The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARYFOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

The visit of an Indian business delegation to the Foreign Ministry, the graduation of 38 emerging diplomats from the Foreign Service Institute, the  Internal Affairs Ministry’s suspension of the County Development Fund and the initiation of a project to protect Liberia’s coastal areas are stories highlighted in our summary for today, Monday, December 16, 2013.

Dominant Stories

Visiting Indian Business Delegation Pays Courtesy Call On Foreign Minister

The Daily Observer newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying a high level visiting Indian Investment Team from the Oversees Infrastructure Alliance led by its Chairman, former Indian Ambassador His Excellency V. B. Soni, on Wednesday, December 11, 2013, paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visit is aimed at exploring Indian investment in the Liberian economy. Ambassador Soni is former Indian Ambassador to Ukraine, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Haiti, Georgia, Guinea Bissau, Dominican Republic, Cape Verde and Armenia. The high level Indian business group was received in audience upon arrival at the Ministry by Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration, Hon. Elias Shonoyin on behalf of the Liberia’s Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan. While receiving the investors on behalf Minister Ngafuan, Hon. Shonoyin welcomed the delegation to Liberia and stated that Liberia has an excellent economic environment for investment but needs robust energy and power supply to attract investors to the country. Deputy Minister Shonoyin told the visiting Indian delegation that Liberia is open to any Foreign Investor who may want to invest in the country, adding that Liberia and India are working to expand cooperation aimed at enhancing Indian investment here. Deputy Minister Shonoyin observed that Liberia has rich and virgin resources for Agriculture purposes but the nation lacks the technical and technological knowhow to attract mechanized farming to boost its economy.  Earlier, the Chairman of the visiting Indian Business Team, Ambassador V.B. Soni said he and his team were in Liberia to invest in the country’s economy through various sectors including energy, power supply, agriculture and health sector as well as infrastructural development. The former Indian Ambassador and Chairman of the Oversees Infrastructure Alliance , noted that since independence, India with all its virgin resources was unable to feed itself but its success story began with a revolution that made the nation to produce its own food and secure food security.

Related Story: Indian Business Delegation Pays Courtesy Call On Foreign Minister (In Profile Daily), High Level Visiting Indian Business Delegation Pays Courtesy Call on Foreign Ministry (Analyst newspaper)

38 Emerging Diplomats Graduate From The Foreign Service Institute

The Insight, Heritage, In Profile and Analyst newspapers quote a Foreign Ministry release under the same caption as saying that the Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on, Wednesday, December 11, 2013 graduated 38 emerging Diplomats who achieved diplomats in contemporary Diplomacy with emphasis in Development Diplomacy. The ceremony which took place at the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was witnessed by high-profile dignitaries led by Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan. Also in attendance were Defense Minister Brownie Samukai, Senator Clarice Jah of Margibi County and Mr. Edwin Clarke who represented the Speaker of the House of Representatives at the occasion amongst others. While speaking at the convocation Ceremony, Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan who congratulated the Graduates on behalf of the President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who left the country to attend the State Funeral of the late South African former President Nelson Mandela, lauded efforts of Director and his staff for completing a successful academy program 2013. Minister Ngafuan challenged the graduates to use the diplomatic skills and knowledge acquired to serve as diplomats of Liberia everywhere they found themselves. The Liberian Foreign Minister admonished the graduates of the institute, to manage their expectation. Minister Ngafuan added , "you have graduated with the aspiration to enter the Foreign Service; lots of people who graduated from FSI before you, have expressed their desires to enter the Foreign Service but not everyone graduated from the FSI will enter the service in the next few years, but everyone would eventually enter". You can continue to remain where you are, adding "Liberia needs men and women who will exhibit good characters", the Minister advised the graduates. Ambassador Attillio Pacifici who focused his speech entirely on the European Union said the EU provides humanitarian assistance to alleviate suffering when it becomes acute amounting to half a billion Euros in 25 countries in Africa. He stated that the union also encourages trade between Africa and the European Union. He further disclosed that EU is planning to make available some substantial amount to Liberia between 2014 and 2020 to support the economic development of the country based on Liberia’s agenda for transformation in the areas of education, energy, good governance and agriculture through direct budgetary support. And in brief remarks, the Director General of the Gabriel L. Dennis Foreign Service Institute, Dr. Augustine Konneh praised the graduates for their achievements and disclosed that the year 2013 was a successful program which witnessed the signing of MOU between the Liberian Foreign Service Institute and other Foreign Service Institutes around the world. For her part, the Valedictorian of the class Madam Sondan Geepea Wilson thanked Director Konneh and staff of the Institute on behalf of the class for the professional skills and knowledge acquired promising to utilize their diplomatic skills to serve as Liberia’s Ambassadors at any time.

MIA Suspends CDF- Hopes to Synchronize It With Agenda For Transformation

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced the immediate suspension of new transfer and disbursement requests affecting the County Development and County Social Development Funds. The Insight newspaper reports that the Ministry says the decision is based on the need to undertake an assessment and review of all accounts of the two funds and the programs and activities they support throughout the country. In a press release issued in Monrovia, the Ministry emphasized that the suspension will not affect funds already transferred from the Ministry of Finance to accounts of counties for ongoing projects and programs. The Ministry underscored that the review is necessary because county councils are being held under the new fiscal budget; there is therefore the need to align new projects with the County Development Agenda, which is consistent with provisions of the Agenda for Transformation (AFT). The Ministry has further assured constituents that it will shortly begin to consult with sector agencies, legislative Caucuses, and concessions contributing to the Social Development Fund, adding that the suspension is only temporary.

