Israel Celebration independence in Liberia For the First Time In 30 Years(FrontPage Africa)                                                                                                                                              

JNB Initiative Launched With 2 Centers

The Liberia Career Pathway (LCP), an initiative of former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai, has been officially launched with the establishment of two centers. The Heritage newspaper says the LCP is a program earmarked by the former Vice President   four years ago with the aim of empowering and supporting Liberian learners through quality education and training and to advocate for the development of various career paths, critical for Liberia’s growth. According to the daily, the initiative was launched in Monrovia with the introduction of the Center for Career Discovery and the Biomedical Technician Training Center.

Related Caption: Youth Career Pathway Launched In Monrovia(Daily Observer)

NEC Receives EU Report On 2017 Elections

The INQUIRERnewspaper reads that the National Elections Commission (NEC) was last Wednesday presented a copy of the final report of the EU Election Observation Mission on the 2017 presidential and representative and runoff elections. The document which is scheduled to be release to the public contains a comprehensive summary and findings of what was observed at polling places on Election Day as well as the overall electoral process.  Receiving the report on behave of the NEC, Acting Chairperson Commissioner Jonathan Weedor, welcome the EU delegation and thanked them for what he considered the report to be another means of technical support Commissioner Weedor Promised the delegation that the NEC will take serious Consideration of the report and implement the necessary findings and recommendations made.

Following A Day-Long Intensive Training CEMENCO Certificates Several Block Makers

The Liberia Cement Corporation (CEMENCO), a private entity at the weekend, held a one-day intensive block production session with several block makers in Monrovia and its environs. According to the Heritage newspaper, the training which is CEMENCO Block Maker Academy Second Edition, is an initiative embarked upon by the company aimed at teaching block makers how to make blocks by knowing the quantity of materials to produce a block. The daily says the block making traing would be carried out once a month in all the counties and subsequently two and three times a month in the various parts of the country.

Related Caption: Following A Day-Long Intensive Training: CEMENCO Certificates Several Block Makers(The INQUIRER)

6 Cold Storage Facilities Shutdown In Red Light Market

The commercial hub of Paynesville over the weekend witnessed a temporary closure of six cold storage facilities for reasons ranging from not being in compliance with National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority’s regulations, being in possession of juvenile and rotten fish, operating within unhygienic environment and lack of safety gears for their workers, a release has said. According to the release, the joint inspection team which was previously led by the Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Mrs. Emma Glassco Friday, April 27, shut down a total of six cold storage facilities in Red Light market and in the Neezoe community. The cold storage affected temporarily as a result of the inspection exercise were the Chinese cold storage in Neezoe community, SCODI Liberia, and National Frozen Food all along the Gobachop market road, African ZHONG CHENG HAI, Mohamed Frozen Food, and KASSEM MOCHAWRAB Center, reads the Daily Observer.

5000 Cocoa Farmers to Benefit from New Project

According to the Daily Observer, at least five thousand cocoa farmers from Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties are to benefit from the Liberia Cocoa Improvement Program (LICSIP) that will officially be launched on Friday, May 4, in Bong County. The daily says the program, already being implemented since January this year by Solidaridad West Africa, aims to create a profitable cocoa economy that will be driven primarily by farmers’ organizations and supply chain companies within a well national regulatory, institutional framework, Solidaridad West Africa’s Country Representative MacArthur Pay-Bayee has said. Solidaridad is an international development organization with more than 45 years of experience in improving the sustainability of global supply chains. “The core implementation strategy of LICSIP is to promote farmers’ access to different production support services that lead to farm intensification, rehabilitation of moribund farms, new planting methods on fallow lands and general extension services through our unique operation of Centers for Cocoa Development (CCDs) model that was proven successful in Ghana and other West African States,” said Pay-Bayeee.