Related stories: Internal Affairs Suspends County Development Fund Disbursement(Daily Observer), County Dev. Funds Disbursement Suspended(In Profile), Disbursement of County Development Funds Suspended(Heritage), MIA Puts Ice On Development Fund(Analyst)

‘I’m Delighted’-Ellen Speaks of G. Bassa

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has expressed delight in the operations of a group of Liberians working on the Coastal Defense Project in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. The Coastal Defense Project is a government initiative driven by three government Ministries including the Ministry of Land, Mines & Energy with support from the United Nations Development Program, UNDP. The intent of the project is to protect coastal areas from ongoing sea erosion that is gradually eating up territorial land-space in Grand Bassa, Grand cape Mount and Montserrado counties.  The Daily Observer writes that speaking during a tour of the project over the weekend; President Johnson Sirleaf lauded the efforts of the workers including technical staff from the Ministry of Lands Mines & energy for their commitment and selfless-delegation to ensuring that Buchanan is protected from sea-erosion.

Related story: Rescue For Bassa’s Coaster Disaster (New Democrat)

Other Stories

Liberia Gets US$11m Soon-As IMF Board Waives revenue collection criteria

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed the second review under the three-year arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) for Liberia. The completion of the review enables the disbursement of an amount equivalent to SDR 7.382 million (about US$11.4 million), bringing the total disbursements under the arrangement to SDR 22.146 million (about US$34.2 million). In completing the review, the Board approved the waiver for the nonobservance of the performance criteria on the floor on revenue collection of the central government, the ceiling on Central Bank of Liberia’s gross direct credit to the government and the floor on foreign reserves of the CBL, writes the Analyst newspaper.

Nelson Mandela Buried at Qunu Ancestral Home

Nelson Mandela’s body has been laid to rest in a family plot, after political and religious leaders paid tribute to South Africa’s first black President at a state funeral service. According to the Daily Observer newspaper, his widow, Graca Machel, and President Jacob Zuma were present for the private, traditional Xhosa burial at Mr. Mandela’s ancestral home in Qunu.

Locally Integrating Liberians Refugees In Ghana Receive Cash Grants

An inside story of the Daily Observer reads that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Ghana Refugee Board (GRB), has started the distribution of cash grants to Liberian refugees in Ghana, who have opted to locally integrate. The one-time cash grant ranges from US$400 to US$ 2,400 payable in Ghanaian Cedis depending on the size of the family. The amount is to support the former refugees to enable them start life in Ghana. The cash forms part of the local integration package to be received by more than 3,500 Liberian refugees, who have opted to stay in Ghana. Other components of the local integration package include the issuance of Liberian Passports, two-year residence permits/work permits, and National Health Insurance premium for one year. This is in addition to skills training activities the refugees have benefitted from in the previous years to help their self-reliance. The cash grant component of the Local Integration package is made possible by the donation of the Danish government with 75% and US Government with 25% of the required funding. Those receiving the cash grant have already gone through a vetting exercise by both officials from Liberia as well as Ghana Immigration Officials. Currently, a team from Liberia is on a final mission to process those left to go through formal processes for the issuance of Liberian passports. The Government of Ghana approved last year a local integration policy for those seeking to be integrated. Ghana has hosted thousands of Liberians since 1990. In 1996, Ghana was hosting more than 40,000 Liberians, according to the Daily Observer.

Japan Promises Support to Stranded Liberian

A back page story of the Analyst newspaper quotes the Liberia News Agency (LINA), as saying that an official at the Japanese Embassy in Accra, Ghana, Madam Mayyumi Kurata has assured the Liberian Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) of Japan’s continued assistance to stranded Liberian in the West African sub-region. Madam Kurata gave the assurance during a courtesy call on the LRRRC Executive Director Cllr. Abla Williams as part of an official visit to Liberia. According to the daily, the current repatriation of Liberian refugees is being funded by the Japanese Government through its Embassy in Accra, Ghana and implemented by the LRRRC.

Gov’t, Cash Africa Sign MOU-For Financial Data Processing Solutions

The Liberian Government through the Ministry of Post and telecommunications and a private firm-Roraima Group, have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at enabling the firm provide services to Liberians both in the public and private sectors, Postal Affairs Minister Frederick Norkeh signed on behalf of the Government while Roraima Group’s President and Chief Executive Officer Colin Mars Vickerie signed on behalf of his organization. The In Profile Daily writes that the Roraima Group is a service provider in terms of global financial data processing solutions operating under the name ‘Cash Africa’. CEO Mars Vickerie said his organization is expected to begin activities in Liberia in January, 2014 with an investment package of seven million United States Dollars in the area of technology.

MoE   Dedicates Science Labs

In partnership with the National Oil company of Liberia {NOCAL], the Ministry of Education

Last  Tuesday  dedicated  newly  constructed  science  laboratories  at  the  Harbel  Multilateral  High

School in Lower Margi County. Victoria Kahn Kennedy, a Consultant to the Ministry of Education

Said   the construction of the laboratories by government is aimed at providing science education in the country, according to the New Democrat newspaper.